Dr. John A. KingIndigenous Australian. 100% Human. Neo-Noir Novelist. Poet. Speaker. Performance coach. More than a Survivor. Terrible Golfer, Awkward Dancer🕺

Book Review: Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas #shorts

17 May 2026 · 2 min

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1:53

In a rapid, informal YouTube Shorts segment, Dr. John A. King delivers a highly enthusiastic one‑minute review of Eric Metaxas’s biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He repeatedly praises the book as “brilliant to bollocks,” awarding it a “double brilliant” rating. King links the historical narrative to the popular film Valkyrie (starring Tom Cruise), noting that Bonhoeffer was a central figure in the German resistance against Hitler—a fact the movie omits. He highlights Bonhoeffer’s moral stance against the complicity of both the Catholic and Lutheran churches in the persecution of Jews, portraying him as a Christian who chose to act. King describes the book as moving, emotionally powerful (a “box of tissues” moment), and spiritually challenging for believers, while also noting Metaxas’s skill as a writer. He concludes with a clear call‑to‑action: watch Valkyrie and read the book.

Chapters

So great. This one, this one, one-minute book review. Bornhofer, uh, Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas. Metaxas. Eric there. Eric. There he is. Bornhofer. So brilliant to bollocks. I'm going to give this a double brilliant. Here's why. It's bloody brilliant. Bloody brilliant. So I love this book. You know that movie with Tom Cruise, Valkyrie, where they've got all these guys, they get together and have a conspiracy to try and kill Hitler? What they don't tell you is Bonhoeffer was in the middle of it. Here is this Lutheran priest, German State Church Lutheran priest, who said, bloody hell, you can't do this, mate. This is not the right thing to do. The Catholic Church is involved and complicit in killing Jews. The Lutheran Church is complicit in killing Jews. And Bonhoeffer says, nah, bollocks to that. Let's do something about it because that's what a Christian would do. So he was right in the middle of that whole— watch the Valkyrie thing because it'll set it up for you. Then come and read Bonhoeffer and what it's like. I mean, it is moving. It's one of those, you know, have a box of tissues as you get towards the end, because here is someone who actually had the gumption to stand up for what he believed. And I found it very challenging. I found it devotionally as a Christian. I found it very encouraging, very challenging. It's not a difficult read. Mektas is a tremendous writer. He's a great writer. So there you go. I'm going more than 1 minute. Sorry about that. Having a bit of waffle on. So, Bornhofer, brilliant to bollocks. Full brilliant. Get yourself a copy. Watch Valkyrie. Read the book. Cheers.