Eric Metaxas' biography of World War II German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer—Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy—has been named the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's (ECPA) Christian Book of the Year.

The Thomas Nelson book was also voted the Non-Fiction title of the year in the association's 2011 Christian Book Awards, announced May 2 on the eve of ECPA's annual meeting and Executive Leadership Summit in Colorado Springs, Colo.

It marked the second successive year that Thomas Nelson took the prestigious award. Richard Stearns' The Hole in Our Gospel was named Christian Book of the Year and the Christian Life title of the year for 2010.

Announcing the top 2011 award, ECPA President Mark Kuyper said that the honor was in recognition of the book's quality, its popularity and in making the best-seller charts. "This is a great book that connects well with people," which "touched people's hearts and minds," he said.

The other winners were: Bibles: HCSB Study Bible, Jeremy Royal Howard and Edwin A. Blum, general editors (Holman Bible Publishers/B&H Publishing Group); and Bible Reference: Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Old Testament set by John H. Walton, general editor (Zondervan).

Children: The Action Bible illustrated by Sergio Cariello and edited by Doug Mauss (David C. Cook); Fiction: Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers); and Inspiration: You Changed My Life by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson).

Three of the ECPA winners were also named in Christian Retailing's 2011 Retailers Choice Awards, announced April 26. Bonhoeffer was voted Autobiography/Biography; The Action Bible was named Children's Bible and You Changed My Life tied at the top in the Gift Book category.

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