Customer Reviews

John Comenius: The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart (Classics of Western Spirituality)

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Why should you read a book written in 1623? Because, this book is special. Comenius wrote with an uncanny ability to see life as it really is. In an allagorical genre (as Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress), it is fast moving, interesting and thought-provoking. The author will grab you and bring you along with him as he searches the world for true wisdom and true happiness. This book is simply unforgetable. On par, but of different genre, with Augustine's Confessions.

Interesting how a man whose life reflected the turmoil of his day. As Solomon said, all is vanity. Comenius writes from many of his own experiences. He saw his family taken away from him, he had to flee numerous times. He basically invented modern education. Here is a book, written so long ago, yet so important for our day.

Do we ever stop to ask why we do what we do and why we choose what we choose? Is there a better choice? Comenius was offered the Presidency of Harvard University in his day. Here is a man who survive, neigh, conquered in his life. You will be glad you read this book.

I have read and reread this book many times. I even purchased several copies to give to my children and friends. The Labyrinth is a classic of reformation thought. John Comenius (Jan Komensky) was a Czech educator who was forced to flee his homeland during the European religious wars of the 17th century. In this allegory he pictures life very in sharp focus and it is clear from this that man's nature has not changed much over the centuries. This book is as relevant today as it was when it was written. To me, this book is better written than Pilgrims Progress, but it is less known since it has remained hidden to the English reader in the Czech language for so many centuries. This is the best English translation that I've found.

I enjoyed this book by the Father of Modern Education more than Pilgrim's Progress. I easily identified the many twists and turns that people make before they find spiritual insight. A must read.