The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Author)

The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller that will be in movie theaters on November 15, 2013, Markus Zusak's unforgettable story is about the ability of books to feed the soul.

Book Summary

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel is on the train, on her way to be fostered when her brother dies. At his funeral, she picks up a book and keeps it to remind her of him. However, she cannot read. When she arrives at her foster home, her papa (Hans Hubermann) teaches her how to read. At a Nazi book burning ceremony, an officer gives a speech about the importance of cleansing of the German society from "immoral" and "indecent" thoughts through burning books, which provokes Liesel. After the book burning ceremony, Liesel hides a book that survived the fire and takes it home. She is seen by Ilsa Hermann, the mayor's wife and mama's (Rosa Hubermann) customer. When Liesel is at the mayor's to drop the laundry, Ilsa shares her magnificent library and its books with her. The mayor eventually discharges Liesel. This forces her to start "borrowing" books from Ilsa's library, hence earning the nickname "The Book Thief".


But things get dicey when they, along with hot tempered Rosa Hubermann, begin to hide a Jew named Max in the basement. As a security measure and to save his life, Max is not allowed to leave the basement. Max and Liesel start bonding as they read and share stories together. However, he forces himself to leave after an incident in which Hans defends a Jewish prisoner against a Nazi officer.

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....

Read The Book Thief and Get Next Story Now