The Plot to Kill Hitler - Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Unlikely Hero

It was April 5, 1943, and the Gestapò would arrive any minute. Dietrich Bonhoeffer put his papers in order and left a few notes specifically for Hitler's men to see. Two Gestapo agents climbed the stairs and told the blond, boyish-looking Bonhoeffer to come with them. Left behind was proof, in his own handwriting, that this quiet young minister was part of a conspiracy to kill Adolf Hitler.

This compelling, brilliantly researched account includes the remarkable discovery that Bonhoeffer was one of the first people to provide evidence to the Allies that Jews were being deported to death camps. It takes readers from his privileged early childhood to the studies and travel that would introduce him to activists around the world–eventually putting the scholarly pacifist on a deadly course to assassinate one of the most ruthless dictators in history. The Plot to Kill Hitler provides fascinating insights into what makes someone stand up for what's right when no one else is standing with you. It is a question that every generation must answer again and again.

With black-and-white photographs, intriguing sidebars, and little-known details, this book–from two-time National Book Award finalist Patricia McCormick–should be essential reading.