Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Book Thief By Marcus Zusak


Are the more words of value to be added to the tale of Nazi atrocities? 
Yes. Oh, my. Yes.


But first a challenge:
What is a writer if they are not first a reader?


Consider if you will:
"One must be soaked in words, literally drenched in them to have the right ones form themselves into the proper pattern at the right moment." ~ Hart Crane.


Stephen King went so far as the say that a writer who has no time to read has no business writing.


I read. In the pauses of life, I read. And last year life paused about twenty times it would seem. Because that is how many books I read. I can inhale a book in less that two days. When I lay my hands on one  I have no problems devouring it. The problem for me is that reading has fallen in between the cracks of living. I pause. I read. I don't read again for quite sometime. This year, the Year of the Brand New Sky I want it to rain me some words. Soak me through. One of my goals this year is to read 50 books. Roughly 4 a month. I am reminding myself that I am first a reader, studying humbly at the foot of my craft.


Care to set your own reading goals and join me?


Now, back to the book:
Through the eyes of the narrator, Death, we me the Word Shaker and a Book Thief. Both are Liesel Memminger. Spinning around her are the many people who knew what was to plant the seed of one of God’s greatest gifts to humanity, other than salvation and grace; the gift of words.


Death is a character who notices the colour of skies as he goes about the business of collecting souls. "I like a choclate covered sky. Dark, dark Chocolate. People say it suits me. I do, however, try to enjoy every color I see- the whole spectrum. A billion or so flavours, none of them quite the same, and a sky to slowly suck on."

Drench me in these words: 
Death: "She was the book theif without the words. Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain." (The Book Thief pg.80)


Read this book if: You ask yourself what life amounts to and your answer is; "something more than what I have right now. Something bigger than who I am.


Death: "Here's a small fact. You are going to die... People observe the colors of a day only at its beginnings and ends, but to me it's quite clear that a day merges through a multitude of shades and intonations, with each passing moment. A single hour can consist of a thousand different colors. Waxy yellows, cloud-spat blues....The question is, what colour will everything be at that moment when I come for you? What will the sky be saying?"


Wet with words and wonder. Pee your pants with excitement. Really, this book is that damn good:
If you can avoid the beauty of those words for just a moment and pause... I have to wonder... What will the sky be saying when my days are taken from me? What do I want the sky to say?


Rating: 9/10
9- because it was the first book I read this year. There might be a perfect ten out there. If not, I reserve the right to come back and giving this book a ten.


What about you? 
1 book down. 49 to go. Join me?

36 comments:

  1. Thanks for all the well wishes and congrats as we moved into our new house just before Christmas. We are mostly settled now. School starts again in two weeks, so we had to get organized. It is beyond amazing to be in our own home for the first time EVER. Life is good people, very good. I has a happy :)

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  2. I'm reading The Book Thief now and loving it. I agree w/ Stephen King. Reading feeds my writing.
    ~ Wendy

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  3. I don't know how anyone can possibly write with out reading. Like you I can swallow books in chunks...which means many other things don't get done. Now though, I'm reading books analytically...assessing how things are worded, the flow of the chapters. Now each book I read is a joy...and a lesson.

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  4. Glad to hear you're loving your new home! :)

    I have been desperate to read The Book Thief for a long time, but I have so many other books to read first. My goal this year is to read as many books as possible, but I don't want to put pressure on myself by setting a target. Good luck with your target of 50. x

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  5. i read plenty of books, so many that i can't keep track. i think my goal would be to savor the next few books that i read instead of rushing through them. i tend to consume books in 2 or 3 sittings. maybe i should add to that goal, write a little more for the revision of my novel before i read another one. i'm using them to put off writing.

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  6. I'll join you Tab! And thanks to the shout out for the Book Thief, I'll start that next week. Right now I'm reading, Fire In Fiction.

    I'm hoping to alternate between craft book, and fiction.

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  7. I should really join you, but I'm such a slow reader that I'm going to put my goal at 36, 3 a month and that will include non-fiction, as I always have one of those on the go to. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  8. Wow 50! I a slow reader...
    my goal is 1 a month - my college books take a while to get through so I don't read as much fiction as I'd like. 1 down... 11 to go

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  9. I'll have to get this book today. (on my kindle) I've been meaning to read it. Thanks Tab!

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  10. Sounds like a wonderful book! Thanks for telling us about it! Reading is such a wonderful thing!

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  11. Reading is like a food group, essential to a balanced diet. I would love more reading time, I think I average 4 or 5 a month so I should be okay making 50, I hope!

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  12. I just bought this at the bookstore last night on a friend's recommendation. I'm excited to read it!

    I've gotten a jump start on my reading this year- I've read five already. Of course, once I start editing my WIP again that's going to come to a screeching halt. :)

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  13. I need to join you. My problem is when I start a book I become obsessive to the point of kraft diner for supper and late nights slumping on the couch. But I do need to start reading again.

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  14. What a coincidence, I was just re-reading that at the moment! It is an absolutely wonderful, earth-wrenching book, and I can't believe I'm saying this but it truly did deserve all the hype threshed upon it when it first came out. It is really, really amazing. :) You have the nicest way of describing it.

    Sarah
    xo

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  15. LOVED The Book Thief. Read it last year and either wrote a review of it or have it in a stack to do so. Can you believe YAs are connecting with that book? A blast of good news in the dry wind of what we usually hear...

    Can I join you unofficially in your quest? I gobble down ten or so a month so will have no problem meeting the goal. Recordkeeping? Sigh. Help.

    Blessings,
    Patti
    www.pattilacy.com/blog

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  16. The Book Thief is one of my all time favorites. It's nice to be reminded why I loved it so much. I've always felt the reading and writing are two sides of the same quilt - neither exists without the other, I am not one without being the other.

    As always, I loved your writing - so visual and full of feeling.

    I'm with you on the challenge. I just finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Amazing, original and compelling. I'd love to hear your view of it.

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  17. I have the Book Thief on my list. It's sitting on my shelf. I'm trying to read more during the winter months when I'm working full time and not writing as much.

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  18. I've heard the best things about this book. It's already on my list. I may have to move it up to the top.

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  19. sounds good Tab, might have to borrow it from you get me away from reading Text books..:)

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  20. Loved how you described reading to a writer.
    I'm totally joining you! My purpose is 3 every month and thanks a lot for the recommendation. Now I know what to put on the top of my list

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  21. Great review, woman. I like how you went about doing it. :)

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  22. Sara over at Babbling Flow challenged me to read 150 books this year, but she's way ahead of me already. Sure, I read fast, but I've got three kids and a writing habit to support!

    You've intrigued me about The Book Thief, though, good lady. Merci beaucoup!

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  23. Yes, congratulations on moving in to your new home!!!

    Now then, about books. I set myself a goal of 26 books every year. I am not a fast reader, so a book every two weeks is a good goal to set myself. I have been keeping a book log since 1987 (!) and can see how many books i read every year and what they were. I only finished 19 in 2009. But i had only finished a dismal 7 by the end of June, so I rallied, lol. I would have made 20, at least, but I undertook a lonnnnggggg project of a book in December. I finished it, but it ate up the rest of the year. My record is 41, my low 13. I would love to join you if I can set my goal as 26, and not 50. So....can i play? :-)

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  24. Hi Tab,
    I agree with you on the value of writers reading. And for the first book of the year, that ones sounds like a very meaty, thought-provoking one.
    Blessings,
    Paula

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  25. I've toyed with reading the Book Thief and now I will. In the last month, I've read The Alchemist (a wonderful little gem), Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett (not his best but with good bits) and Pretty Is As Pretty Dies (with some laugh out loud scenes--and a French exchange student). I'm currently reading Liar, by aussie author Justine Larbalestier, and loving it--tight, lean prose, but enough description to make you feel that you're there in the room, and a protaganist who keeps you wondering "is she lying to me?".

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  26. My goal this year is 24, two a month, and I'm already behind! I'm reading Traveling with Pomegranates and love it, but keep finding other things that are clamoring more loudly for my attention!

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  27. Congratulations on getting into your own home! I'm envious, Mr. Inkslinger and I are still waiting for ours.

    I don't know where I would be as a writer without all my voracious reading. That said, if I'm too wrapped up in a book it can take time away from my own. Oh well. Balance! That's the goal. 4 books a month sounds like a good idea. :)

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  28. I loved The Book Thief. I think it was probably the best book I've read in the last 5 years. It was just gorgeous. I'm trying to read (or listen to on audiobooks) 100 books this year. So far, so good, but I am reading a lot of chapter books and MG.

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  29. I loved The Book Thief too. I felt that it also offered a different take on some important aspects of life that were not related to the Holocaust, without detracting from the importance of learning from the Holocaust itself.

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  30. If I could get paid to read, I would be in heaven!

    So glad to hear the move went well and you guys are settling in.

    This book has intrigued me and begged for my attention since I came out. I think I'll have to read it now.

    Jen

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  31. I am reading The Book Thief right now and am thoroughly enjoying it!! I too have a goal of reading 50 books this year.. Im starting a bit slow though :(

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  32. Great Goal, Tabatha. and great book to start the year with. I've been reading about 40 novels a year even though I'm a picture book writer. I write because I love to read.

    The Book Thief was an inspired novel. I thought it was amazing. I also thought it was difficult. It was hard to have death on my shoulder the whole time.

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  33. While I have a daily word count goal in writing, I don't have a book count for the month or year.

    I sort through books like sand at a beach, feeling the heft in my hands, unsure at this title or that, and then settling and feasting, building a castle in my mind with the words.

    I'd love to read 4 books a month. But as a writer and Librarian, I'm a slow reader. It's a minor tragedy, really. I'm doing good if I read 2 books a month.

    PS: I have Book Thief on my "to read" list. Can't wait to dig into it!!

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  34. I absolutely must read The Book Thief!

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