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The Book Thief  By  cover art

The Book Thief

By: Markus Zusak
Narrated by: Allan Corduner
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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)

Featured Article: 25+ Quotes About the Power of Kindness


Kindness is the quality of being considerate, compassionate, generous, gentle, and caring towards others without expecting anything in return. Often described as a virtue, kindness is also a strength—in fact, it may be one of humanity's greatest superpowers. Whenever you need a little encouragement or gentle reminder, turn to these quotes from authors who understand the power of kindness and express it quite remarkably.

What listeners say about The Book Thief

Average customer ratings
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Beautiful

The story, writing, and narrator were amazing. Poetic in style balanced with humor and horror. Beautiful.

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Must listen to this narrator

The book is exquisitely written, however, what is nearly as impressive is the narrator. They made a wonderful choice to get this guy who delivered such a strong performance,

I loved how he sounded when narrating the cantankerous women. He also had such a lovely amused voice and hopeful voice.

I rarely feel happy about hearing audio over reading, but in this case, listening to this narrator was like having apple pie a la mode. You don’t want the pie without the ice cream. You don’t want the ice cream without the pie. Together, they make a flavor dream.

Listen to this one.

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A Book Beyond Words

The narrator was excellent, only adding to & taking nothing away from this one-of-a-kind, outstanding book. Time listening to this book could not have been better spent.

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Better than the movie

I loveddd this movie. It torn me up inside so I decided to listen to the book and it was just as good. The fact that it’s told with Death as the narrator is more obvious in the book than the movie obviously. This perspective was super interesting to me.

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Haunting and beautiful

Wonderful story, performed beautifully by Alan Corduner. I look forward to a second listen to this haunting tale.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

gripping

I loved this book! It should be a must read for any history buff or English class.

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Great book

One of my favorite books, I would recommend to people interested in World War Two

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Absolutely broke me

This book had me grappled in from the first chapter and with the incredible narration, i was in love. My heart…

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Truly Loved This Book

Started slowly and then slowly changed my heart - Precious innocent beautiful loving book - Thank you

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it's all in here, beautifully

Death haunts us, and we haunt him. Humanity in all it's horrifying ugliness and it's most glorious vibrance.
Almost as hard to read as it is to put down.

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