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Apr 02, 2011

Mike (the Paladin) rated it:

Let me say first that this is a wonderful book. Congratulations Mr. Metaxas.

From an account of Bonhoeffer's life to the overlay of history I was drawn in and followed it. There is (of course) for me a sort of bittersweet sense to the book as Bonhoeffer died just before the end of WWII. He was murdered about 3 weeks before Hitler took his own life more than likely having been murdered on the orders of the mad man himself.

Some will not be as interested in the theological in More...

5 comments like (17 people liked it)

Feb 08, 2011

Sally rated it:

This is an absolutely amazing book about a man who truly was a pastor, a martyr and a prophet. It is a must read for every Christian. We must examine our own beliefs about how we are to live as Christians in relation to the State, and to each other. The book helps the reader to understand how Nazi Germany happened and the role that the German church played in what happened in Germany after World War I. Someone said that Eric Metaxas has done for Bonhoeffer what David McCullough has done done More...

0 comments like (8 people liked it)

Aug 19, 2011

Adam rated it:

Full review at http://bookwi.se/bonhoeffer-pastor-marty...

Short reviews: I keep going back and forth between 4 and 5 stars. I think this was a very good biography. And it left me wanting more, which I think is a good sign. Metaxas did a good job pulling Bonhoeffer out of the boxes that he is often put into. He was more than just a theologian or writer, or part of an assassination plot. But there were some editing errors and lots of strange descriptions. I called them Dan Ratheris More...

3 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 09, 2012

Cheryl rated it:

Throughout history there have been devout Christians who admonish believers for taking their faith lightly. This is the story of one who paid the ultimate price for his beliefs in the midst of the terror that was Hitler's Germany and the Holocaust. Bonhoeffer was among the saboteurs of the plot to assassinate Hitler from the inside. He was living safely in America in 1939, had won praise for being a prominent author and theologian, but chose to return to Germany to defend the Jews against Hitler More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 12, 2011

Mark rated it:

On a rare occasion I get so involved in a book that it becomes real to me. The characters come to life. The story envelops me with its mental imagery and emotion. And when you finish, it's like emerging from another world that existed for only a short while.

And on an even rarer occasion, a book about real people does the same.

Yesterday, I finished reading "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy" by Eric Metaxas. Yesterday, I lost a friend who I won't meet un More...

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Feb 10, 2012

Marne rated it:

I had long been curious about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, so when I made a resolution to read at least five biographies this year, this was one of the first books that grabbed my attention. It is not a book to pick up and read lightly, in my opinion, as it is no mere superficial examination of the material, but an in-depth exploration of the whole of Bonhoeffer's life and work

I was hooked on this book when the author, in a completely unpretentious manner, within the first cou More...

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Jan 29, 2012

Chris rated it:

This book was transformative for me. Bonhoeffer's life is richly inspiring -- I see a lot of my own personality traits reflected in him (I'm sure he was a Myers-Briggs INFJ), and it's amazing to see how he took those strengths and weaknesses and placed them in the hands of God. Truly, this was a man who lived the Abundant Life that Christ and Paul talked about: full of compassion, purpose, dedication and courage, and able to find the joy and humor around him even in the midst of terribly dark ci More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 29, 2011

Natalie rated it:

A friend of mine was reading this book and kept expressing how much he loved it, so as soon as he finished I was eager to read it for myself. I was not disappointed! This is a masterfully written biography of arguably one of the most important Christian thinkers/writers/activists during World War II. The author’s tendency to reference future events sometimes seemed like a bit of a spoiler, but I can appreciate what a monumental task it is to weave so much information about the subject, his famil More...

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Dec 22, 2011

Haelie rated it:

Where do I start?

Some have heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (pronounced Bahn-hoofer) and even studied his writings in seminary. Others, like myself, have never heard of him until hearing about this biography of him.

Oh, how I wish I had known of him sooner.

Eric Metaxas does an amazing job of recounting the facts of Bonhoeffer's life---and death---in his biography entitled Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.

Without telling you everything of the li More...

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Nov 23, 2011

Mark rated it:

I'm hovering between three and four stars here, because I did enjoy the book. Quite a stirring narrative. But, to put it too bluntly, I don't have a fundamental trust in the theological acumen and judgment of Eric Metaxas. He's certainly a good writer who did his homework (more on that in a moment), but I've read some Bonhoeffer—and he just didn't quite speak the language of evangelical Protestantism like Metaxas seems to assume.

Even within the book there are hints that Bonhoeffer prob More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 22, 2011

Philip rated it:

Over the past few years this reviewer has encountered few works outside of the Holy Writ that are able to accomplish such a profound effect on the heart. There were moments where the deepest of emotions were evoked and a profound empathy was extended to the likable scholar turned pastor who devoted his life to what he knew to be right. Metaxas provides the reader with an in-depth look at the life of one of the great saints of modern Christendom, who with the progenitor of the faith of his fath More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 01, 2011

Aaron rated it:

My full review can be read at Blogging Theologically:

World War II is unquestionably one of the most devastating events in human history. Like perhaps no other, it is a testimony to the evil of which man is capable. Hitler’s extraordinary rise to power and his reign led to Germany’s rising out of the shame of their defeat in the First World War, followed quickly by the nation’s devastation as its desperate people bought into the promises of their false messiah. Along the way, tens of More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Oct 31, 2011

David rated it:

Wow. Prior to reading this I knew a bit about Bonhoeffer and had been immensely challenged by his Cost of Discipleship. This book succeeds in helping us get to know Bonhoeffer intimately. Bonhoeffer's courage in opposing the Nazis, a courage that took him back to Germany while he was safely in America, is inspiring. The story of his brief engagement that ends with his death is heart-wrenching, even though you know it is coming. Metaxas' book does have a few flaws. For example, he includes More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Oct 29, 2011

Marjorie rated it:

Well, full disclosure requires me to tell you that I have admired Dietrich Bonhoeffer since I was in college. For those of you who are unfamiliar with him, he was a German pastor who joined the Resistance in Germany during the Nazi era and was arrested and spent many many months in jail, and was killed just before the war. He came from a remarkable family...Bonhoeffer's brother and two of his brothers in law were also executed. And then there was the brother who died during World War I...unbe More...

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Oct 14, 2011

Matthew rated it:

An excellent must read piece of literature.

This is a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer,a Lutheran Pastor, founder of the Confessing Church, theologian, political dissident, and enemy of the Third Reich.

This volume does a wonderful job of intertwining theological thoughts, personal life, public activities and the happenings of the day. This book provides a view into the life of a Germany through the rise of Adolf Hitler into his attempting to conquest all of Europe. More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 01, 2011

Justin rated it:

Yikes- this was a real disappointment, or, as Metaxas might say, a hemorrhoidal bummer. I was excited when I read reviews when it came out. Then I was wary when I learned that Metaxas is the 'founder and host' of a philosophy reading group for crazy-rich, conservative New Yorkers. Then when I saw that the blurbs for his book, rather than being by biographers or scholars, were by CEOs, ex-CEOs, former General Partners of Goldman Sachs, Kirkus journalists or people who feel the need to put PhD at More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Sep 19, 2011

Jo rated it:

I found myself immersed in Metaxas book and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. The combination of Bonhoeffer's family history, his own life, and the rise of Hitler's Nazis Germany rendered the book more like a novel than a biography. And interweaving Bonhoeffer's personal letters to his best friend and confidant were more like journal entries into his soul, (which I so appreciate--having used the same tool in my memoir and knowing others appreciated the vulnerability). By including his ser More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Sep 18, 2011

Steve rated it:

Easy to see why this book was a winner last year. It's great to learn something new, and this one gives a different perspective on a number of fronts:

[++]Bonhoeffer, the man: The relevant angles are all covered; birth, family, education, calling, major life events, his courage, his writing, engagement, death, and a brief afterward.
[+]Bonhoeffer, the theologian: The primary purpose of the book was explaining how the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer drove his life.
[+]Life i

More...

1 comment like

Aug 16, 2011

Wanda rated it:

Until I received this book I have never had the opportunity to read about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Written by the author of Amazing Grace, this is his complete biography—from his birth to his death. Metaxas has researched his subject thoroughly and gives us a very real and moving story with excerpts from Dietrich’s own writings and letters as well as several pages of family photos. All of the details of Bonheoffer’s life that contributed to who he was and what he believed are in this book. As we rea More...

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Aug 11, 2011

Sally rated it:

A very interesting book about an interesting man. I appreciate hearing about people who lived through Hitler's reign and saw him for what he really was. Bonhoeffer was a brave and determined man with great focus. The German church at that time was a mess, but it was sad to read about the liberal theology weakening American Christianity also.

Metaxas' writing style was jarring. He tended to throw in colorful phrases that derailed my concentration rather than enhancing the narrative. More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 07, 2011

Mike rated it:

I wonder if you’ve ever had the joy of reading a book which you can’t put down? You read it in the morning when you wake up, a couple of chapters before you go to bed, and maybe a snatched few minutes at lunchtime as well. You connect with the character, you feel like you know the character, you feel like you want to find out what happens to the character next, even though in this case you know what will finally happen. Such a book for me, was Eric Metaxas’ ‘Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 29, 2011

Gary is currently reading it

A tale for our times! This is the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a devout Christian and Lutheran pastor during the 1920s through the 1940s in Hitlers Reich. It details how Bonhoeffer beliefs developed and the steps he came to take in order to serve the truth of orthodox Christianity as he saw it.
These beliefs pitted him against Hitler and the Nazi regime particularly those bishops appointed by Hitler to positions with the Lutheran Church in Germany. Since it was a state church, Hitl More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jul 28, 2011

Michael rated it:

This book details the strange, tragic and inspiring story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian theologian who died as a martyr in the holocaust. Although an academic by training and background, Bonhoeffer believed that faith was not an academic pursuit. Instead, he felt that true faith must be an act of positive involvement. Put another way, that actions are more powerful than words. Although a gentle man, you could envision him railing against those who proclaim a faith in God, but don't buil More...

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Jul 11, 2011

Ed rated it:

This book is a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The time frame is from the early 1900's through his death by execution from the Nazi regime during the waning days of World War II. I enjoyed the book and learned a great deal and rate it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The book provides great historical account of World War II from a different perspective that I have not been previously exposed. It delved into the feelings and the sentiment of Germans during this time period. I learned that there More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 17, 2011

Joshua rated it:

A splendid and thorough biography of German theologian and pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Metaxas might be best known for his biography of William Wilberforce (which spawned the movie, Amazing Grace). But many Christians will have come across his work without knowing it - as he wrote for a number of years for Veggie Tales.

Most know the basics on Bonhoeffer. German theologian-pastor who taught briefly at Union Theological Seminary in New York, and pastored churches in Germany, London, a More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Mar 09, 2011

Jesse rated it:

The Third Reich was not a product of Christianity gone awry in racism, rather it was the perversion by the National Socialists and Hitler of everything that was good about German society, to include its foundational Lutheran Faith.

As Metaxas clearly illustrates, it was not politically expedient for Hitler and his cronies to public denounce Christianity, and so ever the pragmatic lot, the National Socialists used the German peoples' naivete and lack of spiritual depth in religious pract More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 21, 2011

Damian rated it:

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I couldn’t leave the latest work of Eric Metaxas (author of best-selling Amazing Grace) on the shelf after reading this intriguing statement. Metaxas combines a comprehensive (and interesting!) history lesson with the eloquent telling of Bonhoeffer’s story and theology. He delves deep into Bonhoeffer’s personal letters and writings to find t More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 03, 2011

Cori rated it:

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of those names that shows up a lot in Christianity; for instance, he seems to get quoted a lot in church bulletin notes (he’s very quotable). But, as Metaxas lays out in his biography, Bonhoeffer was so much more than just a theologian with a penchant for proverbs. Bonhoeffer was an incredible man.

Although this book is weighty and long (600+ pages — it took me months to work my way through it), I highly recommend it. Bonhoeffer is a remarkable example of More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Dec 31, 2010

Ann rated it:

This biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is incredibly thought provoking and timely. The author gives a detailed look into the conflicts that faced the German church and the German people with the rise of Hitler. The path of compromise that most of the church took was in part because the church was so closely tied to the state. In contrast Bonhoeffer's uncompromising voice was one of very few to sound the alarm re: Hitler's true character and designs for Germany and the German church.Bonhoeffer's s More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Sep 15, 2011

Dean rated it:

A well researched, moving telling of this great man's life. A couple of my favorite quotes from the book:

DB wrote this during his 1930-31 trip to the United States, "I want to have a look at church conditions in the South, which allegedly can be quite peculiar, and get to know the situation of the Negroes in a bit more detail. I don't quite know whether I have not perhaps spent to much time on this (race and segregation) question here, especially since we don't really have an ana More...

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