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)

Amazing!

This is a great book, it is filled with amazing imagery and symbolism! The narrator really captures the characters well, especially death. Totally recommend!!!

Tremendous Storytelling

This book has got to be the most incredible book I have ever listened to. The storytelling style was superb, as was my love for the characters. Beautiful people, in an Ugly World!

Wonderful

I loved everything about this book it was wonderful and full of suspense . I truly enjoyed it!

"I am haunted by humans"

There are book you like. There are books you love. But, there are very rarely books that transform you (and even fewer that are all three types of books)! The Book Thief, is one of those incredibly rare books that is the total package. I will forever carry this story with me just as Death does!!

I have already listen to this book 6 times

I rarely listen to a book more than once. This one I will keep on my ipod for a long time. An extremely poor German town, an abandoned girl, the rise of Hitler. Then narrated by death.
Add these together and you would expect a horrible story. "The Book Thief" is touching and uplifting. Beautifully narrated, wonderful characters you grow to know and love.
Listen to this book. Actually listen to it a couple of times!

This one will stay with me forever

At first I resisted. I almost decided not to read yet another account of the misery of the great war. So much suffering, so much injustice and cruelty! Did I really want to go through this again from the point of view of yet another afflicted human being? But I stayed with it, and I am not only happy that I did, I am transformed by the narrative. The girl, the Papa, the cantankerous but loving Mama (who can forget the scene when Rose storms into the school to tell of Max's recovery?) and the Jew hidden in the cellar who clings to life for Liesel's sake...the characters will live on in my heart.

One of the Best Books Ever!

What made the experience of listening to The Book Thief the most enjoyable?

This one of those rare books you will want to experience more than once. Its pulls you in fast, and before you know it’s over, and you it leaves you breathless. I could stop thinking about each of the characters, like they were family.
I really believe everyone should read this book. Once your deep into this book, you have the feeling things are going to end bad, but as much as you cry, you also laugh, and feel good for have listened to someone telling a important story.

What did you like best about this story?

I think the most impressive thing about this book is, it is narrated by “Dealth” or the Grim Reaper, and who knew a person could feel compassion for the Grim Reaper.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don’t want to give any scenes away, because I actually read reviews. But once you commit to this book, you will love it.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"The only thing worse than a boy who hates a girl, is a boy who loves a girl."

My Favorite

The reader, the characters, and the story are wonderful. This audio book is in my top three books of all times!

Don't miss this one!

Doesn't matter how young or old you are...this story is timeless. Not overly sentimental yet deeply emotional in intensity. Put this one on your To Be Read list. RW

The Book Thief

Lately I have read a few teen reads and I have been very disappointed with all but The Book Thief.

Liesel is not your usual hero of a teen book. She does not whine about how some boy has dumped her or how her parents don't understand her. Instead she is surrounded by colorful characters in a time when the rest of Germany is red, white and black. The boy next door, with the lemon color hair, idolizes Jessie Owens so much that he paints himself black. The man whose is a German citizen, but the wrong religion, boxes with Hitler every night in his dreams. And, a papa who plays an accordian and keeps a promise that he made in another war. These and others are Liesel's world.

I really thought that Mr. Zusak use of Death as a way of telling the story was very original. Yes, Death does have a sense of not only humor, but of compassion as well.

The performance of The Book Thief by Allan Corduner was wonderful. I don't mean this as an insult but as a compliment, but Mr. Corduner's voice and story telling style reminded my of Edward Everret Horton's style when he did the narration for Fractured Fairy Tales. Even if you have read The Book Thief, you should really listen to it on Audiobooks for a special listening treat.