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The Book Thief | 
 enlarge | Author: Markus Zusak
Publisher: Bodley Head Children's Books
Category: Book
Buy Used: $19.92
Used (6) from $19.92
Avg. Customer Rating:  435 reviews
Sales Rank: 2167805
Format: Import
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 592
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.3 x 2.1
ISBN: 037032921X
EAN: 9780370329215
ASIN: 037032921X
Publication Date: January 23, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: VERY GOOD, LIGHT WEAR, 100% GUARANTEED, FAST SHIPPER, CHECK OUR FEEDBACKS.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 430 more reviews...
 Great Book for Any Season! November 17, 2008
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak a beautiful, that story is interesting and will not let go of the readers attention while the writing style is great. Everything in book, though it may not make sense in the beginning, ties together in the end. The Book Thief is about a girl who lives in Germany during the Second World War. Her mother has left her with foster parents to keep her safe because her mother could not support her. The book's main focus is on the girl and how she learns to manage life in a lower middle class foster home. The girl has a love of books, which she cannot afford, so she feels in order to get them she has to steal them. What I found very interesting about this book was how it was narrated by a character named `Death', who remains very mysterious throughout the entire book. Leisel, the main character, never actually meets the narrator or knows anything about him. I found the fact that the writer did not tell the reader who `Death' is spectacular because it left it to my imagination who this `Death' person is and why he is telling me this story about a girl who lives in Germany during the Second World War. Granted, no book is perfect and there are some irregularities in this book such as Leisel never actually steals any books until a good few hundred pages into the book. Also there is a bit of foreshadowing around the middle of the book, but this is never tied up at the end. That's not to say that I didn't love this book. The book has major strength's, such as ensuring the reader never wants to read another book, because no book will come close in comparison. I hated putting this book down. Every time I put this book down, it was as if I had stopped eating something delicious. I just craved more, but I knew I needed to get my rest. For teachers who need a good World War II book for their classes, I would recommend this. This book gives the reader the war from an `at home' experience through the eyes of a teenager. This book is great any time, of the year, I would HIGHLY recommend it.
P.S. I'm using a Family acc. I am actually a guy.
~Shlomo
amazing November 14, 2008
I read this book so long ago and have just realized that I never reviewed it. What can I say that hasn't already been spoken to...
This is a haunting tale that wraps love, family, ethics, politics and history all into one great read. Any age or gender...I highly reccomend.
Haunting November 10, 2008
My book group chose this as our November selection -- even though we are between the ages of 46 - 55 and this is classified as YA. It was wonderful !!
This book follows Leisel Meminger from the age of 10 to 14 or so with an epilogue after her death. She is a young German girl living in a small town outside of Munich during the days of Hitler/Nazi Party/World War II. Her story is narrated by Death who talks about her life as well as those people closest to her such as her foster parents and neighbors. The level of detail in the writing brings her story alive and is told in such a creative fashion that I'm sure I won't forget it for a long, long time and I will probably re-read again in the future.
My father served in WW2 in Europe and was wounded in France by the Germans. I have always viewed that time in history through an American lense. This book really opened my eyes to what it must have been like for the German civilians caught up in the tyranny of the Third Reich and all the horrors of Hitler. I had never really considered the event from their point of view and I am so glad I was given the opportunity.
I would categorize this book as YA (not younger than high school) or adult fiction due to two things:
1) the novel is pretty graphic in places regarding war injuries as well as the horror the Jews suffered.
2) the narration can be jarring as it goes between Death and the "people" in the book. While a 7th or 8th grade student would probably be fine with the vocabulary and the style, there would need to be a real effort put forward on their part. I think it might feel more like a classroom literature assignment for that age group where, by waiting a year or two, they could truly enjoy it.
A truly great book and highly recommended !
Must read November 10, 2008
This book is a fast great read. The authors writing style is very unique and keeps the story propelled forward. The stoy is told by a benevolent death figure and gives great insight into his subjects.
My book club read this book and it was a marvelous discussion. There are discussion questions in the back of the paperback edition.
German heroes in a WWII book? November 9, 2008
I lived in Germany in the early 80s. I loved it there, loved the people, loved the country, even loved the order. The older people I knew there were, of course, anti-Hitler and assured me that all the Nazis had died in the war because they wanted to. Mostly it was a topic avoided. But this book actually talks about the simple heroes of such a time, the normal people who might otherwise be apolitical but were thrust into an environment where the political is essential and each action must be weighed with its impact on one's ability to survive. The story is stirring and moving, and one that you hate to see end. Though it is classified as a young adult book I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone of any age.
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