It's just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . . Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist-books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul. From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
The Book Thief:
I just finished this book and it was amazing. I became very emotionally involved in the story which is an important characteristic in deciding whether I like a book or not. I was happy to find a great book to read after a string of not so good ones.
Great Book:
This is a wonderful book. I can't understand why it is marketed for young adults except for it "looks" like a "genre book". It certainly goes across all ages as a well written book. Every page is insightful. The narrator is amazing.
Best book I read in 2008:
I have read more than 30 books last year and I have to say The Book Thief was an amazing surprise. In fact the book left around my bed for about 6 months. My wife received it from a fried from Brazil during their visit last July but never started to read it. Few days before the end of the year I decided to give it a chance. I have to say I could not stop to read it to the end and, since than it stills in my mind. This is a very creative story, easily readable and totally enjoyable, no matter the age of... more info
A wonderful story:
I normally wouldn't grab a book from the young adult section (or even the historical fiction section) for myself, but I am SO GLAD I did! This is a wonderful, but sad story told by Death. The setting is in Germany during WWII and it follows a young girl's journey to try to lead a normal life during the holocaust. Not being an avid history buff, it really gave me a better perspective into the history of that time. After I bought the book, I found myself unable to put it down...even into the wee hours of the... more info
