History tells us that the Holocaust began in 1933 when Adolf Hitler cameto power in Germany. Jewish people were herded into concentration camps forforced labour, starvation and torture. 6 million of these people were killed.

The Holocaust ended in 1945, leaving Germans with a reputation forwickedness, cruelty, inhumanity, brutality, malice. However, few haveconsidered the thoughts of regular citizens living in Nazi Germany. Few realisethat many of Germany’s butchers and butlers and bakers were equally horrifiedby their country’s cruelty. In addition to those who suffered in concentrationcamps, there were many other victims of the Nazi regime: victims who arephysically and psychologically wounded by their nation’s barbaric actions and whotried to help.

One such victim is the character of Death in Markus Zusak’s novel The Book Thief. Throughout time Deathhas often been personified in literature, particularly in the poetry of love.Death is deceiving, vicious and villainous. Death is shrouded in a forebodingblack cloak and accessorised with a sharp scythe. In The Book Thief, however, Deathfinds his depiction sorrowful but amusing. He does not carry a scythe. He onlywears a black cloak when it is cold. Instead, he is portrayed as sarcastic, humorous,complex and almost charming. He tries not to dwell on the souls he collects but one story- the storyof the book thief – haunts him so powerfully that he is impelled to share itwith us.

In The Book Thief, Death recallsthe childhood of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl who he first encounterson a train to Munich in the winter of 1939. Liesel is travelling, with hermother and brother, to Munich in hope that her new foster parents will provide ahome and an education. Her brother dies suddenly and is buried on the journey. WhenLiesel steals a copy of ‘The Gravediggers Handbook’ at his funeral, the BookThief is born.

Family, the Hubermanns, live onHimmel Street in Molching, a small town near Munich. Liesel’s foster-mother hasa mouth as foul as her cooking, but a heart bigger and softer than she wouldever let on. Her new father is a warm, loving and patient man of unforgettablestrength and spirit. He begins teaching Liesel to read and ‘The Gravedigger’sHandbook’ becomes a symbolic starting point of Liesel’s appreciation for thepower of words to bring hope, to brainwash and to murder.

I speak as if Death himself wrote the novelbut the real voice and talent behind him is Markus Zusak. Zusak was born inSydney in 1975 to Austrian and German parents. He grew up hearing stories aboutNazi Germany and it is these that inspired him to write his novel.

The powers of Markus Zusak’s words areinfinite. The Book Thief is exquisitelywritten. It is simply and elegantly told yet packed with joy and tragedy and constantreminders of the strength of human spirit. Applied to today’s setting, it isimportant that people are not undermined by the frequent horrors that haunt ournews channels. It is important that people remember how good human naturereally is and novels such as The Book Thief are a wonderful source for that.

Perhaps my only grievance is that Deathdeliberately warns the reader of what happens at the end. Perhaps he wants tosoften the blow for the reader or even for himself but, regardless, we wereboth drowning in tears when the inevitable end came. If Death can feel so moved byLiesel’s story then you, surely, will too.

The Book Thief is published in Australia asan 'adult' novel but, in the UK and US, it is targeted at young adults. Intruth, anyone of any age or gender or religion can enjoy and appreciate Liesel’sstory - it's very simply written and very easy to engage with the characters.Younger readers can enjoy Zusak’s utterly engrossing narrative. Older readerscan appreciate how, by stealing books and letting books steal her away, Lieselmanages to steal a sense of freedom and happiness for herself in a time of suchhorror, such despondence and such loss.

Pick up The Book Thief and allow it to steal you away.

图书简介：

《偷书贼》，原名The Book Thief。2005年由麦克米兰出版集团旗下的子公司Picador首次出版于澳大利亚。2006年开始走红全球，版权迅速售出到三十多个国家和地区，全球销量近千万册。自出版以来，The Book Thief 已经荣获了不计其数的奖项，重要的有：美国图书馆协会Pintz奖；2006年Book Sense儿童文学类年度选书；2006年亚玛逊网络书店年度选书（青少年类编辑选书）；“全国犹太图书协会”小说奖，等等，曾经雄踞美国时代周刊畅销书榜单连续230周。

2013年同名电影公映，广受赞誉，获得多项电影大奖。

作者介绍：

马克斯·苏萨克（Markus Zusak）1975年生于悉尼，父母分别为奥地利及德国后裔。他是当代澳大利亚小说界获奖最多、著作最丰、读者群最广的作家，迄今已出版《输家》（TheUnderdog）、《与鲁本·乌尔夫战斗》（FightingRuben Wolfe，美国图书馆协会青少年类最佳图书）、《得到那女孩》（Getting the Girl）、《传信人》（I Am the Messenger，澳大利亚儿童图书协会年度最佳图书奖）。2014年，更因为其著作《偷书贼》《传信人》对美国及世界青少年文学阅读的特殊贡献，荣获美国图书馆学会的成就大奖：玛格丽特-亚历山大-爱德华奖。

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