I am thrilled to be a giver tonight for World Book Night. It’s an opportunity to spred the joy and love of reading, to entice people to get lost in a different world. I’ll be giving out 20 copies of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak in my town. It’s an an edition specially printed for this occasion.

I chose this book because it’s a story I truly loved. Narrated by Death, it’s a touching, moving story with vivid images. It was originally published as a young adult book, but I think everyone, ages 12 to 100 will be captivated by it.

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist – books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

The weather is not cooperating with my plans though. We have had such gorgeous days lately, I was planning on heading out to the local park to hand out books, but today it’s cold and rainy, so I’ll have to head somewhere else.

10 Comments

  • I’m not participating in World Book Night this time around but I’m excited to see so many people handing out books today! The Book Thief is a personal favorite. Good luck!

  • I’m giving out books for World Book Night too. My book is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Too bad your weather isn’t cooperating. We got lucky and have a sunny day here in Chicago.

  • Have not read the Book Thief but what I’ve read about it on blogs appeal to me. It’s on my wish TBR list! I’m giving away The Poisonwood Bible later today. Have fun with WBN!

  • I haven’t figured out where I’ll be going either. I asked my local grocery store if I could give out books there – they made me fill out a long form and never responded to my request which is rather disheartening.

  • I loved this book so much, I loved how a few parts of the book made me feel… because I can just imagine the little girls excitement and the awe over all those books!

    ‘Books everywhere! Each wall was armed with overcrowded yet immaculate shelving. It was barely possible to see the paintwork. There were all different styles and sizes of lettering on the spines of the black, the red, the gray, the every-colored books. It was one of the most beautiful things Liesel Meminger had ever seen. With wonder, she smiled. That such a room existed! Even when she tried to wipe the smile away with her forearm, she realized instantly that it was a pointless exercise…
    she ran the back of her hand along the first shelf, listening to the shuffle of her fingernails gliding across the spinal cord of each book…She used both hands. She raced them. One shelf against the other. And she laughed. Her voice was sprawled out, high in her throat, and when she eventually stopped and stood in the middle of the room, she spent many minutes looking from the shelves to her fingers and back again. How many books had she touched? …It felt like magic, like beauty. ~ The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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