The Book Thief

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME • A NEW YORK TIMES READER TOP 100 PICK FOR BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY • A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE CENTURY

The extraordinary, beloved novel about the ability of books to feed the soul even in the darkest of times.


When Death has a story to tell, you listen.

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who 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.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

“The kind of book that can be life-changing.” —The New York Times

“Deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.” —USA Today

DON’T MISS BRIDGE OF CLAY, MARKUS ZUSAK’S FIRST NOVEL SINCE THE BOOK THIEF.

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Published Sep 11, 2007

608 pages

Average rating: 8.56

1,411 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Book Thief* is a beautifully written, emotionally gripping story set in Nazi Germany that explores the power of words and humanity in...

Naldana
Mar 14, 2026
10/10 stars
Choosing death to be the narrator was a brilliant move. The characters were well thought out & took me through a rollercoaster of all the emotions. WWII, Hitler and the common German people brought a new revelation the history.
KikiStoneCreek
Jun 03, 2023
4/10 stars
I was quite bored with this book so it will be interesting to see how they made it into a movie.
Jennifer Sigling
Mar 11, 2026
10/10 stars
I loved reading this book and found myself slowing down as I was reaching the end because I didn't want the story to end. The story runs the full gambit of emotions and I'm glad the tissues were handy. I am going to recommend this book to all my friends and family. Not a book to be missed.
annabq1999
Jan 04, 2026
10/10 stars
This book was brilliant! It made me laugh and it sure did make my cry. Such a heartwarming and emotional story during a terrible period in the history of the world. I would recommend this book to anyone! I didn't start crying till the end of the book though!
Islandgirl649
Dec 11, 2025
10/10 stars
Absolutely beautiful and insightful. This was a fascinating read

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