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)

Historical, sad, beautiful

Reading anything about WWII is always painful & difficult for me. But this story was told in such a unique manner that I didn’t get too caught up in the horrors of the Holocaust.
The only minor negative to listening to the book is that the hard copy has drawings in it which obviously adds to the story.

amazing story, a tear jerker and a heart breaker.

I'm so glad that I got the whole story! the movie was great but the book was even better (of course)

A Classic! Beyond compare! Exquisite!

 
The artistry of The Book Thief is exquisite! My friend finished it in one week! It's 14 hours, but it's delicious and delectable! You're going to love it! It should be a classic! It's is amazingly well done!

❤️
And the performance of the narrator is probably the best I've heard! He is a famous British actor and is wonderful!

Markus is not an Author. He is an Artist.

Wonderful, haunting story

This book was wonderful and haunting, happy and sad and showcased the great spectrum of the human capacity.

The narrator was perfect for the telling of this story.

Another "WOW" from me!

Right after few sentences at the start of the book i felt goosebumps and thought, do I really want to listen to a book that is being narrated from the point of view of Death? But i finished the introduction and was captivated. Oh waoooh, what a book and most importantly what a narration! You absolutely must listen to it! I honestly think that if i chose to read it myself I wouldn't have done a better job than Allan did.

amazing. heart wrenching.

loved loved loved this book. I connected with the characters in a way I never have before.

A Powerful voice, a beautiful story

Wow. The story is magnificent. Such colorful language. The narrator (in the book) is instantly my favorite perspective from which I've ever read a story. The author could've easily went in a very dark direction with the narrator, and managed to keep it very light-hearted and full of happy moments, despite every single aspect of this work calling out to be a very sad and dark tale. He maintains the perfect balance between dark and light, good and bad, happy and sad. I regret not reading this sooner, and I have to say it's even inspired me to write again. The actual voice of the audiobook, was a good choice as well, I enjoyed the narration, who got the language just right and acted the parts very well.

Captivating!!!

I enjoyed this weird book. It was weird listening to the narrator. Sometimes I like listening to his reading, other times it seemed way over done. It was the book that kept me listening. What a terrible time in history. We dare not repeat it.

Just amazing.

Grab the tissues because the journey of love and grief this story takes you on is going to move even the hardest of hearts.

Super fantastic

Fantastic book love it. I really enjoyed the narrators. Such a story of life and death.