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: #27 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-01
• Original language: English
• 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

a creative and new way of writing
i thought that the book thief was better then amazing, it was written so orignally and narrated quite light-heartedly even though the narratee is always percieved as a somewhat depressive character. I am usually a hard critic when it comes to books, but this book blew me away, not only did it make me smile at some points but also provoked tears at the end (this rarely ever happens to me). The Book Thief also enlightened me on the point of view from the German side in the Second World War, and made me realise that it wasnt just the Allies side that suffered.

Captivaing story, superbly told
Much of this book has been reviewed and retold many times on Amazon and this alone should tell you something of furore and discussion this book has created amongst readers as well as The Book Thief's popularity.

Many of the debates are about the personal enjoyment or otherwise of the story told from the perspective of Death; I suspect this is merely a private choice of third vs. first person narrative.

The Book Thief is captivating and exceptionally beautiful, despite its morose backdrop, thanks in part to its imaginative technical and narrative construction. The former maintains the pace of the book whilst allowing the author to pass comment on events without detracting from the characters and the story. The latter is simply enthralling; a wonderful use of words that aptly evoke that period in history and from a perspective not often told.

Such was the strength of characterisation that I definitely went on the journey with Liesel, her friends & family and found my emotional attachment quite surprising

I recommend this book highly for all ages 16+; I'm not sure I would have understood its merits at a younger age as has been suggested by other reviewers.

I have never read anything so heart wrenching
This book was addictive from the very first page. I never wanted it to end. I walked around in a daze after I finished it for a few days. I just could not get the characters out of my head. I grew to love Liesel and wanted her to be my little girl, she was so real. How dreadful war torn Germany was and this book magnifies that. I left the book wanting to know more about the places mentioned and also the lives of the real people who survived that time. Markus Zusak wrote this book in a luminous and compelling way. I bought this book from the recommendations on Amazon and it would not have been a book I would have selected in a shop. So thank you fellow reviewers, without you I would never have discovered this delight.