The Book Thief

By: Markus Zusak

Narrated by: Allan Corduner

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Don’t miss Bridge of Clay, Markus Zusak’s first novel since The Book Thief.

The extraordinary number-one New York Times best seller that is now a major motion picture, Markus Zusak's unforgettable story is about the ability of books to feed the soul. Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.

When Death has a story to tell, you listen. It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who 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.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

“The kind of book that can be life-changing.” (The New York Times)

“Deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.” (USA Today)

©2006 Markus Zusak (P)2006 Random House Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

• Book Sense Book of the Year Award, Children's Literature, 2007

"The astonishing characters, drawn without sentimentality, will grab readers." (Booklist)
"Zusak has created a work that deserves the attention of sophisticated teen and adult readers....An extraordinary narrative." (School Library Journal)
"The Book Thief will appeal both to sophisticated teens and adults with its engaging characters and heartbreaking story." (Bookmarks Magazine)

A riveting story !!!

A brilliant rendition of a story centered around human emotions :) Brilliant plot beautifully conveyed.

I LOVE this book!

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Even my mom and dad loved it. My Dad listened to it and enjoyed it as much as we did.

Breathtaking...Poetic...Bittersweet

5 Stars is not enough...This wonderfully woven tale about a young girl's struggle to grasp, going as far as "thievery", in order to attain the true power of Words during a time that Words only belonged to an evil power and all others were silenced and burned into heaps of ashes. Liesel is my newest hero, although fictional, her Words cut deep as did Anne Frank's.

If you haven't heard it yet, then its a must...but beware because this book is not for the faint of heart...as only Liesel knows full well!

An all time favorite

The book is powerful and emotional. It is an incredibly sad story, but it is also very funny and often enough it inspired pride or frustration in the characters. I will definitely listen to it again and will likely buy the hardback book.

your child should read/ see / listen to this

So I was late to the party again with this title, and actually my initial assumptions about this being ‘yet another’ story of Nazi Era Germany. Honestly, the perspective and construct of this story is so unique and different, that it has been added to my list of ‘your child should read/ see’ this list of books and films that I believe provide a perspective on history that is often lacking in textbooks.

Firstly, the main narration is provided by death. Yes, Death. His retelling of the story, providing a perspective that ranges from ‘oh what fools these mortals be’ to actual moments where his occupation feels like a burden. A rather tricky narrator to be sure, but Zusak uses the character to full effect, giving a sense of foreboding without being maudlin. In the audio format, the narration of Allan Corduner is simply spectacular, as he adds the emotional component to Death’s character, a sense of ennui with a been-there-done-that touch of boredom, while never seeming to take delight in the harvesting.

When the blurb says it is just a ‘small story really’, that wholly discounts the joys within: From Liesel and her Papa’s relationship, her slow discovery of the joys within books and her covetous desire to have books, to her friend Rudy who is determined to become Jesse Owens: there is love and loss and innocence shattered. Focusing on just a small group of people who are surviving and existing despite horrible circumstances.

This combination of author and narrator is what all audio versions should strive to be: Zusak has bent, twisted, combined and placed words with such care that they seemingly could not have been used any other way. Adding Allan Corduner, a British actor to narrate the book was a genius move: his ability to massage the words and bring forth their meaning and subtext without overarching emotive emphasis, and his facility for accent and voice give each of the characters a distinct appearance that couldn’t be anything else. It is truly a treat to find narration that so perfectly suits the text, and brings the emotion of the moment to the forefront, enhancing the listen.

I am on my fifth listen of this story: each one brings a new element forward, making me see more of the story than I did the time before, and it never gets old. That is, for me, a signal that this is an important story: one suitable for high school aged readers, although some mature middle grade readers may find the story attractive. As always, with every book that deals with the more unsavory facts of human behavior, I would suggest that parents take a listen or a read of the title as well: surprisingly despite the setting, there is a solid hopeful thread that manages to follow the book from beginning to end.

I purchased an Audiobook copy of the title for my own library. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Awesome

This story is so good, it is hard to put down. Sometimes it would make me so angry, and then it would make me laugh out loud. The guy reading it is really really good. he is able to bring the characters to life. I felt as if I actually knew Liesl, and the Ubermans. As if Hans and Rosa lived down the street from me. Not that I can even imagine living during that time. I listened to it, and then listened to it again, and then a third time just to make sure that I would remember each and every character. They are all so real. It is a history lesson that should never be forgotten.

Kudos to the narrator

I can't add to the praise given by other readers for the writing in The Book Thief. It was truly great. I would like to add that this is the best narration that I've yet listened to. The reader of this book performs as though you are listening to an audio play with only one actor voicing all the roles. This is difficult given that the characters are German, there is plenty of German vocabulary and the narrator is English.

Excellent

Wow! What a different approach for the reader! Written from death's viewpoint, this book was definitely fodder for thought. At times your mouth smiles, many times your heart aches, and more than a few times your eyes overflow. At first I was annoyed that 'Death' told us who was going to die before it happened in the story, but I came to appreciate the author's style. I love the titles before each chapter as a kind of glimpse into what was going to happen. I've read many Holocaust books but none from this angle. The Book Thief is a great read/listen! Highly recommend!

Liked book but wouldn’t add it to my collection

This received only 3 stars because I had to distance myself from the book before I could decide how I felt about it. In the end, I decided that I liked the book but wouldn’t add it to my permanent collection. Thus, 3 stars. This novel was gripping and fascinating but not a pleasure to read. It told the story of WWII from a different perspective. It was told by Death.

The hype about this book made me anxious to read it, however, it is not one of the best Nazi-subject stories I've ever read. I’ve heard that it was written for youth but I think this book is best for teens in high school. I wouldn't recommend this for younger children because some of the things that happen aren't suitable for younger children.

The character development, especially the women, from Liesel to Mama and even Ilsa, the mayor's distraught wife, were in no way underdeveloped or predictable. The author also does a great job setting the stage and characters.

It was about a family who lived during the Holocaust and hid a German. The title comes from the protagonist's first theft, The Gravedigger's Handbook, at the gravesite of her younger brother. The book she steals then becomes a tool used to teach her to read with the help of her foster father during the early morning hours with the aid of a candle. Throughout the war years she gradually accumulates a wide assortment of books which she “steals”.

The author paints an extraordinary picture of the barren landscape, air-raids, food rations, and some who exhibit extraordinary courage risking their own lives by rescuing Jewish friends from the Nazis.

Zusak has written not only a compelling story but also a fresh look at the destruction the Nazis did to their own people. He has taken a look through this young girl's eyes and exposed the brutality of war. It is amazing that Liesel Meminger by her bravery survived.

Absolutely Wonderful

Would you consider the audio edition of The Book Thief to be better than the print version?

I have never read the print version so I can not answer this question.

Who was your favorite character and why?

They were all so wonderful but I have to admit that Rosa touched my heart. Tough on the outside but just such a wonderful woman.

Which character – as performed by Allan Corduner – was your favorite?

The reader did a wonderful job with all of the characters but I think that he did a great job as death.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I found myselft listening to this book whenever I possibly could. It was wonderful and I was saddened that it was over. I will listen to it again.

Any additional comments?

My students had told me about this book and I am so glad that they did. If you liked this book you may like another one call "All But My Life" by Gerta Weisman Klien. I don't know if they have it on audible but it is also just as amazing as this one.