On the morning of April 9, 1945, German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer was 聽executed at Flossenburg concentration camp. The camp doctor, H. 聽Fischer-Hullstrung, later remembered: [Just before the execution] "I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer kneeling on the 聽floor, praying fervently to God...so certain that God heard his 聽prayer...I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the 聽will of God." Others testified that, up to his last day, the 39 year old 聽Bonhoeffer remained cheerful. He knew what he had to do, was reconciled 聽to God's will, and was able to climb the steps to the gallows "brave and 聽composed." Who was this man who died so bravely--who Hitler himself, from his 聽bunker beneath Berlin just three weeks before his suicide, ordered to be 聽"destroyed?" He's the subject of best-selling author Eric Metaxas's new 聽biography, "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy." Shortly after his conversion in 1988, Metaxas read Bonhoeffer's The 聽Cost of Discipleship and learned the story of the young man who, 聽"because of his Christian faith stood up to the Nazis and ultimately 聽gave his life." From then on, he was determined to tell the story to 聽others. And tell it he has. Metaxas takes readers, in 592 pages, through Bonhoeffer's entire 聽life, from his parent's courtship to his memorial service. No corner of 聽the subject's life is left unexplored. Through the author's use of 聽Bonhoeffer's personal letters to family and friends, earlier 聽biographies, interviews with those who knew Bonhoeffer, and other 聽thorough research, readers get a comprehensive and balanced look into 聽one of recent history's greatest theologians. Appropriately, Metaxas emphasizes Bonhoeffer's theology and how it 聽played out in his life. In contrast to "cheap grace," Bonhoeffer 聽believed that true grace influences all aspects of a Christian's life. 聽Christianity is more than formal religion, and it requires believers to 聽be willing to sacrifice everything to God. Christianity is also more 聽than legalistic morality. Ethics, according to Bonhoeffer, can't be 聽reduced to a set of rules. These beliefs are what led this humble and 聽devout follower of Christ to be involved in a plot to assassinate 聽Hitler. How Christianity and assassination plots can be reconciled is hard 聽for many to fathom--especially those who have lived only in peace and 聽safety. We must consider Bonhoeffer in the context of his life, his 聽country, and the war that he had no choice but to be a part of. Ethics, 聽once so clear, become unclear. Do we lie to the Nazis, or do we give 聽them information that leads to the deaths of innocents? Do we obey our 聽nation's laws, or do we defy them by leading Jews into safety? Do we 聽fight in Hitler's army, or do we refuse, knowing that we will be 聽beheaded and leave our family destitute? These are some of the questions 聽Bonhoeffer faced. 聽But readers can sympathize with Bonhoeffer. Metaxas masterfully puts 聽us in his world. We celebrate with him in his family's parlor. We study 聽with him in his illegal seminary. We watch with him as his world 聽unravels. And we see him agonize over decisions, decisions that are not 聽so clear, and decisions that he often had to make without the support of 聽others. 聽Metaxas's "Bonhoeffer" will be one of the best books of the year. 聽I've learned, as expected, much about the life of a great and inspiring 聽Christian. 聽But I've also learned about the world, sin and evil, what it 聽really means to be a Christian, and what it really means to live. 聽 There are a few books that, years after I have read them, I realize have 聽had a great influence on me. This will be one of them. You can't go 聽wrong with this book; I give it my highest recommendation.