Read The World - Germany - The Book Thief

Book: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Pages: 608
Book takes place in the country: YES
Author is from the country: NO
I have visited:  YES (weekly)

I read this book in 2017.  It was, again, a dauntingly large book that I was putting off.  Participating in different types of reading challenges, it never seemed to quite fit in.  It sat on the shelf for awhile and then I heard there was a movie.  I know, I know - that is a terrible reason to read a book.  But sometimes it takes a certain type of motivation to get things off the shelf and into my hands.  

Again - I had errored in putting this off for so long.  This is one of the best books I have EVER read.  Ever.  Have I said that before?  Of course I have.  But it is true here as well.  Just fantastic.  

As for Germany - it is another beautiful country that you must put on your list to visit.  Growing up and starting to think about travel, Germany was never on my list.  The language seemed unbearable, and the WWII history is hard to look past.  They eat a lot of meat.  A lot.  But when we moved to Basel, and were only 10 minutes from the border, I snuck in.  It is actually where I do my grocery shopping eahc week.  And we have visited many beautiful German cities since we moved here.  Frankfurt, Freiburg, Rotweil, Munich, Neuschwanstein, Lorrach....just to name a few.  The country is gorgeous.  The people, generous.  I am looking forward to exploring more of northern Germany while we live here.

Now this wonderful book:

This is the story of Liesel Meminger who is living in Munich Germany in 1939.  Her mother took she and her brother on a train to a foster family to keep them safe during the war.  Her brother got sick and died on the journey, so Liesel is all alone when she shows up.  Her foster father is kind and generous, and her foster mother is hard and stubborn.  Each night, Liesel wakes with nightmares and her dad comes in to comfort her.  Eventually she shows him a book that she stole when they buried her brother called "The Grave Diggers Handbook".  This starts Liesels love of books and her father starts to teach her to read.

Over the course of her years with her foster family she steals several more books, is invited to the Mayors house to read whenever she wants, watches bombs fall on her city, and helps her parents hide a Jew.  In a time when all books were being burned by Hitler and the Nazis, Leisel was trying her best to save them.

I loved this book.  LOVED it.  Probably one of the best reads I have read this year.  It was well written, and had a great message.  I have read a lot of WWII books, and this was among the best.

Don't miss it.

Stars: 5