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The Plot to Kill Hitler: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Unlikely Hero by Patricia McCormick
thegillbird's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism and War
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Gun violence
hayleybeale's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent nonfiction account of how Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a gentle and thoughtful theologian, came to be involved in a failed plot to kill Hitler. See my full review here.
pattydsf's review against another edition
4.0
“The Gestapo would arrive any minute. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, waiting peacefully in his book-lined study, had been expecting this day for a long time. He arranged his files carefully on his desk and opened his diary to a page with fake entries to throw Hitler’s men off his trail. Then he removed a panel from the ceiling and hid a letter alongside a sheaf of paper he’d stashed earlier.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of my heroes. I have been hearing about him for decades since he is considered to be a Lutheran and I grew up in that church. However, I have never read anything about him. There are two standard biographies of which one is over 1,000 pages and the other is over 600. There is an excellent novel Saints and Villains, but it is almost 500 pages. Since I know some things about this amazing man, I never felt pulled to any of these works.
So when Balzer + Bray offered me a reading copy of this biography through Edelweiss, I jumped at the chance. The opportunity to read a book that is less than 200 pages seemed ideal. I could learn more without committing my summer to Bonhoeffer.
I am very grateful for this opportunity. McCormick treats Bonhoeffer’s life with respect and makes it very clear why Dietrich Bonhoeffer is revered.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Shoah (Holocaust), World War II or everyday folks who become heroes.
Thank you to Balzer + Bray and Edeliweiss.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of my heroes. I have been hearing about him for decades since he is considered to be a Lutheran and I grew up in that church. However, I have never read anything about him. There are two standard biographies of which one is over 1,000 pages and the other is over 600. There is an excellent novel Saints and Villains, but it is almost 500 pages. Since I know some things about this amazing man, I never felt pulled to any of these works.
So when Balzer + Bray offered me a reading copy of this biography through Edelweiss, I jumped at the chance. The opportunity to read a book that is less than 200 pages seemed ideal. I could learn more without committing my summer to Bonhoeffer.
I am very grateful for this opportunity. McCormick treats Bonhoeffer’s life with respect and makes it very clear why Dietrich Bonhoeffer is revered.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Shoah (Holocaust), World War II or everyday folks who become heroes.
Thank you to Balzer + Bray and Edeliweiss.
kayathebookworm's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed The Plot to Kill Hitler by Patricia McCormick but found myself disappointed after reading it. I was hoping for a more Christian perspective on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life and relationship with God but the book turned out to be more of a biographical summary of the most defining parts of his life. Also, to be honest, I found myself liking Bonhoeffer a lot less than I expected to. I found that he had, in my opinion, some theological flaws.
2.75 stars.
2.75 stars.
greenvillemelissa's review against another edition
5.0
Book #134 Read in 2016
The Plot to Kill Hitler by Patricia McCormick
Famous young adult literature author McCormick takes on a non-fiction piece in this book. This is geared towards young adult readers and details a conspiracy by Germans to kill Hitler to stop his madness against Jewish people. It was a quick read and was written in a way that made it seem like fiction rather than a textbook. Young adult readers would appreciate that. I borrowed this book from the public library.
The Plot to Kill Hitler by Patricia McCormick
Famous young adult literature author McCormick takes on a non-fiction piece in this book. This is geared towards young adult readers and details a conspiracy by Germans to kill Hitler to stop his madness against Jewish people. It was a quick read and was written in a way that made it seem like fiction rather than a textbook. Young adult readers would appreciate that. I borrowed this book from the public library.
sc104906's review against another edition
3.0
This novel presented the acts of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his connection to an underground network that attempted to stop Hitler. Bonhoeffer was a devoted pastor and pacifist. He would not support the violent acts of Hitler and his army. While Bonhoeffer was strongly opposed to Hitler and his Final Solution, he truly loved Germany. There were many times he would leave Germany, during the Holocaust to better help, but he would always wish he were doing more from Germany. Bonhoeffer believed that people of all faiths and backgrounds should work together and that it was everyone's duty to help the Jews.
I found this work dry, but Bonhoeffer led an interesting and inspirational life.
I found this work dry, but Bonhoeffer led an interesting and inspirational life.
jimenezmadi's review against another edition
4.0
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, born into a wealthy family in Berlin, Germany, knew that he was different from his other siblings. His older brothers were exceptionally smart with physics and other sciences, speaking several languages, and his sisters were intelligent and beautiful. Being the dreamer in the family was difficult, and he trailed behind many of his siblings. As he grew older, he realized his curiosity and fascination for the unknown, particularly the works of God. He decided that theology was his study of choice, and astounded many scholars. As the years passed, Germany found itself a leader, Adolf Hitler, and Bonhoeffer knew that there was something wrong with that man. Those who wanted to be a leader of God needed to be tore down, and so began the workings of assassinating Hitler.
This book was an incredibly easy and quick read. World War 2 was a time of great unrest, genocide, and so many other things, and this man made a difference. I would recommend this book to middle grade and high school aged students, aged fourteen and up. This book certainly had some difficult topics discussed that are impressionable to younger aged students. It was, however, a new look at those who knew that Hitler was a tyrannical leader and worked to remove him from his bloody throne.
Content Warnings: Murder, Nazism
This book was an incredibly easy and quick read. World War 2 was a time of great unrest, genocide, and so many other things, and this man made a difference. I would recommend this book to middle grade and high school aged students, aged fourteen and up. This book certainly had some difficult topics discussed that are impressionable to younger aged students. It was, however, a new look at those who knew that Hitler was a tyrannical leader and worked to remove him from his bloody throne.
Content Warnings: Murder, Nazism
melissapalmer404's review against another edition
5.0
Book #134 Read in 2016
The Plot to Kill Hitler by Patricia McCormick
Famous young adult literature author McCormick takes on a non-fiction piece in this book. This is geared towards young adult readers and details a conspiracy by Germans to kill Hitler to stop his madness against Jewish people. It was a quick read and was written in a way that made it seem like fiction rather than a textbook. Young adult readers would appreciate that. I borrowed this book from the public library.
The Plot to Kill Hitler by Patricia McCormick
Famous young adult literature author McCormick takes on a non-fiction piece in this book. This is geared towards young adult readers and details a conspiracy by Germans to kill Hitler to stop his madness against Jewish people. It was a quick read and was written in a way that made it seem like fiction rather than a textbook. Young adult readers would appreciate that. I borrowed this book from the public library.