*The Book Thief
14 journalers for this copy...
"'It's just a small story, really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery ...' This work is narrated in the all-knowing matter-of-fact voice of Death, witnessing the story of the citizens of Himmel Street: When nine-year-old Liesel arrives outside the boxlike house of her new foster parents, she refuses to get out of the car. Liesel has been separated from her parents - 'Kommunists' - for ever, and at the burial of her little brother, she steals a gravedigger's instruction manual which she can't read. It is the beginning of her illustrious career. In the care of the Hubermans, Liesel befriends blond-haired Rudy Steiner, her neighbour obsessed with Jesse Owens. She also befriends the mayor's wife, who hides from despair in her library. Together Liesel and Rudy steal books - from Nazi book burning piles, from the mayor's library, from the richer people of Molching. In time, the family hide a Jewish boxer, Max, who reads with Liesel in the basement.. By 1943, the Allied bombs are falling, and the sirens begin to wail. Liesel shares out her books in the air-raid shelters. But one day in the life of Himmel street, the wail of the sirens comes too late... A life-changing tale of the cruel twists of fate and the coincidences on which all our lives hinge, this is also a joyous look at the power of book to nourish the soul. Its uplifting ending will make all readers weep."
I had to buy this book because of the cover and the first thing I read in it: "Here is a small fact. You are going to die".The book is "written" by Death and is about the live of a German girl in the years before and in WO II.
It is a wonderfull book, that I would recomment to everyone.
Mr. K.
The book is going to travel in a ring:
Violoncellix
Afraberg
Suzy26
Qimp
Maaikeb
Gabrielereads
Prowisorio
Betje
Marsala
Plinius
AnnevO
Mefeather (pas vanaf november '08)
dutch-book --> Here is the book!
Back to Koekiebak!
Violoncellix
Afraberg
Suzy26
Qimp
Maaikeb
Gabrielereads
Prowisorio
Betje
Marsala
Plinius
AnnevO
Mefeather (pas vanaf november '08)
dutch-book --> Here is the book!
Back to Koekiebak!
Thanks, koekiebak, for the well-protected package containing this book. I'm curious to read it!
After a few weeks of reading, I finished the book yesterday evening. This book has many great admirers among the Bookcrossing community, as witnessed by the discussions of it on the BookTalk form (http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/6 ), mainly by American and Australian readers. I was curious to see what the enthusiasm was all about.
Even though I found the idea of using Death as a first person omniscient narrator original, I kept having doubts when reading this book. For me the voice of the book does not sound `European'. It plays too much on emotions in ways that remind of words and actions that belong to periods far beyond the time frame of the book's story and to different countries. This gave me the feeling that I was reading a fantasy story instead of something that could have really happened during World War II in a small German town.
One example is the German phrases that are sprinkled throughout the book. Would a mother who is given to shouting invective at her husband and foster-daughter only have the words 'Saukerl' and 'Saumensch' available, repeated endlessly? The German is not incorrect as far as I can see, but sounds more like a first-year foreign student of German than like authentic German adults and children of that time. Of course I haven't been there either in 1943, but I could not shake off the nagging atmosphere of inauthenticity.
This is not to say that the book left me cold: there are some very nice passages, for example about the foster-father helping protagonist Liesel to read in the middle of the night to ward off her nightmares; or about a young boy having to win all gold medals at the Hitler Jugend athletic event just in order to spite the hated group leader.
I look forward to reading opinions from other Dutch readers!
Bookcrosser pointed me to two very different reviews for this book:
a negative one in the Times and
a very positive one in the Guardian
Even though I found the idea of using Death as a first person omniscient narrator original, I kept having doubts when reading this book. For me the voice of the book does not sound `European'. It plays too much on emotions in ways that remind of words and actions that belong to periods far beyond the time frame of the book's story and to different countries. This gave me the feeling that I was reading a fantasy story instead of something that could have really happened during World War II in a small German town.
One example is the German phrases that are sprinkled throughout the book. Would a mother who is given to shouting invective at her husband and foster-daughter only have the words 'Saukerl' and 'Saumensch' available, repeated endlessly? The German is not incorrect as far as I can see, but sounds more like a first-year foreign student of German than like authentic German adults and children of that time. Of course I haven't been there either in 1943, but I could not shake off the nagging atmosphere of inauthenticity.
This is not to say that the book left me cold: there are some very nice passages, for example about the foster-father helping protagonist Liesel to read in the middle of the night to ward off her nightmares; or about a young boy having to win all gold medals at the Hitler Jugend athletic event just in order to spite the hated group leader.
I look forward to reading opinions from other Dutch readers!
Bookcrosser pointed me to two very different reviews for this book:
a negative one in the Times and
a very positive one in the Guardian
Journal Entry 6 by 
violoncellix
at Passed To Another Bookcrosser in By hand, by hand -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, August 25, 2007
violoncellix at Passed To Another Bookcrosser in By hand, by hand -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, August 25, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (8/25/2007 UTC) at Passed To Another Bookcrosser in By hand, by hand -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Inmiddels heb ik het boek aan sha-re gegeven.
Zij geeft het op de meeting in Tilburg door aan iiwi, die het op de meeting in Almere doorgeeft aan Linniepinnie, die het boek aan Afraberg doorgeeft.
Iedere deelnemer weet van zijn/haar rol in de keten, maar mocht deze koerierroute toch ergens stokken, dan vergoed ik natuurlijk met liefde de nodige postzegels naar Afraberg!
Edit 4 september: het boek is al bij iiwi.
Edit half oktober: en nu is het boek bij Linniepinnie in de juiste stad, Amsterdam.
Inmiddels heb ik het boek aan sha-re gegeven.
Zij geeft het op de meeting in Tilburg door aan iiwi, die het op de meeting in Almere doorgeeft aan Linniepinnie, die het boek aan Afraberg doorgeeft.
Iedere deelnemer weet van zijn/haar rol in de keten, maar mocht deze koerierroute toch ergens stokken, dan vergoed ik natuurlijk met liefde de nodige postzegels naar Afraberg!
Edit 4 september: het boek is al bij iiwi.
Edit half oktober: en nu is het boek bij Linniepinnie in de juiste stad, Amsterdam.
Journal Entry 7 by afraberg from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Vandaag ontvangen van Linniepinnie. Alle koeriers heel erg bedankt voor de moeite!
Omdat er nog andere ringboeken liggen, gaat dit even onderop de stapel.
Omdat er nog andere ringboeken liggen, gaat dit even onderop de stapel.
What a marvelous story! I really loved it, I just couldn't stop reading.
The book is on its way to Suzy26, enjoy!
The book is on its way to Suzy26, enjoy!
En ik heb het boek ontvangen. Bedankt voor de kaart en de koelkastmagneet, afraberg! Ik heb zo'n zin om er meteen in te beginnen, maar er zijn nog twee boeken die voorgaan.
I enjoyed reading this novel. It is a great story. The fact that it is told by Death makes for an interesting perspective. Death comes accross as someone who doesnot particularly like his job, but makes the best of what he has to do. He is greatly puzzled by the things humans do to each other. You cannot help but be moved by the story. Liesel is a feisty little girl. Hans Hubermann is the best foster father a child could wish for and even Rosa is not a bad sort in spite of all her shouting. Max Vandenburg is also too good to be true and such a great friend to Liesel drawing her two beautiful books. My objection to this book is that it is all too sweet, too slick, too polished. There are hardly any rough edges to the characters. It is some sort of fairy tale that could never have happened in real life. The endless use of this Saukerl-Saumensch thing became quite irritating after a while. I cannot imagine someone talking like that all the time. So, some mixed feelings, but in spite of all this I still rate this a good read.
Update Jan 14: The Book Thief is on its way to Qimp.
Update Jan 14: The Book Thief is on its way to Qimp.
When I came home 10 minutes ago, I found a wonderful package on the table: a large envelope with so many stamps on it, I thought it must have come from the other side of the world! Thank you very much for sending The book thief, Suzy26, I'll start reading it as soon as I have finished my current read (A tale of love and darkness by Amos Oz), which may take a while as it is over 600 pages long...
Finished! This is a big book. I'm not only talking volume here, but ambition as well. The writer's ambition to be more precise. This is a sweet little story, and I can imagine the writer felt he had to find a different way to tell it, because there are so many stories like this one already. And, of course, there's the pitfall of making it too sweet a tale. Using Death as the story teller is probably an attempt to avoid sentimentality. However, Death's observations and interjections didn't add to the story and were even quite irritating, so I wasn't too thrilled about this decision.
From time to time I did enjoy reading this story. Some of the descriptions and the characters were even beautiful.
Thank you very much for ringing this book, koekiebak! The book thief is on its way to MaaikeB.
From time to time I did enjoy reading this story. Some of the descriptions and the characters were even beautiful.
Thank you very much for ringing this book, koekiebak! The book thief is on its way to MaaikeB.
Death arrived on my doorstep today, fortunately in the shape of this brick of a book (my God, why so many pages?). I'm still reading another colossus, Agaat by Marlene van Niekerk (a real gem - tip!), so it will have to wait some time. It looks good, though. Thanks for sending it to me in its multistamped envelope, Qimp!
I really, really tried - three times even - but me and this book would'nt hit it off together. I really should have sent it on already, it's been here far too long now, but I couldn't let go of it. I kept thinking that maybe if I waited a couple of weeks my mood would change and I would finally be captivated by the story, but alas... It didn't work for me. Can't really put my finger on it, but I think it was the way it was told, as if it was some kind of fictional adventure story, a fairy tale if you like, which doesn't seem to befit the subject. Still I'm glad to have had the opportunity to read it, even though I didn't like it. I'll send it on to Janna2.
edit: Janna2 bought the book herself so I'll send it to gabrielereads.
edit: Janna2 bought the book herself so I'll send it to gabrielereads.
Journal Entry 15 by gabrielereads from Bergen op Zoom, Noord-Brabant Netherlands on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Arrived in the mail today - what a book! The cover is so unattractive it makes the book interesting again - what on earth is this? After reading all your reviews I am very very curious. But mount TBR is waiting...
Thank you for sending it to me with a lovely and very appropriate note, MaaikeB, and thank you for letting us all come along in this enormous adventure, koekiebak.
Thank you for sending it to me with a lovely and very appropriate note, MaaikeB, and thank you for letting us all come along in this enormous adventure, koekiebak.
Journal Entry 16 by gabrielereads from Bergen op Zoom, Noord-Brabant Netherlands on Monday, August 11, 2008
The concept of the book is original; however, I did not get through it. I recognize what some journalers before me said, I tried a couple of times but the story did not catch, something felt wrong in the atmosphere. Besides, I was -am - not quite in the mood for this story at the moment. so I shall ask on the forum if there are others who want to read this, otherwise it goes back to koekiebak.
Journal Entry 17 by gabrielereads from Bergen op Zoom, Noord-Brabant Netherlands on Monday, August 11, 2008
Opgestuurd naar Prowisorio.
Gearriveerd!! Bedankt voor het opsturen Gabrielereads en Koekiebak voor het ringen.... Ik zal de boeken die ik aan het lezen ben wat gaan shuffelen, zodat ik snel aan deze toe kom :-)
What a strange way of telling such a story! Death is like a dear old grandmother telling a lovely story, but the story isn't lovely but awful. There are some beautiful people in the story, but a lot of horrible things are going on. All these awful things are told in a way that it makes them light and bearable and beautiful. The style did bother me every now and then, but on the other hand it made me go on and on in a book that I probably otherwise wouldn't have want to finish (I normally don't like books about WWII or war in general). Halfway through the book I suddenly realized that this for me was the first book I read about WWII written from the perspective of 'ordinary' germans, living in Nazi Germany. It makes you realize once more that it is not all black and white... there are lot of good people who just don't know how to stop evil things from happening.
I did love Liesel, Rudy, Max and Rosa... and not to be forgotten Ilsa... but I really, really love Hans....
I did love Liesel, Rudy, Max and Rosa... and not to be forgotten Ilsa... but I really, really love Hans....
Kwam vandaag bij mij aan. Dit is een boek dat ik al langer wilde lezen, dus ik ben heel blij dat het er nu van gaat komen. Helaas() ben ik in september veel weg, en lees ik nu een ring van 600 bladzijdes die echt eerst uit moet. Dus bij deze alvast: de boekendief zal zeer waarschijnlijk langer dan een maand bij mij blijven.
I finished the book today. Like I said earlier, due to my absence in September, this book stayed with me longer than a month. Though not all that much longer; once started, this book askes for continued reading.
Like some previous readers, I have mixed feelings about this book. It is writen from an interesting standpoint, that of death, but on the other hand, this does not contribute to the idea of reading something real. For that, its just too unreal. Or is that just the image we (post-war) like to make of ordinary people having a very, very, very hard time in Nazi-Germany?
However, again like previous readers, this book is touching. It askes sometimes for tears, it moves, sometimes for humanness, sometimes out of sheer powerlessness. Liesel takes to the heart. As do many of the other persones in the book, however unsympathic they start out.
Resuming: I expected something more, or something else of this book. But it compelled me to finish it, I spent some tears over it - which as always, I consider a contribute to a writer.
Like some previous readers, I have mixed feelings about this book. It is writen from an interesting standpoint, that of death, but on the other hand, this does not contribute to the idea of reading something real. For that, its just too unreal. Or is that just the image we (post-war) like to make of ordinary people having a very, very, very hard time in Nazi-Germany?
However, again like previous readers, this book is touching. It askes sometimes for tears, it moves, sometimes for humanness, sometimes out of sheer powerlessness. Liesel takes to the heart. As do many of the other persones in the book, however unsympathic they start out.
Resuming: I expected something more, or something else of this book. But it compelled me to finish it, I spent some tears over it - which as always, I consider a contribute to a writer.
Journal Entry 22 by 
Alfa-Betje
at Controlled Release, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, October 6, 2008
Alfa-Betje at Controlled Release, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, October 6, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (10/6/2008 UTC) at Controlled Release, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
De book thief is onderweg naar Marsala.
De book thief is onderweg naar Marsala.
Journal Entry 23 by marsala from - Ergens in de provincie, Noord-Brabant Netherlands on Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The book arrived safely today. As always ringbooks are arriving in herds, so it might take a little while. (If you think it takes too long koekiebak, just give me a gentle poke)
Journal Entry 24 by marsala from - Ergens in de provincie, Noord-Brabant Netherlands on Sunday, October 12, 2008
And when I started the book it got me hooked and I finished it in a couple of days. I really loved it. First of all I enjoyed the way it was set up, with Death being the narrator and the way he explains things inbetween paragraphs. I liked that the book was a bit like a fairytale, even though the whole subject is quite dramatic. (But then again, aren't all fairytales quite tragic anyway?)
I liked the characters, there is a great love between them that I really admire. The only thing that bothered me a bit about them was that they all seemed a little too perfect. Not one of them ever did anything that shocked me.
I allready have Plinius adress, so I'll send it on as soon as possible.
I liked the characters, there is a great love between them that I really admire. The only thing that bothered me a bit about them was that they all seemed a little too perfect. Not one of them ever did anything that shocked me.
I allready have Plinius adress, so I'll send it on as soon as possible.
Released 15 yrs ago (10/14/2008 UTC) at Mail, Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to the next reader.
On its way to the next reader.
thanks, Marsala! I'll finish the current book first and start this within a week...
Finished. On the whole I vote with the Times review - the story has its merits, the main characters are sympathetic but somehow they lack substance and cannot convince me that they are real people. Zusak took a mighty lot of words and time to tell the story - or perhaps I'm turning into that impatient grumpy old cynic after all.
What the book conveys to me most is the squalor: grimy children, unwashed clothes, bad food, dingy surroundings and the smelly presence of unpleasant people. The bookcover seems to be designed with the same idea and I don't like the smell of the book.
The book travels to AnnevO one of these days - i think I'll put it in her letterbox.
What the book conveys to me most is the squalor: grimy children, unwashed clothes, bad food, dingy surroundings and the smelly presence of unpleasant people. The bookcover seems to be designed with the same idea and I don't like the smell of the book.
The book travels to AnnevO one of these days - i think I'll put it in her letterbox.
Released 15 yrs ago (10/28/2008 UTC) at Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book is in AnnevO's letterbox. I forgot the card so I'll wave from here: have a good read, AnnevO!
The book is in AnnevO's letterbox. I forgot the card so I'll wave from here: have a good read, AnnevO!
This book suddenly appeared in my letterbox. Thanks Plinius for delivering it and Koekiebak for sending it on it's journey!
This isn't a pretty story, due tot the subject, but I think it's very well written. The characters in the village are quite realistic and mostly likeable people. Death as narrator for a book with this many casualties is a great idea. The pace of this book is lovely, also.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was one of the blurbs on the back cover. This book is a fiction novel and therefor shouldn't be compared with Anne Frank's book.
I'll contact Mefeather to figure out a way to get this book to her.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was one of the blurbs on the back cover. This book is a fiction novel and therefor shouldn't be compared with Anne Frank's book.
I'll contact Mefeather to figure out a way to get this book to her.
Released 15 yrs ago (11/29/2008 UTC) at Mail, Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
This book is on its way to the next participant.
This book is on its way to the next participant.
Heb het boek vandaag binnengekregen. Ben heel benieuwd. Er is nog een boek dat ik eerst moet lezen, ook een ring, maar ik kan bijna niet wachten. Wordt vervolgd...
Maybe it was because of the high expectations I had, maybe it was his way of telling the story and having to use SO many pages. I stopped around page 250. It didn't grip me. I didn't catch my interest. I tried. I really did. It's just not my book. No clue why, because I did like the idea of Death being the person telling the story. *shrugs* However, I'm still pleased I got the chance to try this book. Thanks for making it a ring, Koekie!!
I will contact the next person and send it on.
I will contact the next person and send it on.
Journal Entry 34 by mefeather at from one bookcrosser to another, Ring Ring Ringggg -- Controlled Releases on Monday, January 26, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (1/26/2009 UTC) at from one bookcrosser to another, Ring Ring Ringggg -- Controlled Releases
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Veel leesplezier.
Veel leesplezier.
Journal Entry 35 by 
dutch-book
from Heerenveen , Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Tuesday, January 27, 2009
dutch-book from Heerenveen , Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Tuesday, January 27, 2009
This really looks like an interesting read to me. I discovered that I have the Dutch translation already in my home as a library book, but that doesn't bother me. I'm just going to read it in English and Dutch.
Journal Entry 36 by dutch-book from Heerenveen , Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Tuesday, April 7, 2009
dutch-book from Heerenveen , Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Tuesday, April 7, 2009
I have finished this book in two day's. It was a good, though, long read. But I have enjoyed it. Koekiebak and I have decided I will give the book back to her at the Castricummeeting. If that isn't possible I will send it to her.
Released 14 yrs ago (6/28/2009 UTC) at Castricum, Noord-Holland Netherlands
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Dit boek geef ik morgen terug aan koekiebak tijdens de meeting in Castricum.
Dit boek geef ik morgen terug aan koekiebak tijdens de meeting in Castricum.
And the book is back with me. Thanks for bringing it to Castricum, Dutch-book, and thanks ALL for reading and commenting on it!
