{"product_id":"the-book-thief-isbn-9780375842208","title":"The Book Thief","description":"\u003cb\u003e#1 \u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER • ONE OF \u003ci\u003eTIME\u003c\/i\u003e MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME \u003cb\u003e• A \u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e READER TOP 100 PICK FOR BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY • A \u003ci\u003eKIRKUS REVIEWS\u003c\/i\u003e BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE CENTURY\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe extraordinary, beloved novel about the ability of books to feed the soul even in the darkest of times.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhen Death has a story to tell, you listen.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLiesel 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. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of \u003ci\u003eI Am the Messenger,\u003c\/i\u003e has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The kind of book that can be life-changing.” —\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Deserves a place on the same shelf with \u003ci\u003eThe Diary of a Young Girl \u003c\/i\u003eby Anne Frank.” —\u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDON’T MISS \u003ci\u003eBRIDGE OF CLAY\u003c\/i\u003e, MARKUS ZUSAK’S FIRST NOVEL SINCE \u003ci\u003eTHE BOOK THIEF.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Brilliant and hugely ambitious…Some will argue that a book so difficult and sad may not be appropriate for teenage readers…Adults will probably like it (this one did), but it’s a great young-adult novel…It’s the kind of book that can be life-changing, because without ever denying the essential amorality and randomness of the natural order, \u003ci\u003eThe Book Thief\u003c\/i\u003e offers us a believable hard-won hope…The hope we see in Liesel is unassailable, the kind you can hang on to in the midst of poverty and war and violence. Young readers need such alternatives to ideological rigidity, and such explorations of how stories matter. And so, come to think of it, do adults.”\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e-\u003ci\u003eNew York Times, \u003c\/i\u003eMay 14, 2006\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Book Thief\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003eis unsettling and unsentimental, yet ultimately poetic. Its grimness and tragedy run through the reader's mind like a black-and-white movie, bereft of the colors of life. Zusak may not have lived under Nazi domination, but \u003ci\u003eThe Book Thief\u003c\/i\u003e deserves a place on the same shelf with \u003ci\u003eThe Diary of a Young Girl\u003c\/i\u003e by Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel's \u003ci\u003eNight\u003c\/i\u003e. It seems poised to become a classic.\" \u003cbr\u003e- \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Zusak doesn’t sugarcoat anything, but he makes his ostensibly gloomy subject bearable the same way Kurt Vonnegut did in \u003ci\u003eSlaughterhouse-Five\u003c\/i\u003e: with grim, darkly consoling humor.” \u003cbr\u003e- \u003ci\u003eTime Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Elegant, philosophical and moving...Beautiful and important.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"This hefty volume is an achievement...a challenging book in both length \u003cbr\u003eand subject...\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"One of the most highly anticipated young-adult books in years.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Exquisitely written and memorably populated, Zusak's poignant tribute to words, survival, and their curiously inevitable entwinement is a tour de force to be not just read but inhabited.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eThe Horn Book Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"An extraordinary narrative.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Book Thief\u003c\/i\u003e will be appreciated for Mr. Zusak's audacity, also on display in his earlier \u003ci\u003eI Am the Messenger\u003c\/i\u003e. It will be widely read and admired because it tells a story in which books become treasures. And because there's no arguing with a sentiment like that.\" \u003cbr\u003e- \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003eMarkus Zusak is the internationally bestselling author of six novels, including \u003ci\u003eThe Book Thief\u003c\/i\u003e and most recently, \u003ci\u003eBridge of Clay.\u003c\/i\u003e His work is translated into more than forty languages, and has spent more than a decade on the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller list, establishing Zusak as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e All of Zusak’s books – including earlier titles, \u003ci\u003eThe Underdog\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFighting Ruben Wolfe\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWhen Dogs Cry\u003c\/i\u003e (also titled \u003ci\u003eGetting the Girl\u003c\/i\u003e), and \u003ci\u003eThe Messenger\u003c\/i\u003e (or \u003ci\u003eI am the Messenger)\u003c\/i\u003e – have been awarded numerous honors around the world, ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 2013,\u003ci\u003e The Book Thief \u003c\/i\u003ewas made into a major motion picture, and in 2018 was voted one of America’s all-time favorite books, achieving the 14th position on the \u003ci\u003ePBS Great American Read\u003c\/i\u003e. Also in 2018, \u003ci\u003eBridge of Clay\u003c\/i\u003e was selected as a best book of the year in publications ranging from \u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e to the \u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarkus Zusak grew up in Sydney, Australia, and still lives there with his wife and two children.DEATH AND CHOCOLATE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFirst the colors.\u003cbr\u003eThen the humans.\u003cbr\u003eThat's usually how I see things.\u003cbr\u003eOr at least, how I try.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***HERE IS A SMALL FACT  ***\u003cbr\u003eYou are going to die.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI am in all truthfulness attempting to be cheerful about this whole topic, though most people find themselves hindered in believing me, no matter my protestations. Please, trust me. I most definitely can be cheerful. I can be amiable. Agreeable. Affable. And that's only the A's. Just don't ask me to be nice. Nice has nothing to do with me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***Reaction to the  ***\u003cbr\u003eAFOREMENTIONED fact\u003cbr\u003eDoes this worry you?\u003cbr\u003eI urge you--don't be afraid.\u003cbr\u003eI'm nothing if not fair.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e--Of course, an introduction.\u003cbr\u003eA beginning.\u003cbr\u003eWhere are my manners?\u003cbr\u003eI could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.\u003cbr\u003eAt that moment, you will be lying there (I rarely find people standing up). You will be caked in your own body. There might be a discovery; a scream will dribble down the air. The only sound I'll hear after that will be my own breathing, and the sound of the smell, of my footsteps.\u003cbr\u003eThe question is, what color will everything be at that moment when I come for you? What will the sky be saying?\u003cbr\u003ePersonally, I like a chocolate-colored sky. Dark, dark chocolate. People say it suits me. I do, however, try to enjoy every color I see--the whole spectrum. A billion or so flavors, none of them quite the same, and a sky to slowly suck on. It takes the edge off the stress. It helps me relax.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***A SMALL THEORY  ***\u003cbr\u003ePeople observe the colors of a day only at its beginnings and ends, but to me it's quite clear that a day merges through a multitude of shades and intonations, with each passing moment. \u003cbr\u003eA single hour can consist of thousands of different colors. \u003cbr\u003eWaxy yellows, cloud-spat blues. Murky darknesses. \u003cbr\u003eIn my line of work, I make it a point to notice them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs I've been alluding to, my one saving grace is distraction. It keeps me sane. It helps me cope, considering the length of time I've been performing this job. The trouble is, who could ever replace me? Who could step in while I take a break in your stock-standard resort-style vacation destination, whether it be tropical or of the ski trip variety? The answer, of course, is nobody, which has prompted me to make a conscious, deliberate decision--to make distraction my vacation. Needless to say, I vacation in increments. In colors.\u003cbr\u003eStill, it's possible that you might be asking, why does he even need a vacation? What does he need distraction from?\u003cbr\u003eWhich brings me to my next point.\u003cbr\u003eIt's the leftover humans.\u003cbr\u003eThe survivors.\u003cbr\u003eThey're the ones I can't stand to look at, although on many occasions I still fail. I deliberately seek out the colors to keep my mind off them, but now and then, I witness the ones who are left behind, crumbling among the jigsaw puzzle of realization, despair, and surprise. They have punctured hearts. They have beaten lungs.\u003cbr\u003eWhich in turn brings me to the subject I am telling you about tonight, or today, or whatever the hour and color. It's the story of one of those perpetual survivors--an expert at being left behind.\u003cbr\u003eIt's just a small story really, about, among other things:\u003cbr\u003e* A girl\u003cbr\u003e* Some words\u003cbr\u003e* An accordionist\u003cbr\u003e* Some fanatical Germans\u003cbr\u003e* A Jewish fist fighter\u003cbr\u003e* And quite a lot of thievery\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI saw the book thief three times.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBESIDE THE RAILWAY LINE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFirst up is something white. Of the blinding kind.\u003cbr\u003eSome of you are most likely thinking that white is not really a color and all of that tired sort of nonsense. Well, I'm here to tell you that it is. White is without question a color, and personally, I don't think you want to argue with me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***A REASSURING ANNOUNCEMENT  ***\u003cbr\u003ePlease, be calm, despite that previous threat.\u003cbr\u003eI am all bluster--\u003cbr\u003eI am not violent. \u003cbr\u003eI am not malicious.\u003cbr\u003eI am a result.\u003cbr\u003eYes, it was white.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt felt as though the whole globe was dressed in snow. Like it had pulled it on, the way you pull on a sweater. Next to the train line, footprints were sunken to their shins. Trees wore blankets of ice.\u003cbr\u003eAs you might expect, someone had died.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey couldn't just leave him on the ground. For now, it wasn't such a problem, but very soon, the track ahead would be cleared and the train would need to move on.\u003cbr\u003eThere were two guards.\u003cbr\u003eThere was one mother and her daughter.\u003cbr\u003eOne corpse.\u003cbr\u003eThe mother, the girl, and the corpse remained stubborn and silent.\u003cbr\u003e\"Well, what else do you want me to do?\"\u003cbr\u003eThe guards were tall and short. The tall one always spoke first, though he was not in charge. He looked at the smaller, rounder one. The one with the juicy red face.\u003cbr\u003e\"Well,\" was the response, \"we can't just leave them like this, can we?\"\u003cbr\u003eThe tall one was losing patience. \"Why not?\"\u003cbr\u003eAnd the smaller one damn near exploded. He looked up at the tall one's chin and cried, \"Spinnst du! Are you stupid?!\" The abhorrence on his cheeks was growing thicker by the moment. His skin widened. \"Come on,\" he said, traipsing over the snow. \"We'll carry all three of them back on if we have to. We'll notify the next stop.\"\u003cbr\u003eAs for me, I had already made the most elementary of mistakes. I can't explain to you the severity of my self-disappointment. Originally, I'd done everything right:\u003cbr\u003eI studied the blinding, white-snow sky who stood at the window of the moving train. I practically inhaled it, but still, I wavered. I buckled--I became interested. In the girl. Curiosity got the better of me, and I resigned myself to stay as long as my schedule allowed, and I watched.\u003cbr\u003eTwenty-three minutes later, when the train was stopped, I climbed out with them.\u003cbr\u003eA small soul was in my arms.\u003cbr\u003eI stood a little to the right.\u003cbr\u003eThe dynamic train guard duo made their way back to the mother, the girl, and the small male corpse. I clearly remember that my breath was loud that day. I'm surprised the guards didn't notice me as they walked by. The world was sagging now, under the weight of all that snow.\u003cbr\u003ePerhaps ten meters to my left, the pale, empty-stomached girl was standing, frost-stricken.\u003cbr\u003eHer mouth jittered.\u003cbr\u003eHer cold arms were folded.\u003cbr\u003eTears were frozen to the book thief's face.","brand":"Knopf Books for Young Readers","offers":[{"title":"Like New","offer_id":44868652859621,"sku":"NP9780375842207","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fake1","offer_id":44868652892389,"sku":"NP9780375842207","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fake2","offer_id":44868652925157,"sku":"NP9780375842207","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fake3","offer_id":44868652957925,"sku":"NP9780375842207","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fake4","offer_id":44868652990693,"sku":"NP9780375842207","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780375842207.jpg?v=1767676512","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-book-thief-isbn-9780375842208","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}