Author Topic: Book Thief by Markus Zusak ~ March Book Club Online - Pre- Discussion (Read 31374 times)

ALF43 · « **Reply #40 on:** January 30, 2010, 09:28:24 PM »

The Book Club Online is the oldest book club on the Internet, begun in 1996, open to everyone. We offer cordial discussions of one book a month, 24/7 and enjoy the company of readers from all over the world. everyone is welcome to join in.

The Book Thief - Coming March 1!
PREDISCUSSION Now!

"Fortunately, this book isn't about Death; it's about death, and so much else."
"Some will argue that a book so difficult and sad may not be appropriate for teenage readers. "The Book Thief" was published for adults in Zusak's native Australia, and I strongly suspect it was written for adults. Many teenagers will find the story too slow to get going, which is a fair criticism. But it's the kind of book that can be life-changing, because without ever denying the essential amorality and randomness of the natural order, "The Book Thief" offers us a believable, hard-won hope.
The Book Thief is a complicated story of survival that will encourage its readers to think." (Bookmarks Magazine)

"How can a tale told by Death be mistaken for young-adult storytelling? Easily: because this book's narrator is sorry for what he has to do. The youthful sensibility of "The Book Thief" also contributes to a wider innocence. While it is set in Germany during World War II and is not immune to bloodshed, most of this story is figurative: it unfolds as symbolic or metaphorical abstraction.
"The Book Thief" will be widely read and admired because it tells a story in which books become treasures. And because there's no arguing with a sentiment like that." (New York Times)

Discussion Schedule:

March 1-2 ~ Prologue
March 3-7 ~ Part I & II
March 8-14 ~ Part III & IV
March 15-21 ~ Part V &VI
March 22-28 ~ Part VII & VIII
March 29-April 4 ~ Part IX & X

Some Questions for Your Consideration

1. What information can you find about the author, Markus Zusak? Where and when was he born? What drew him to the subject of Munich and life in Nazi Germany at the start of the second world war, years before he was born? What had he written before The Book Thief?

2. To your knowledge, did most of the German people share the same sense of hope, security and trust in Adolf Hitler under his presidency and Nazi rule in the 1930's?

3. What do you know of the spread of communism within Germany at this time?

Relevant Links ~ A Brief History of Germany Rule

Discussion Leaders: JoanP & Andy

Aliki · « **Reply #41 on:** January 31, 2010, 01:24:33 PM »

Hi ALF, I'm pleased to meet you too and am touched by your response! Yes, thanks to JoanP subject duly clarified!

Whether in jest or not, my sister was an astrologer and a reincarnationist and truly believed we can all change how we come back in our next life by meditating on it--just keep that in mind!

I have three choices but still weighing them against all the many choices available...

aliki (a.k.a. alliemae, in previous discussions), and my nickname, Justa...meaning Justa whatever/whoever I want to be at the moment!!

trlee · « **Reply #42 on:** February 01, 2010, 04:15:23 PM »

Hi Everyone,

Haven't been able to read the last few books, but I'm going to give the Book Thief a try. You all make it sounds like a great read.

Lee

JoanP · « **Reply #43 on:** February 01, 2010, 04:24:51 PM »

Sorry Andy - went to elementary school with a Lynn Flannery - which explains why I messed up your name. Andrea Lee - that's almost as pretty a name as Andrea Lynn -

And speaking of Lee - Welcome back, Lee! We look forward to having you join us. This book is a real winner.

Also, you should know that we are now taking nominations for spring group discussion titles - We'll vote in two weeks - do drop in the Suggestion Box and see what's going on right now...

ALF43 · « **Reply #44 on:** February 01, 2010, 06:33:40 PM »

Lee, Lynn- whatever. Here we all are. I am so-o-o-o looking forward to this discussion. Truly, it grabbed me from the first page and held my interest. Welcome back Lee, we are delighted that you are going to join in.

JudeS · « **Reply #45 on:** February 04, 2010, 01:11:46 AM »

This is a wonderful book and I will be happy to join the discussion. Although I read it once, the chance to reread and discuss it with others makes me happy.

What comes to mind is Emily Dickinson's poem:
There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away.
Nor any courser like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress or toll.
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul.

For me this book carries a human soul.

JoanP · « **Reply #46 on:** February 04, 2010, 09:24:42 AM »

It is so good to see your face this morning, Jude~ Welcome! I agree, this book, has soul. It is poetry.
Again, welcome!

ALF43 · « **Reply #47 on:** February 10, 2010, 09:27:40 AM »

I fear that our "fearLESS" leader Joan is attempting to dig her way out of the snow that has piled up along the east coast. I am quite anxious to get this discussion started as I would like to maintain interest. If you are anything like me, you are off and running to find something else interesting. I beg of you- do not lose patience (as I do) but hang in here with us until we begin this challenging best seller. Do any of you remember the first book that you loved or found when you were young Liesel's age?

Frybabe · « **Reply #48 on:** February 10, 2010, 11:05:11 AM »

There are a lot of us digging out. It took me three days to dig out last week. I am NOT looking forward to this AT ALL. Looks like I will miss at least another two days of work. Every time I clear the side walk and driveway the snow plows plow me back in. I am on a state snow emergency route. The state drivers don't care too much about whether they plow people back in. The township crews, the few times they help out on the state road, are much more mindful of it. I hate having to reshovel two and three times especially since I can only do a little at a time.

In the meantime, I am trudging through one of the Mrs. Murphy cat mysteries. I say trudging because it is a bit boring. This is the first one I haven't cared for. Even so, it seems to be picking up a bit now after close to 100pages. I have not started The Book Thief yet.

ALF43 · « **Reply #49 on:** February 10, 2010, 01:02:14 PM »

Well, Frybaby, if you get bored pick up The Book Thief. It will keep you company until the thaw. I loved it and couldn't put it down.

marcie · « **Reply #50 on:** February 11, 2010, 10:59:23 AM »

It's wonderful that so many are already enlisted for the discussion of this book. I was reluctant to read it at first, because of some of the descriptions I'd read about it on the Internet. I'm so glad that I gave it a chance. The book is difficult to describe. It's very imaginative and moving and ultimately uplifting, I think. I'll be glad to re-read and talk about it with you all.

JoanR · « **Reply #51 on:** February 11, 2010, 11:11:54 AM »

Hi, Andy - I'm looking forward to the discussion of this book. All the enthusiastic recommendations prompted me to borrow it from the library and start reading it. I think it's wonderful! I don't want to read it all before the discussion begins but I do hate to stop a quarter of the way through!! Not only that, but the book is due back at the libe on March 3 - hope they will renew it! This may be the book that makes me break my vow about not buying any more new books until I make some sort of a dent in the huge pile of unread books that threaten to overwhelm me!!!!

JoanP · « **Reply #52 on:** February 11, 2010, 11:12:58 AM »

That's great, Marcie and JoanR - so glad to have you join us. You're so right, Marcie, the book is an unexpected delight - not at all what I expected either - I think what surprised me most was that the book was written by one so young. His writing is lyrical - poetry, don't you think?

ALF43 · « **Reply #53 on:** February 11, 2010, 12:18:14 PM »

Marcie AND Joan- well we blessed now with two of my favorite discussion ladies. You bring so much to the table, both of you and I am happy that you will be joining Joan and me.

Joan, I bought the paperback and it only cost me 11 bucks. I was so happy to buy it so I can mark in it. I started it at my sons house in New Mexico, over the Thanksgiving holiday and was reading it while making stuffing for our turkey. I haven't done that in a long while but I did not want to put it down.

1939 Germany was not a carefree, untroubled area in our history and I know that fact alone dissuades folks from reading this novel. It is too bad because it is astonishing what the author has done to capture this era through the eyes of an innocent.

Welcome to you both.

salan · « **Reply #54 on:** February 11, 2010, 05:15:17 PM »

I am going to my sister's for the week-end and will pick up my copy of the book then. I read it over a year ago, so I really need to refresh my memory. I thought it was an excellent book and did not understand why it was classified as youth fiction. I am eager for the discussion.
Sally

joangrimes · « **Reply #55 on:** February 12, 2010, 12:27:06 AM »

I have started reading this book and I find it lyrical. I don't want to put it down. The writing is beautiful and the story is fascinating.
Joan Grimes

ALF43 · « **Reply #56 on:** February 12, 2010, 09:20:17 AM »

Well said Joan.
Welcome back salan- read on.
I know what you mean, I read it 3 months ago and had to reacquaint myself with the story.

joangrimes · « **Reply #57 on:** February 14, 2010, 02:31:24 PM »

Still reading. I cannot put this book down.

Joan Grimes

JoanP · « **Reply #58 on:** February 15, 2010, 02:00:02 PM »

Out of curiosity - what was it that made you decide to pick up this book? Is it what you were expecting? Why can't you put it down? Is it the author's expression, or the story itself?

We have such a fine, diverse group of participants coming together for this discussion. Two more weeks? Do you think it is too early to look into the author's background - or the setting for his story? Right now, we know that he is a young man, an Australian - in his 30's (early 30's?) - and yet he is capable of expressing himself - in such a "lyrical" manner as some of you have described his style. It must be something he was born with. Born in Australia? Why did he choose this setting - Munich, years before he was born?

joangrimes · « **Reply #59 on:** February 15, 2010, 03:18:36 PM »

Not sure that I care about the author's background. However I do know that his mother was from Munich or that area. There is quite a bit about him and his background on Amazon. Anyone interested in that can go there and read it. I am very interested in learning all that I can about what, other than pure unadulterated fear , motivated the German people to follow Adolf Hitler. Looking at that it seems that is one of the reasons that I decided to read this book. When I discovered that the narrator was death that was another thing that grabbed my attention. Now I am very interrested in the growth and development of the Book thief . Just lots of things about this book to grab and hold my interest.
Don't know how much of this we should go into this early. You are the experienced one in that kind of thing.

Oh on the communist issue in Germany at that time...communism was an issue all over Europe at that time. The communists were fighting against the facists everywhere. Hitler had supported the facist in the Spanish Civil war and supplied Franco the Spanish Fascist leader in Spain with planes , etc for fighting the communist rebels in Spain. The well known French Resistance was mostly communist. So it only stands to reason that the Germans had the communists who were resisting Adolph Hitler. I am sorry my spelling and typing leave a lot to be desired here. I am having a hard time typing this.

Joan Grimes

JoanP · « **Reply #60 on:** February 16, 2010, 01:06:45 AM »

Thanks, Joan. I too am curious about the German people duirng the 30's - and why they followed Hitler, elected him to the Presidency. Was it fear? Did it start out that way?
Thank you too for addressing the question of communism in Germany. I can understand if Hitler opposed the presence of communism in Germany, then he would go to extremes "to eliminate" them. I'm not sure how he accomplished that. Did he simply expel Communists from Germany?

I agree with you, it is a bit early to go into the book itself - we need to wait a bit until others have had a chance to read the opening chapters. But we can use this time to get to know one another - and to become familiar with the setting and also with this heretofore unknown author - from the "antipodes."

Gumtree · « **Reply #61 on:** February 16, 2010, 04:29:00 AM »

JoanP: unknown author from the antipodes - I heard that

I don't know much about the period when Hitler came to power but I have the impression that the German people elected Hitler because he offered the general populace a way out of unemployment and poverty with his building programmes. And they found him charismatic. Seems a combination hard to beat. By the time he was in power and had got his vision started his ruthless methods became obvious and the fear kicked in.

From memory - haha -I believe it was Marcos Zusak's grandparents who came to Australia as 'displaced persons' after the war, liked what they found and settled here. I think his parents were both born in Aust. or at least raised here. Marcos is an Aussie boy and loves all the things that are good about this country - sun, sand, sea and surfing. He seems to be a rather well rounded young man with interests in many areas.

MarjV · « **Reply #62 on:** February 16, 2010, 10:45:38 AM »

I have the book from the library - going to follow your posts.

Interestingly - all the books in my lib system are in the teen fiction. It even says
in book reviews he wrote it for adults!!!!!

joangrimes · « **Reply #63 on:** February 16, 2010, 11:03:27 AM »

Have been trying to post here for hours this morning.I am dealing with low blood sugar this morning and just needed to get that taken care of first or I would have been here in my house alone on the floor. I stated before I do not care anything about this author. What I posted about his mother being from the Munich area I found on Amazon in an extra blurb about him. I am going to write my posts in note pad annd then post them here because I am composing all these long posts and having them disspear before I get them posted. The answers to your questions are complicated Joan P. So look for my answers to you later. When my blood sugar gets into a safe range and I have time to post.

Joan Grimes

marcie · « **Reply #64 on:** February 16, 2010, 11:21:28 AM »

There is a very interesting short video of the author talking about his reasons for writing the book, and for writing in general, on his website at http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/. It doesn't give away anything of the plot.

ALF43 · « **Reply #65 on:** February 16, 2010, 12:20:38 PM »

Thank you Marcie for the video URL. I hadn't seen that one before.

JoanP · « **Reply #66 on:** February 16, 2010, 07:51:12 PM »

Oh good! Gum is here - and MarjV too! Welcome, both of you!!! This is going to be a fine discussion with so many different interests and viewpoints~

For those of you who don't know Gumtree, like the author, she is posting from Australia and usually posts while many of us are sleeping. It is always such a pleasure to read her posts with breakfast.
Gum, can you tell us if Markus Zusak was well-known in Australia, to you, before the publication of The Book Thief?

Thank you for the link to the Zusak video, Marcie. I hadn't seen that one before either. I did have a little trouble viewing it - but once I successfully loaded Quick Time, I was glad I did. I see that Zusak is the award-winning author of four previous books for young adults and the recipient of a 2006 Printz Honor for excellence in young adult literature.

MarjV, I too think it's interesting that the book is classified as "teen fiction." Did you get the feeling that Zusak himself was somewhat bewildered that his US publisher, Random House, decided to publicize it as a book for Young Adults?

Quote

"The Book Thief was published in September 2005 in Australia to wide acclaim, and was positioned as Zusak's adult debut. In the USA, Random House have chosen to publish it as a young-adult novel, which Zusak is comfortable with saying, "For a teenage audience, it's clearly for sophisticated readers. You just hope it gets into the right person's hands, whatever their age". (author's homepage)

JoanP · « **Reply #67 on:** February 16, 2010, 08:02:27 PM »

So, we learn that the author's mother grew up in Germany - but he was born in Australia. He grew up hearing stories of what it was like growing up there and decided he just had to write about what he heard. Eyewitness account of history! Secondhand eyewitness account...from a child's point of view. He mentions that his mother's memories go back to the age of six.

I'm interested to hear more about Hitler's "charisma." I suppose he must have been or so many would not have been attracted to him.

Quote

"because he offered the general populace a way out of unemployment and poverty with his building programmes." Gum

Well, I can see that people would be attracted to someone who had the power, the vision and the know-how to do that!
Do you think that everyone jumped on his bandwagon? There must have been some who questioned his leadership?

straudetwo · « **Reply #68 on:** February 16, 2010, 11:18:49 PM »

Here I am, JoanP, Andy, and all participants. It's good to be in your company again.

According to information on the web, Markus's father was Austrian and his mother German, the youngest of four children. Markus was born in Sydney in 1975. That makes him 35 !And all along I had thought of him as much younger!
He has written two other books, one is titled I am the Messenger. According to the video Marcie shared with us, he is working on another book, which would be his third, is that right?

We are give to understand that Markus based the story on the memories and experiences of his mother. Of course, she shared them with her children, and how could she not? That is what I have done with my children. The memories of war, bombing, destruction, uncertainty, hunger are indelible. And they have to be felt; even the most eloquent description is inadequate.

We cannot escape history and must go back, briefly, to WW I.

Until the end of itGermany was a monarchy, its head Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. In November of 1918, the war lost, he fled to the Netherlands.

Germany became a parliamentary Republic in 1919. It lasted for 14 revolutionary, tumultous years. In January of 1933 came to power. Fraudulently, it was learned later. Hitler was Austrian.

Yo may ask: Austrian, German, is there a difference? Don't they speak all German?
Yes, there is. And I'll explain tomorrow.

joangrimes · « **Reply #69 on:** February 16, 2010, 11:40:23 PM »

Traude, I am so glad to see you are here telling us all about this from first hand experience. That means so much more than my trying to tell it from my studying about it all. I am so fascinated by your telling us about all this.

Thank you so much.

Joan Grimes

Gumtree · « **Reply #70 on:** February 17, 2010, 04:26:31 AM »

I think Zusak's mother was just a young child when the war ended and the family left Germany. If she was say, 35 when she had Markus (the youngest of four) in 1975 she would have been born in 1940 ( or thereabouts). I believe most of the stories he heard originated with his grandparents.

I didn't know much about Zusak before The Book Thief . But he had already written several young adult or children's books which had received prestigious prizes and considerable critical acclaim. The reason The Book Thief was promoted as for younger readers is probably because he was known as a writer for young adults.

He was very hot stuff when Book Thief was first published. Locally it became the choice for our summer Arts Festival's One Book Club. Everybody read it and there were discussions and talks by the dozens in local libraries, book groups etc etc. So he had great exposure here. Haven't heard much about him in the interim.

Traude How wonderful to see you. Hope you are well. I'm looking forward to your contributions to this discussion.

ALF43 · « **Reply #71 on:** February 17, 2010, 10:23:54 AM »

Oh Traude- I can not thank you enough for agreeing to come into this discussion to share your memories and your thoughts.
With you, we are blessed with firsthand and honest recollections of this tumultuous time. Your input will add a real depth to our discussion. I only hope that it does not become too burdensome for you and if it does we will understand your discomfort and embrace you.
Thank you again.

ALF43 · « **Reply #72 on:** February 17, 2010, 10:46:47 AM »

Although Hitler was Austrian by birth, he always considered himself a German. Due to the Versailles Treaty, the two countries were not allowed to unite and were protected early on from German occupation by Italy. Once Mussolini withdrew his support and became friendly with Germany, Austria became vulnerable in her wish to remain free.
Hitler threatened to invade and the proposed vote (plebisite) to remain free was withdrawn. Shortly after that, Hitler's military entered Vienna making Austria the first nation to be annexed. The spread and influence of the nazi party began and Hitler's mission to create this "grand Nazi Party" was in full swing.

Don't you think it is important for us to consider how all of this came about before we start our discussion?

JudeS · « **Reply #73 on:** February 17, 2010, 02:33:44 PM »

Well Alf, being of the mind that yes, it is important to know something about the background of Nazism I would like to add a few tidbits of info.
If anyone is interested in Hitler as a person and what made him tick, try the chapters in Erik Erikson's "Childhood and Society". Adolph was a severly abused child.

The Nazis, a far right party, presented its 25 point program in 1920. The key elements were: anti -parlatmentism, Pan German racism,Social Darwinism, antisemitism, totalatarism and opposition to any form of liberalism. They claimed that the treaty of Versaille at the end of WW1 , was a Jewish Communist plot to humiliate Germany. The party began in 1919 and Hitler became its head in 1921.

Many branches of the Nazi Party are alive, well and thriving in the USA today. Although they have no political power (as yet)they attract thousands of people, many of them ex-cons. They even have their own singing stars called "Prussian Blue'.

There was some talk of them approaching the TEA party for admission as a group or as individuals.

ALF43 · « **Reply #74 on:** February 17, 2010, 03:29:56 PM »

Oh good grief Jude-- The Tea Party?
The American Nazi Party

If you look at how the neo-nazis in America today slightly twist the beliefs of the typical American society, one can truly learn why these organizations are a real danger to the world.

straudetwo · « **Reply #75 on:** February 17, 2010, 03:58:46 PM »

Andy,. I agree.
If we want to fully grasp the setting and "atmosphere" of the story, we need to go back to the post-World War One era, step by step, as briefly as possible, and take a good look at the events before Hitler came to power.

First the answer to the rhetorical question I posed last night.

German is a pluricentric language - like English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Chinese, among others. The languages so identified are shared indifferent geographic locations..
The written word is the same for all, but the spoken word can and does vary significantly in pronunciation, orthography, sometimes the grammar.
In Austria and in the German-speaking cantons of Switzerland, German is spoken in a different way, which includes specific inflections (very characteristic of the Viennese).

Andy, Germany and Austria-Hungary were empires until the end of WW I and political allies, but not united. The end of the war was the end of both empires and of the reigns of the Hohenzollerns and the Habsburgs.
In Versailles, the maps were redrawn, the territories of Germany and Austro-Hungary redistributed and new autonomous states created, among them Yugoslavia and the former Czechoslovakia.

More to come

joangrimes · « **Reply #76 on:** February 17, 2010, 05:42:42 PM »

I finished the book. I did not put it down. I finished it! Wonderful poetic Book. I will go back and start from the beginning again now. I will read it again before the discussion starts. I loved it.

JoanGrimes

straudetwo · « **Reply #77 on:** February 17, 2010, 11:06:02 PM »

Andy, my #75 was in reply to your # 72. I didn't see Jude's # 73 or your # 74 until I came on line a little while ago. Actually, a LONG time ago, because I just timed out twice.
A good chance to check for typos.

In Germany the possession of Nazi paraphernalia is illegal; anyone who violates the law faces severe penalties. How very sad then, how unfortunate, that there is said to a high a demand for these things in this country!! Who might the suppliers be?

I don't remember who told us, but in the mid- fifties when we lived in our first house in North Arlington, Virginia, we heard of a man who openly displayed just such stuff. We were incredulous but decided to check it out. It was within walking distance.

On a lovely summer afternoon we walked by the house ... and saw through the large open picture window a huge Nazi flag that covered the whole wall. We could not believe our eyes. We were aghast. My stomach turned. I felt as if I had been hit. We hurried home.
We never went back. We told no one. I do not recollect the man's name or the street he lived on.

Question 3.
A large number of political parties existed in the German Empire since 1830: liberals and radicals, centrists and rightists -- none ever achieve a decisive constructive majority. In the Weimar Republic the parties regrouped, some merged with the major ones, some disappeared.
In the nineteentwenties, the most dominant were the SPD = the socialists, the KPD = the Communists, and the NSDAP = the Nazi party, for short. The national democratic party was losing ground.

I've found an interesting, revealing timeline in a German wikipedia entry, which shows the growth of the Nazi party from 1919 to 1933. It makes the hair at he back of head stand up. I'll post a translated one tomorrow.

Thank you, Jude, for your post about Erickson. ere's more to be said about that subject.
Thank you, Gumtree, many thanks to all.

ALF43 · « **Reply #78 on:** February 18, 2010, 08:56:13 AM »

JoanG- I can not tell you how happy it makes me to hear of someone else's fascination with this book. When I attempt to tout its beauty, I stumble over my own thoughts. It is also amazing how much more you will get out of the 2nd reading.

Straude- you will bring a wealth of information and validity to this discussion. Thank you.

ALF43 · « **Reply #79 on:** February 18, 2010, 08:59:44 AM »

Under the map on the left of this url is a brief synopsis that interested me. Check it out.

A Brief History of German Rule

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Author Topic: Book Thief by Markus Zusak ~ March Book Club Online - Pre- Discussion (Read 31374 times)