There is a quote from the movie Hitch with Will Smith in it where he says, Life is not about the amount of breaths you take, its the moments that take your breath away. Well, this book is like that, there is a sentence here, a paragraph there or something emboldened and they all take your breath away or at least they should.
A few of those moments include:
A DEFINITION NOT FOUND IN THE DICTIONARY/ Not leaving: an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children (37)
First and foremost, the book is narrated by Death. Needless to say, many things along the way will not end well, but like a good storyteller, Death intrigues us by simply saying: If you feel like it, come with me. I will tell you a story. Ill show you something. (15)
His tale begins with the death of Liesel Memingers younger brother on a train on the way to their foster parents. She will become the Book Thief. More importantly, this will be the last time she sees her brother and maternal mother but it will also be the first time she steals a book: The Grave Diggers Handbook. So as you can see, the act of NOT leaving is rather poignant, in this case it was Liesels foster Papa that would never leave her side as long as he is alive.
The second stolen book was at a book burning, after all the tale takes place during the reign of Hitler in Germany - the hidden thought:
The thought of missing [the book burning] was eased when [Liesel] found a gap in the bodies and was able to see the mound of guilt, still intact. It was prodded and splashed, even spat on. It reminded her of an unpopular child forlorn and bewildered, powerless to alter its fate. No one liked it. Head down. Hands in pockets. Forever. Amen. (109)
A discussion on the theft, her Papa he asks, Why would I [tell]? She hated questions like that. They forced her to admit an ugly truth, to reveal her own filthy, thieving nature. Because I stole again. (126/7)
Hmnnintrospection, question on morals and ethics?
Then there are a few moments that make you chuckle, such as: She even allowed herself a laugh. Eleven-year old paranoia was powerful. Eleven-year-old relief was euphoric. (132)
Returning to grimmer thoughts, like the introduction of Max Vandenburg, a Jewish street fighter whom the Hubermanns (Liesels foster parents) tried to hideand the words that ought to take your breath away in a bad way:
Max, wake upHis eyes did not do anything that shock normally describes. No snapping, no slapping, no jolt. Those things happen when you wake from a bad dream, not when you wake INTO one. No, his eyes dragged themselves open, from darkness to dim. It was his body that reacted, shrugging upward and throwing out an arm to grip the air. (139)
Max on death: When death captures me, the boy vowed, he will feel my fist on his face.
Deaths thought in return: Personally, I quite like that. Such stupid gallantry. Yes. I like that a lot. (189) (My personal thought: I like that too!)
A bit more on grim thoughts: The mayors wife was just one of a worldwide brigade. You have seen her before, Im certain. In your stories, your poems, the screens you like to watch. Theyre everywhere, so why not here? Why not on a shapely hill in a small German town? Its a good a place to suffer as any. (145)
On June 2, 1942, there was a group of French Jews in a German prison, on Polish soil. The first person I took was close to the door, his mind racing, then reduced to pacing, then slowing down, slowing downPlease believe me when I tell you that I picked up each soul that day as if it were a newly born. I even kissed a few weary, poisoned cheeks. I listened to their last, gasping cries. Their vanishing words. I watched their love visions and freed them from their fear. (350)
A SMALL BUT NOTEWORTHY NOTE/ Ive seen so many young men over the years who think theyre running at other young men. They are not. Theyre running at me. (175)
Mind you, Death is narrating the tale!
More speculations on war by Death: They say that war is deaths best friend, but I must offer you a different point of view on that one. To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible. He stands over your shoulder repeating one thing, incessantly: Get it done, get it done. So you work harder. You get the job done. The boss, however, does not thank you. He asks for more. (309)
A ha ha ha courtesy of Death: One seat, two men, a short argument, and meIt kills me sometimes, how people die. (464)
And another breath, again, courtesy of Death: Im always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both. Still, they have one thing I envy. Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die. (491)
Again, my personal musing, I hope we have the good sense to die!
However, the tale in a nutshell is about a tiny fraction of people in Nazi Germany that did not hate the Jewish population. Among them was the Book Thief who slowly learns the power of words by learning to read from an uneducated man her foster father, stealing a bunch books and even destroying one, her interactions with friends and neighbors especially Max Vandenburg and Rudy Steiner.
It is the life of Hans Hubermann that gives the readers a glimpse of World War I and World War II. It is the interaction with neighbors like Ilsa Hermann and the mayors wife that expose how death was all around them. It is the interaction with Rudy Steiner that illustrates how hardship and perhaps even fear was all around them. Moreover, it is Max Vandenburg who reveals how a piece of propaganda called Mein Kampf helped start it all.
A few of those moments include:
A DEFINITION NOT FOUND IN THE DICTIONARY/ Not leaving: an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children (37)
First and foremost, the book is narrated by Death. Needless to say, many things along the way will not end well, but like a good storyteller, Death intrigues us by simply saying: If you feel like it, come with me. I will tell you a story. Ill show you something. (15)
His tale begins with the death of Liesel Memingers younger brother on a train on the way to their foster parents. She will become the Book Thief. More importantly, this will be the last time she sees her brother and maternal mother but it will also be the first time she steals a book: The Grave Diggers Handbook. So as you can see, the act of NOT leaving is rather poignant, in this case it was Liesels foster Papa that would never leave her side as long as he is alive.
The second stolen book was at a book burning, after all the tale takes place during the reign of Hitler in Germany - the hidden thought:
The thought of missing [the book burning] was eased when [Liesel] found a gap in the bodies and was able to see the mound of guilt, still intact. It was prodded and splashed, even spat on. It reminded her of an unpopular child forlorn and bewildered, powerless to alter its fate. No one liked it. Head down. Hands in pockets. Forever. Amen. (109)
A discussion on the theft, her Papa he asks, Why would I [tell]? She hated questions like that. They forced her to admit an ugly truth, to reveal her own filthy, thieving nature. Because I stole again. (126/7)
Hmnnintrospection, question on morals and ethics?
Then there are a few moments that make you chuckle, such as: She even allowed herself a laugh. Eleven-year old paranoia was powerful. Eleven-year-old relief was euphoric. (132)
Returning to grimmer thoughts, like the introduction of Max Vandenburg, a Jewish street fighter whom the Hubermanns (Liesels foster parents) tried to hideand the words that ought to take your breath away in a bad way:
Max, wake upHis eyes did not do anything that shock normally describes. No snapping, no slapping, no jolt. Those things happen when you wake from a bad dream, not when you wake INTO one. No, his eyes dragged themselves open, from darkness to dim. It was his body that reacted, shrugging upward and throwing out an arm to grip the air. (139)
Max on death: When death captures me, the boy vowed, he will feel my fist on his face.
Deaths thought in return: Personally, I quite like that. Such stupid gallantry. Yes. I like that a lot. (189) (My personal thought: I like that too!)
A bit more on grim thoughts: The mayors wife was just one of a worldwide brigade. You have seen her before, Im certain. In your stories, your poems, the screens you like to watch. Theyre everywhere, so why not here? Why not on a shapely hill in a small German town? Its a good a place to suffer as any. (145)
On June 2, 1942, there was a group of French Jews in a German prison, on Polish soil. The first person I took was close to the door, his mind racing, then reduced to pacing, then slowing down, slowing downPlease believe me when I tell you that I picked up each soul that day as if it were a newly born. I even kissed a few weary, poisoned cheeks. I listened to their last, gasping cries. Their vanishing words. I watched their love visions and freed them from their fear. (350)
A SMALL BUT NOTEWORTHY NOTE/ Ive seen so many young men over the years who think theyre running at other young men. They are not. Theyre running at me. (175)
Mind you, Death is narrating the tale!
More speculations on war by Death: They say that war is deaths best friend, but I must offer you a different point of view on that one. To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible. He stands over your shoulder repeating one thing, incessantly: Get it done, get it done. So you work harder. You get the job done. The boss, however, does not thank you. He asks for more. (309)
A ha ha ha courtesy of Death: One seat, two men, a short argument, and meIt kills me sometimes, how people die. (464)
And another breath, again, courtesy of Death: Im always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both. Still, they have one thing I envy. Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die. (491)
Again, my personal musing, I hope we have the good sense to die!
However, the tale in a nutshell is about a tiny fraction of people in Nazi Germany that did not hate the Jewish population. Among them was the Book Thief who slowly learns the power of words by learning to read from an uneducated man her foster father, stealing a bunch books and even destroying one, her interactions with friends and neighbors especially Max Vandenburg and Rudy Steiner.
It is the life of Hans Hubermann that gives the readers a glimpse of World War I and World War II. It is the interaction with neighbors like Ilsa Hermann and the mayors wife that expose how death was all around them. It is the interaction with Rudy Steiner that illustrates how hardship and perhaps even fear was all around them. Moreover, it is Max Vandenburg who reveals how a piece of propaganda called Mein Kampf helped start it all.
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