When I was offered this book, it has already been published, but I heard so much about it that I wanted to read it.  It is a very long book, over 600 pages, but Metaxes doe a wonderful job of presenting Bonhoffer.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this eye-opening book.

Eric Metaxas takes both strands of Bonhoeffer’s life—the theologian and the spy—and draws them together to tell a story of incredible moral courage in the face of monstrous evil. Metaxas presents the fullest accounting of Bonhoeffer’s heart-wrenching decision to leave the safe haven of America to return to Hitler’s Germany, and sheds new light on Bonhoeffer’s involvement in the famous Valkyrie plot and in “Operation 7,” the effort to smuggle Jews into neutral Switzerland. In a deeply moving narrative, Metaxas uses previously documents including personal letters, detailed journal entries, and firsthand accoubts to reveal Bonhoffer as never before.

Everyone should read this book, not only to learn about Bonhoffer, but of Nazi Germany and how it affected so many people.

This is a lot of book, but I found it very interesting. I have heard of Bonhoeffer but didn’t know much about him. The author does a great job of making a biography read more like a novel. It was very engaging. But it is a loooong book, so there is your forewarning.

Bonhoeffer started off like any one of us, a normal family with struggles but he had a huge impact in the world. What an example for the rest of us. His faith was unshakeable. May we all be as brave as him.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I misunderstood the type of content here, thinking it was more  Bonhoeffer, not so much about Bohhoeffer. It read like a textbook, which I wasnt expecting, either.

This rather lengthy book presents Diedrich Bonhoeffer in all his roles not just as a famous German theologian.  The strength lies that the book shows the various context in which Bonhoeffer lived and worked and the reader can see how these influenced him. While important sermons and letters are presented and interpreted the main focus rests on the man, not his theories. 
However, the writing style is hard to overcome sentences like “ double-barred flatulence”, or “strangle them with their gut of quaint scruples ”  are making it difficult to read. The black and white presentation of persons and issues is simplistic. Several historical inaccuracies are annoying. 
Such an important person deserves better writing and better research.

An excellent read! There have been many books written about Bonhoeffer. This is one that I will recommend to others.

Around fifteen years ago, I watched a wonderful documentary about Bonhoeffer on PBS. I was intrigued by this Lutheran theologian who defied the Nazis. His integrity, his struggle with the nationalism and racism he witnessed both in his home country of Germany and in the United States, and his sincere desire to share his message of faith and salvation came shining through. While I may not agree with some of his theological points, I admire his actions during WWII.

This is not that Bonhoeffer, at least not entirely. The Bonhoeffer we meet in "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy," is a creation of Eric Metaxas, taking specific writings of Bonhoeffer and filtering them through his personal lens of evangelicalism. Metaxas has a passion for Bonhoeffer bordering on idolatry, and that's a problem in a biographer. Metaxas has little understanding of the social and economic influences during Bonhoeffer's life, and dismisses the prevalence of anti-Semitism.

He also does not curate the work well. Much of the book is a data dump of Bonhoeffer's works, with entire letters filling multiple chapters.

It's a disappointment. It's not the first biography I've read written by someone with an axe to grind, but it's a shame it happened to the story of this wonderful theologian.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and Nelson Books in exchange for my honest review.

Not recommended.

5 stars! If you only read one book this year, it should be this one! Boenhoffer is one of the best books I have ever read. The faith he has is amazing. From learning to teaching to being an enemy of Nazi Germany, he lived a life like no one else. This is a MUST READ.

Bonhoeffer was an intelligent and charming man, pastor, son, brother, teacher, mentor, and fiance. He practiced his faith until the end of his life. 
This book tells his story. It ties in the lives of his family, the happenings and beliefs of the Church at the time, and how Bonhoeffer’s theology bent and changed over time. I did appreciate some of the insight into German’s history and the times in which Bonhoeffer grew up and ministered. 
In places, this book is very long-winded. It shares many details that I felt were unnecessary to the essence of who Bonhoeffer is. If it were up to me, I’d edit at least 200 pages out. 
His message is one the Church needs to hear today. Some of the topics surprised me because the Church struggles in similar ways today as it did 80 years ago. I was also touched by some of his theology and thoughts because I want an authentic faith in God that obeys Him and makes a difference. Before Bonhoeffer’s death: “This is the end,” he said. “For me the beginning of life.”

I really did not know how to rate this book. The book was well-researched and included numerous quotes, excerpts, and entire texts from original sources including the subject's own writing. Admittedly, I was not familiar with Bonhoeffer before reading this book. Parts of his story were absolutely fascinating. However, great sections of this book were stunningly tedious, and I skimmed them. Since this is nonfiction I felt comfortable focusing on the topics that were most interesting to me. In my opinion, this book felt like required reading for a graduate-level history seminar.
I learned about Bonhoeffer's childhood, upbringing, education, theology, etc. Most importantly,  I learned about Bonhoeffer's involvement in plots to assassinate Hitler. This is why I wanted to read the book. The author successfully presented Bonhoeffer's ethical dilemmas based on his own writings and those of people close to him. Ultimately, Bonhoeffer is presented as a tragic character. A  historical novel based on his life could be an amazing read. But it could not be as dry as this biography. 
I have never read this author before. Theology and theological figures are not my area of interest. Bonhoeffer's theology and/ or philosophy were not why I chose to read this biography. However, these topics were necessary because they are fundamental to who Bonhoeffer was and his motivation to make the choices he did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have read numerous books about Bonhoeffer and this one was by far one of my favorites. Definitely a must read for people who are interested in Bonhoeffer and history like that. 

Very well written. Thorough and well thought out. I am grateful to have been given the chance to read this book. My kids will enjoy reading it when they're a bit older too.

Letters and Papers from Prison is one of my favorite book so I had high expectations for this book.
Unfortunately I was disappointed as I found it a bit unrealistic and some things could be debatable.
Bonhoeffer is a complex and fascinating characters but this biography misses the point and left me wondering what the author really wanted to achieve.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas is a powerful story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor of the German Evangelical Church before and during the rise of Adolf Hitler and the genocide that took place during WWII.  This was one of the best books I've read this year.  This book shows how Bonhoeffer was so solid in his beliefs and what was right and what was wrong and he was so strong in expressing these all so clearly.  He had a way of seeing through the clutter of everyday life and did not just go along with the status quo.  I would love to be so sure of my decisions and would have liked to have met him.

Eric tells this story in an interesting and beautiful way.  It is a tough story to tell but he does so gracefully and with thorough details and parts of speeches that take my breath away.  I will be buying this book for my son to read as it brought many discussions between us of our beliefs.  Any book that can connect us this way needs to be read by so many.  I will be recommending this to my friends as well. 

I thank Nelson Books, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. and NetGalley for the digital copy and the opportunity to read this powerful book.  It will stay in my memory for a very long time.  Opinions here are all my own.

Bonhoeffer is at times frustrating, at times mesmerizing, at times confusing. Because in biography the basic "plot" is known, the author's challenge is to make the subject real, to explain why he or she did whatever he/she did, and why others reacted as they did. In Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxas is a little eratic. I was never quite sure what Bonhoeffer's role in the resistance was, though I do understand that he resisted (as did his entire family) and why. Metaxas also struggles to explain Bonhoeffer's theology, but does an excellent job of including many of Bonhoeffer's quotes - perhaps he was able to pick out the most interesting and explanatory?

Eric Metaxas’ biography  Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy offers a full, even epic, portrait of the life of one of the Twentieth Century’s most iconic men. Metaxas accomplishes this by placing Bonhoeffer in Hitler’s Germany with the addition of primary sources: personal letters, diaries, and coded notes.  With this addition, Mataxas humanizes a seemingly fearless paradox of a man, a man who followed his fate unflinchingly. Fortunately, the story of this man’s life unfolds through Mataxas’ writing, a life, like few found in our civilization, of “a man for all seasons.”

Scholars argue about whether this book brought anything new to Bonhoeffer scholarship or whether it gives a biased portrait of the subject, but it's certainly engaging and written in a compelling style.

I was intrigued by the description of Bonhoeffer as a pastor, martyr prophet and spy; I knew enough of his story to know that the first two descriptions were true but a spy? 
If you want to find out whether he was a spy read another book you will find no real evidence of it here. It is also hard to see what real part he played in the various plots against Hitler, other than as postman and cheerleader.
I have elsewhere that religious scholars took the book to task about its view of Bonhoeffer's theological stance. As an agnostic I am in no position to judge Metaxas on this.
I know a little about the history of the period and can judge on his history, which is in places poor, the idea that all atrocities in the east were carried out by the SS is plain wrong, we know the Wehrmacht played a substantial role. The Prussian officer class had no real issue with Hitler while they were winning, after he gave the likes of Rommel and Guderian lots of shiny new toys to play with. The plots themselves were facile, like a great many things from that time over-engineered, a good honest suicide bomb in July 1944 might saved the likes of Bonhoeffer's life!
This book is intermible in its quotes, obtuse in its history, I found myself myself thinking of replacing the second half of the strapping with fanatic and assassin.

This book is going in my DNF pile. I first tried reading it, but didn’t get very far before deciding that I wasn’t willing to dedicate the time required to read something that was not really holding my interest. 
I then checked out the audiobook, thinking this was the way to go, as I really try to finish the books I get from Netgalley. Still wasn’t happening. 
I’m sure Bonhoeffer’s story is an interesting one. But this book is too lengthy and was taking too long to get anywhere. I have too many books to read and life is too short. I had to move on.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas is a very highly recommended biography of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In this new updated 2020 edition a number of typographical and other small errors from the first edition have been corrected. I enjoyed my copy of the first edition immensely and it is a privilege to read the new introduction and reacquaint myself with an incredible man of faith.

"'Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act. God will not hold us guiltless.' Though the words have never been directly traced to Bonhoeffer, do they not sum up what he said in so many other ways?" This biography of theologian and anti-Nazi activist Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) is an important and inspiring work that should be a must-read for any one who wants to know what the Christian principle of "dying to self" means. The idea of setting yourself aside and living for others and for God is often thought to be a severe task that only a few saintly people can do, but as Paul proclaimed, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Bonhoeffer fundamentally understood and embraced that belief.

Metaxas presents Bonhoeffer's life, starting with his family and upbringing leading to the various influences in his life that led to his profound faith and convictions. He also covers the historical background of the times for those who might not be well acquainted with it. Many readers will already know something about Bonhoeffer's work as a theologian and his resistance to Nazism and their atrocities, and his death, but this biography is a full account of his life and the decisions and choices he made that eventually led to his execution. It is well documented and Metaxas carefully notes the many primary sources and papers he consulted to write this very complete and accessible biography of an amazing man.

This is a life that speaks for itself, and Metaxas wisely allows the information and documents he presents to tell the story of Bonhoeffer's life.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas Nelson.
The review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The research that was done by Mr. Metaxas was quite extensive and thorough but the resulting book was entirely too loooooong. Mr. Metaxas also felt compelled to sprinkle his otherwise excellent book with inane metaphors. I generally do not read biographies so please take my comments with a grain of salt.

Eric Metaxas constructed an intelligent, well-researched, gripping account of a man—both a theologian and spy—who became so deeply committed to taking down a monstrous evil that he was willing to leave his safe harbor in America and return to his homeland. The author’s thorough research—from Bonhoeffer’s early years that gives us an understanding of his family’s deep Christian values, to his deep convictions that led him to risk his life to fight against an evil that seized the soul of a nation. Highly recommended for WWII historical research buffs.