Product Description

The story of a young German girl who steals books, of her family and the Jewish boxer hidden in their basement as they struggle to survive in Nazi Germany when the bombs begin to fall.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 560 pages

Synopsis
1939 - Nazi Germany - The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier. Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall. Some important information - this novel is narrated by death. It's a small story, about: a girl; an accordionist; some fanatical Germans; a Jewish fist fighter; and quite a lot of thievery. Another thing you should know - death will visit the book thief three times.

From the Back Cover
`Brilliant and hugely ambitious' New York Times

`Extraordinary, resonant, beautiful and angry'
Sunday Telegraph

HERE IS A SMALL FACT

YOU ARE GOING TO DIE

1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.

Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION
THIS NOVEL IS NARRATED BY DEATH

It's a small story, about:

a girl

an accordionist

some fanatical Germans

a Jewish fist fighter

and quite a lot of thievery.

ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW
DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES

About the Author
Markus Zusak, a prize-winning author, lives in Sydney with his wife and daughter. The Doubleday hardback of The Book Thief , published at the beginning of January 07, stayed in the top ten of the Sunday Times bestsellers for nine weeks. It was published to critical acclaim in Australia and in America where it reached No. 1 on the The New York Times bestsellers list. Film rights have been optioned by the makers of The Devil Wears Prada.

Customer Reviews

Fantastic book!
I read this book as my son was bought it as a gift. It made me weep, it is so intense and very moving. Whether I would recommend it as a childs book (that is how it is advertised in my book shop!) I don't know. I think it needs an adults perception of the potential cruelty of the world and the kindness of good people to really appreciate this tale.

I cried for days!
Such a wonderful, emotional and breathtaking book! It is the most colourful as well as sad book I have ever read. I could not put it down. It is worth reading!
Moved me just as much as Suite Francaise!

A surprising book
What would you think of a book narrated by Death, with an orphan German girl as the main character, situated in Germany during WW2? Depressing perhaps... well, guess again!

This is an excellent read, one that will thrill and move you with every page. It offers beautiful, well developed characters, and an extremely original mode of narrating.
It is on of those books that cannot really be described, one needs to read and discover it by himself.
But I can tell you this much; Death has rarely been painted in such humane colours, and we rarely come across stories about seemingly not-so-extraordinary people, which nevertheless form such extraordinary tales... and what is best, tales that do not need to force impressions upon the reader; the feeling flows out of the pages and carries you with it, without effort.