John Bunyan (November 28, 1628-August 31, 1688) was English preacher and author. He is widely known for his book The Pilgrim's Progress (1678 and 1684). A non-conformist preacher who suffered persecution and imprisonment, Bunyan began developing the idea for and writing Pilgrim's Progress while in prison. It is an allegorical tale of virtue and vice which follows the struggles of a Christian as he travels from the "City of Destruction" (this world) to the "Celestial City" (heaven). The work has been translated into more than 200 languages and has remained in print since it was first issued.