The Book Thief

By: Markus Zusak

Narrated by: Dennis Olsen

The award-winning novel that established Markus Zusak as an international brand.

It is 1939, Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.

So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, and wherever there are books to be found. But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish fist-fighter in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

©2005 Markus Zusak (P)2006 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Producer Heather Steen.

moving and poignant story

What did you like best about this story?

It was engrossing and about real people who had weaknesses and complexities.

Any additional comments?

The problem with the reading of this book is that the narrator speaks his 'asides' sotto voce. My elderly father, who is hard of hearing, could often not hear these particular sections.

Took a while!

What did you like best about The Book Thief? What did you like least?

I loved the richness of the story and the depth of the heroine. It took me several chapters to decide if i was enjoying the story or not. It took some time for me to get used to the story being narrated by death, although in the end this was one of the things I liked most. I found the accordion music between chapters very irritating.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked how it was narrated by death and how we saw his point of view.

What about Dennis Olsen’s performance did you like?

His voice was perfect for the voice of death.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes I would.

Great story, great narration

Would you consider the audio edition of The Book Thief to be better than the print version?

Yes. I have not read the print version but the narrator was fabulous and gave so much more to the story.

What did you like best about this story?

That it was told through the Grim Reapers eyes. Ingenious.

Have you listened to any of Dennis Olsen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I would like to. He is an awesome narrator.

Beautiful

Listen to this book, read this book, own this book. This book a nothing but a work of art. It is lovely and a joy to read. My mother put me onto this book and I think Markus Zusak is possibly one of the great writers of this century. The story is on par with 'To Kill a Mocking Bird' and the style so interesting. This book will make you laugh, make you cry, it will change your life. Okay it is a good read and Dennis Olsen is fantastic at narrating it. Loved it and will want to read it for years to come. It don't get much better than this.

Great storytelling from a different viewpoint.

Really enjoyed this story from the perspective of a young girl fostered into a Munich home during WWII. There are many great stories from the war and this one stands out for it's authentic feel and the less commonly explored perspective of the German townsfolk. An amusing, moving and fascinating work. The narration was wonderful and I enjoyed the snatches of accordion music (relevant to the story) played prior to each chapter.
Well worth a credit.

Wonderful book, frustrating audiobook

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it has some wonderful turns of phrase, engaging characters and manages to be quirky and heavy in equal measures.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hans - he handles a hard life and challenging times with admirable dignity.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration is wonderful BUT, the audiobook has one very large flaw. In the written version of the book, the narrator (death) will sometimes talk in asides, which are written in italics. In the audiobook, these asides are whispered and buried in echo and are often impossible to hear or understand. How the producers let this happen is mystifying and it really disrupts the flow of the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

1. When Death steps on the picture of Hitler.2. When Death describes how Rudi makes him cry.

Ignore the teen classification!

This is an adult story about the power of words. It is also about children growing up and trying to live a normal life in a time of unbelievable horror. The Book Thief is moving and personal and wonderfully written. I often found myself going back listening to passages a second and even a third time immersing myself in the language. So beautiful and at times so sad. The narration by Dennis Olsen is outstanding. I highly recommend this book and hope it won't get lost in the teen section.

It's Better than This

I very infrequently listen to something I have read that suffers from the reading. Unfortunately, I thought this was one of those occasions. Fortunately the substance of the book is good enough to rise above the let-down I felt on listening to it.
The plot is really not that complex. Liesel is an orphan. She is relocated to the outskirts of Munich at the outset of WWII and billeted with Hans and Rosa Hubermann. She grows up playing soccer with her close friend Rudy Steiner and other boys and girls. She learns to steal food and necessities. She is a survivor. And she has one special vice; she steals books. When she begins, she can't read, but slowly she becomes the voice for the small community, reading in the air-raid shelters whilst the bombs fall tragically on Munich. In all of this she is supported by her step-father (Geoffrey Rush in the film version), an extraordinary man in a very ordinary way, and step-mother (Emily Watson in the film), the disciplinarian with a soft centre.
However, it is the telling of this beautiful story that makes it. The little asides, Death as the narrator and the fun that does just enough to break the appalling mantle of loss and destruction. I surmise that this is why I didn't enjoy Denis Olsen's reading. It is not how I had read it, many times aloud, to myself.
I am an admirer of Olsen's. He has long been a statesman of the Australian theatre, especially in Gilbert and Sullivan and Shakespearean roles; his King Lear is something to queue for. So, he has a classically trained voice which is very apt for some versions of Death, but is a bit sing-songy for me almost in every other way. This is made more so because he reads the parts (with feeling), he does not assume the characters (except Death).
I struggled through the title because I knew how powerful the ending is. If you don't have the same reaction to the reading, you will no doubt love the title, because it is a wonderful story. Hopefully you pre-reading expectation will not get in the way of your enjoyment.

Best story ever!

Would you listen to The Book Thief again? Why?

I'll listen to this again and again. I completely loved it. I'm addicted to it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Book Thief?

The love of Liesel to her adopted father & mother and Rudi Steiner and Max. Her loss was desperate. Her endurance amazing. Just gorgeous.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely. Couldn't "put it down".

Any additional comments?

Thank you and what a sensational author. Very moving. Thank you for enhancing my life with this wonderful tale.

Brilliant book - Frustrating narrator performance

The words and the story of The Book Thief makes this a book I will recommend to many. Markus Zusak's prose is brilliantly crafted.

BUT THE NARRATION!!

The large majority of the audio books I have are performed. I get it. But this narrator has interpreted the story according to his mindset rather than allowing me to 'read' it and make up my own mind.

The 'sotto' voice used for Death is incredibly irritating when you listen to books while travelling as you cannot hear what is said.

That said I love Dennis Olsen's voice - a voice that is truly a gift. I wish he had chosen to read the book and not interpret it. I have borrowed a hard copy so I can honour the writing better.