Much Ado about Bonhoeffer

Since Eric Metaxas biography about Dietrich Bonhoeffer was published, much ado has been made about the book.  The sheer size of it was daunting and so I never gave it much thought.  My husband, on the other hand, wanted it for his birthday--so that was my gift.  I gave him a copy of the Hardcover edition of the book.

In August, a paperback edition of the book was published.  I had a chance to review it, so I decided it would be a worthwhile endeavor.  After finishing the book, my husband had said to me that he really wanted me to read it, so reviewing it would give me added motivation to make my way through the book.  I am slowly reading it bit by bit.  It is quite heavy in vocabulary and information (Metaxas really packs it in!).


Since so many reviews have been written about this book, it seems silly to write another detailed review about the writing, content, and flow of the book.  So, I have decided to limit myself to what makes this edition differently and briefly talk about the book.  The only difference is truly the binding.


It is a paperback edition. Often when I buy a book, I wonder if I should spend the money on the hardback copy or if I can save money and purchase the paperback. In this case, you can save $5 and buy the paperback. Thomas Nelson didn't sacrifice quality or size in printing the paperback edition. The same photos are included (my husband and I own a paperback and hardcover edition of this book). The binding is strong and tight. I recommend it.

As for a few notes about the book, well, it is incredible just as everyone says it is. It is a rich, well written biography. It does not fall into the category of memoirs that is so popular today. I did not think I would enjoy reading a true biography quite as much as I have. Each page is packed with interesting information. This book is much more than the story about a man. It is the story of Germany Christians, the holocaust, and WWII. It is also the story of love amidst suffering. This book is not for children or young adults. It is appropriate because of the content (ie. graphic description of the holocaust and the depth of the love of Dietrich and his fiancee) for adults. Many young adults think they understand what love is and the sacrifices of love, but they are young. They are immature and are not yet adults. I do not mean that in any deprecating way. I simply want to make it plain that we often think that if a book can be read by someone, regardless of age, then it is appropriate for them to read. We need to guard against this false assumption.

This book is truly modern literature.  If you are thinking about reading it, I'd definitely recommend it--even if it takes you a year to read it and you read a few pages at a time!

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Thomas Nelson Publishing.