Bonhoeffer Abridged

This is the second book I've read on Dietrich Bonhoeffer in recent months.The last one was "Strange Glory," a very long book with a lot of detail, and for some people a little too much detail. My wife loves history and is from a German heritage, so I thought she would love "Strange Glory" - she didn't. She found herself getting bored with the details. I have asked her to read "Bonhoeffer Abridged" and I think she'll really like it. One of the things I really like about this book is that it gives you a fast-moving account of Dietrich Bonnhoefer's life, yet being careful to cover most of the highlights of his life and ministry without dragging through little details. It is broken down into 12 chapters covering the years of his life from birth to death. It's entire length is only 256 pages, but those pages covers his life quite thoroughly. I never once found myself bored while reading this book - it is an excellent book. I believe it gave me good insight into the life and ministry of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I found it very easy to read and enjoyed it very much. If you want more details on his life and ministry, I would suggest getting the unabridged copy of this book "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy" (624 pages) by the same author (Eric Metaxas). I easily give this book 5 stars.

This is a great gift choice for the theologian and/or history buff in your life!

I've long been fascinated with World War 2 history and am familiar with Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Having not finished the unabridged edition, I jumped at the chance to review "Bonhoeffer Abridged: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, " by Eric Metaxas. This edition is very readable - unlike many abridged books.

"Bonhoeffer is a story of moral courage in the face of .. monstrous..... (Bonhoeffer) became one of the first to speak out against Hitler. As a double-agent, he joined the plot to assassinate the Fhrer, and was hanged in Flossenberg concentration camp at age 39. Since his death, Bonhoeffer has grown to be one of the most fascinating, complex figures of the 20th century."

This story moved me. I have long asked, "Where was the German church when Hitler rose to power?" Metaxas answers that question well while illustrating the life of Bonhoeffer. I was forced to consider the role Allied Politicians had in NOT supporting those trying to over-throw Hitler. We wanted to believe, "There is no such thing as a good German." Dietrich Bonhoeffer disproved this notion. I found it fascinating to read about this time period from the German point of view. This book has it all - theology, tough questions and answers, moral dilemmas, intrigue, an amazing amount of new facts to digest and even a bit of unexpected romance. I highly recommend it to history buffs, theologians, Christians who wrestle with the role of faith in social/political issues, high school students studying World War 2....you won't regret this read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Normally I avoid abridged books like the plague, but when I saw this biography I knew I needed to read it. I've been trying to read more biographies in general, anyway, and Bonhoeffer was on my list. It is a very thick book, though, and this one- under three hundred pages- looked like it would be an easy way to find out if I should stick out the unabridged version. Plus, this one was free. ;)

It's very difficult for me to discern whether or not I agree with Bonhoeffer's theology- there were several times I thought, well, I don't think that's right... but it's hard for me to really grasp a lot of theological concepts, so I'm not sure if he was saying what I thought he was or if I was just misunderstanding.

That aside, this book really was fascinating. I learned so much about Germany during World War II and the years leading up to it. I didn't know a whole lot about the resistance in Germany (although I had heard about the plot to kill Hitler before) and it really is a wake-up call on to what evil people in this world are capable of...but also an encouraging look at the good that people are capable of, as well.

I received this book for free from the booklook.com in exchange for my honest review.