THE BOOK THIEF
Marcus Zusak - Picador - $23.99

This book has sold in the hundreds of thousands around the world and now that it has been released in a chunky, (almost 600 pages), mass market paperback form those sales are sure to go much higher.

Zusak was born in Sydney in 1975 to an Austrian father and German mother. Although still only in his early 30’s he has a number of YA novels to his name. They were all well reviewed with a couple winning book awards but his big international break came with publication of The Book Thief in 2005. It took the world by storm.
In numerous interviews Zusak has said he grew up hearing stories about Nazi Germany, about the bombing of Munich, and about Jews being marched through his Mother’s small German town. He always knew it was a story he wanted to tell.
And tell it he did.

Here is what Camilla During had to say about the book in July last year. This is but part of a much larger piece published in the New Zealand Herald entitled “Leaping the Age Gap” in which During discussed books that enjoyed significant appeal to both young and old alike.

When Markus Zusak wrote The Book Thief (Macmillan, $37.95) he had no particular age group in mind. After working on it for three years, he handed it to the publishers and let them decide where it should sit on the shelves. Interestingly, it has been marketed in different ways in different countries. "In Australia it was released for adults, in America, Italy and Russia for young adults and in the UK and Brazil for both adults and young adults.'
The Book Thief has an unlikely narrator, Death. But there is nothing overly sinister about this soul snatcher. He complains about being overworked, and in Munich in 1943, there is much to do. He meets Liesel, a 14-year-old girl, at her brother's graveyard and watches her pick an abandoned book, The Gravedigger's Handbook, out of the snow. Death is intrigued and follows this lost little girl.
Liesel learns to read from her accordion-playing foster father and discovers the thrill of stealing books. When a Jewish man, Max, hides in the basement of her house, a bond is forged through a mutual love of books.
Notwithstanding the difficult times it portrays, The Book Thief is a joyful read for all ages.

Bookman Beattie agrees totally with During’s assessment. A great book which deserves its huge success. As a matter of intertest if you Google The Book Thief you will be provided with over 2 million entries!