thesis the book thief

Themes and Analysis

The book thief, by markus zusak.

‘The Book Thief’ is a historical novel based on the events of the Holocaust and Second World War and the suffering and death experienced by people.

Article written by Ugo Juliet

Former Lecturer. Author of multiple books. Degree from University Of Nigeria, Nsukka.

When analyzing The Book Thief , there are several themes one needs to look at. The majority are themes of the power of words, kindness, and cruelty of humans, reading and writing, the duality of the Nazi era, mortality, and love.

The Book Thief Themes

The power of words.

In The Book Thief , we see that words and, in extension, stories are among the most powerful ways people connect. So many examples show how the words connect people up throughout the story. Through learning the alphabet and how to use it to make words, Liesel and Hans Hubermann began developing their deep bond. Liesel’s descriptions of the weather to Max later in the novel also help establish a bond between them. 

In the book, the greatest gift Max gives Liesel is words in the form of the ‘The Word Shaker,’ the story he writes for her. In the story he wrote, he suggests that words are the most powerful force there is. He said that Adolf Hitler uses just words and not guns or money or some other instrument to take over the world.

The story shows how Liesel has used words to create a refuge for herself amid Nazism and later uses words to calm her neighbors during the air raids by reading from her book. Again, the power of words is seen in the book she left behind, giving her a connection to Death as we saw at the end of the story.

The Kindness and Cruelty of Humans

We see the various degrees of human cruelty and kindness in the novel, from the slight to the most extreme examples.

One of the small acts of kindness we see in the novel includes hiding and caring for Max by the Hubermanns even at great risk to themselves, Rudy giving the teddy bear to the dying pilot, Ilsa Hermann inviting Liesel into her library. Liesel is specially kind to Max, and the two share a strong bond. Because of the political context of the time, with hatred and violence against Jews being rampant, Max finds Liesel’s kindness to be extraordinary. On the contrary, we also see acts of cruelty, like the treatment of Rudy by Viktor Chemmel and Franz Deutscher. Again, the concentration camps linger unseen in the book’s background as the most extreme example of cruelty.

There was a scene that showed both kindness and cruelty at once. There, Hans Hubermann tries to help a weak Jew suffering hunger and deprivation, being marched through town on the way to Dachau. Hans reaches out to him and gives him a piece of bread, a small act of great kindness. Immediately though, one of the Nazi soldiers mercilessly whips Hans and the Jewish man, a great act of cruelty heightened by the fact that it comes in response to Hans’s kindness.

We can not analyze the themes in The Book Thief without talking of mortality as Death is the book’s narrator. The book shows us that mortality is very present in the lives of each character as Death introduces the book to the reader. All through the novel, the deaths of the main characters reaffirm the presence of mortality. Since The Book Thief story takes place during World War II, Death and genocide are almost omnipresent.

Death is presented in a less distant and threatening manner as he narrates and explains the reasons behind each character’s destruction. Again, Death expatiates how he feels that he must take each character’s life, so there is a sense of care instead of fear. At a point Death states, ‘even Death has a heart.’

Reading and Writing

We see language, writing, and reading presented as symbols of expression and freedom all through the novel. Reading and writing provide identity and personal liberation to those characters who have them and provide a framework for Liesel’s coming of age. At the start of the story, shortly after her brother’s funeral, Liesel finds a book in the snow, but she cannot read. Learning under her foster father Hans, she slowly learns to read and write. By the time the novel comes to an end, her character arc has been shaped by her progress in reading, writing and learning a language. 

Writing and reading skills also serve as social markers since wealthy citizens are literate, owning books and even their libraries. On the other hand, the poor and illiterate do not own books or libraries. Rosa Huberman’s harsh and, at times, scathing remarks towards her family and others are an example of the despairing lives of the poorer classes. In contrast, Liesel’s repeated rescues of books from Nazi bonfires show her reclaiming freedom and also refusal to accept being controlled by the all-pervasive state.

The Dualities of Nazi-era Germany

We notice that the characters often have two sides or faces starting from the time Rudy paints himself black in imitation of Jesse Owens.

Superficially, Rudy looks like an ideal Aryan, such that the Nazis try to recruit him into a special training center. However, deep inside him, he is similar to an African-American, which directly contradicts Nazi ideology. Max also does something similar when he travels from Stuttgart to Molching when he pretends to be a non-Jewish or gentile German, calmly reading MKPF, while on the inside, he is a terrified Jew who finds the book despicable. This clearly shows the theme of duality in the book.

The Hubermanns are part of the theme and started living double lives immediately after they started hiding Max.

To their neighbors and friends, they pretend to be law-abiding citizens to their friends and neighbors; they harbor their dangerous secret inside. Hans teaches Liesel about this double face after he slaps her for saying she hates Hitler in public. He told her that she can hate inside the house but once they are outside, she must behave in a certain way. In fact, duality is a theme of life in general for Liesel and Rudy as they both spend a lot of time engaged in typical teenage activities like playing soccer in the street. However, these moments are broken up with events like the parade of Jews through town or the bombings that threaten and ultimately destroy Himmel Street. 

In spite of the fact that war, Death, and loss caused a lot of damage to Liesel and the others, love is seen as an agent of change and freedom. This is because love is the only way of forming a family where real freedom exists. Liesel got the best of her traumas by learning to love and be loved by her foster family and her friends. At the start of the novel, Liesel is traumatized by the Death of her brother and her separation from her only family and the larger issues of war-torn Germany and the destruction wrought by the Nazi party. 

Liesel’s relationship with her foster father Hans helps create healing and growth reflected in the relational dynamic between the Hubermann family and Max. The Hubermanns’ association with Max defies the Nazi regime in a society governed by policies that presume to judge who is really human. Furthermore, the love that Max and Liesel develop through their friendship creates a strong contrast to the fascist hate in the story’s backdrop.

Analysis of Key Moments in Animal Farm

• When Liesel’s brother died. This event marked the start of the story, which led her to foster parents. It also started Liesel’s stealing of books when she picks up The Grave Digger’s Handbook at the site of her brother’s burial.
• Arrival on Himmel. This event sets the stage for the rest of the book as it marks Liesel coming to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann after the loss of her family.
• Early school failure. Liesel didn’t succeed in school when she tried earlier and she became determined to learn how to read.
• Book burning day. The event of burning books on Hitler’s birthday helped Hans discover that Liesel is stealing books. 
• Arrival of Max Vandenburg on Himmel Street. This event changes the Hubermann’s lives when Max arrives on their doorstep in 1940. Hiding him put their lives in immense danger.
• Max writing The Standover Man for Liesel. This event helped to bring Max and Liesel together and they not only read words but also share them.
• Giving bread to the Jew. The event of Han giving bread to a weak Jew is significant because it leads to Max’s departure and Hans being sent away to fight in the war.
• Rudy idolizing a black man despite his perfect Aryan features. Rudy used the Jesse Owens event to exemplify the views of the main characters of the book.
• The Nazi recruiting Rudy. The Nazis noticed Rudy’s physical and mental capacities and therefore recruited him to go to school to become the perfect German. His parents refuse, and Alex Steiner is sent to war.
• Bombing of Himmel Story. This is a major event in the book where Liesel’s street is bombed and she lost most of her friends and family.
• Death of Liesel. This marked the final major event in the book when death came to her soul. 

Style, Tone, and Figurative Language

The style and language of The Book Thief is simple because it was primarily meant for young adults. He used a lot of foreshadowing to give the reader a sense of what is coming up in the story.

In the book, the narrator of the story, Death, uses foreshadowing in many different events to keep the reader focused on how the characters meet their ends. In Death’s side notes, foreshadowing is constantly scattered throughout the book in boldface text. A good example is when Death alludes to the death of Rudy, who is Liesel’s best friend. …He didn’t deserve to die the way he did.” 

The tone of The Book Thief is serious most of the time and mocking or hopeful the rest of the times. When you have death talking about humans in the time of war, the tone will be serious and somber. Death spends a lot of time mocking, or making fun of, humans. For instance, when Death talks about humans and destruction in the quote above, he is making fun of how people like to see things get destroyed.

In the book, we see so many figurative languages used in The Book Thief . These are vivid and stimulating word choices that author’s use to add color and meaning to their work. In the book we have many of the likes of simile, metaphor, contrast, hyperbole, personification, etc. Even the narrator, death, is personified. Here are examples of other figurative languages used in the book. 

She would wake up swimming in her bed, screaming, and drowning in the flood of sheets.

This quote from The Book Thief shows metaphor as the figurative language when death was describing the nightmare Liesel was having.

She did have it easy compared to Max Vandenberg. Certainly, her brother practically died in her arms. Her mother abandoned her. But anything was better than being a Jew.

Here, the figurative language is contrast as death is trying to tell the readers that any hardship is better than being a jew.

Within seconds, snow was carved into her skin.

The figurative language used is hyperbole. Sure, snow was all over her body but it was extreme exaggeration to say it carved into her skin.

Analysis of Symbols

The Book Thief uses symbols extensively because it is not just a story about a little girl. It is an important historical novel that delved into the suffering of people who lived in Germany during World War II. The story has a lot of lessons especially in mortality, kindness and love and the symbols embody all these.

Giving bread anywhere is a sign of care and comfort. Once you give bread to somebody, you have shown absolute compassion for that person. You have also comforted the person and probably solved his hunger issues. It is a symbol of empathy in the story and it was clearly demonstrated by Max when he offered bread to the weak Jew as they were marching to the gas chamber.

The accordion in the novel was inherited by Hans Hubermann from Max’s father during World War I and it became part of Han’s identity. He played regularly to those around him to give them comfort. He plays it during trying times to give comfort and care to those who hear it. Example is when Liesel realises that her mother is not coming back again and when she first came to their house.

Books were a source of comfort to Liesel and later Max. It is another major symbol in The Book Thief and it was the source of Liesel’s transformation from a weak girl to an empowered young woman. She developed a great relationship over books when she learned how to read and write and thus got the power she needed from the books. This power helped her to develop a strong character, mature emotionally and became kinder and more understanding to those around her.

What is the main theme of The Book Thief ?

The Book Thief has many themes and they include love and kindness as expressed by Liesel and her foster family; literacy and power, as seen when Liesel learns to read and explore the world of words, cruelty and suffering as experienced by the Jews in the hands of the Nazis.

What is an example of a theme?

In most literature work, we have themes that the author uses to pass his message across. Some of the common themes that run through them are love, mortality, war, peace, revenge, grace, betrayal, fatherhood, patriotism, life, isolation, cruelty, motherhood, forgiveness, treachery, wartime loss, rich versus poor, and appearance versus reality.

Is survival a theme in The Book Thief ?

There are many themes in The Book Thief like love, mortality, kindness, etc. One of the themes you will find in the book is the theme of survival. Most of the major characters in the book namely Liesel, Max, Rudy, the Hubermanns, passed through many awful ordeals but they still survived. 

How do you identify a theme?

A theme is the idea the writer wishes to convey about an event, subject, or person. It is from the theme that you learn about the author’s view of the world. To identify the theme, you have to be sure that you have first identified the plot of the story, the way the story characterization, and the primary conflict in the story.

What are the steps in analyzing a theme?

Generally, here are the ways in which you can begin to analyze the theme of any literature you read. First, you look for recurring images in the story or poem, then ask questions about the author’s message. Through your answers, you’ll be able to identify the different tools the author uses to express the theme

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About Ugo Juliet

Juliet Ugo is an experienced content writer and a literature expert with a passion for the written word with over a decade of experience. She is particularly interested in analyzing books, and her insightful interpretations of various genres have made her a well-known authority in the field.

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A Comprehensive Guide to Analysing ‘The Book Thief’: Summary, Context, Themes & Characters

Has ‘The Book Thief’ got you stealing ideas and quotes from your friends’ essays? Fret not! We have a summary of The Book Thief with its key themes, characters and more to help you with your analysis.

We’ve also included a TEE table and a sample paragraph that you can download so you have a better understanding of how to analyse an excerpt from the text.

Let’s get started on crafting an analysis of The Book Thief!

The Book Thief Summary Key Characters in The Book Thief Context Symbols in The Book Thief Themes Explored in The Book Thief Analysis of The Book Thief

Summary of The Book Thief

The Book Thief is a historical fiction written by Australian author, Markus Zusak and set during the height of WWII from 1939-1945 . Narrated by Death, the novel follows the story of nine year old Liesel Meminger.

We are introduced to our protagonist on a train when her brother suddenly dies . Liesel and her mother bury the body where Liesel steals a book from the gravediggers. 

Liesel and her mother continue travelling to Molching where she will be raised by foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann . Liesel had never learned how to read and when she is sent to school, she is made fun of.

Hans realises and teaches her how to read from The Grave Digger’s Handbook , the book she stole from her brother’s burial.

As Liesel grows closer to Hans and Rosa, she also begins to help Rosa collect the laundry from various neighbours — one of them being the mayor’s home. One day, the mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hermann invites Liesel into the study where she admires the bookshelves. Noticing her keen interest in the books, Ilsa allows Liesel to read there. 

Access The Book Thief Downloadable Sample Paragraph and Examples of Analysis

Liesel Growing Up

However, the Nazis become increasingly prominent in Molching with Jewish stores destroyed and the children being required to join the Band of German Girls and Hitler Youth. During this time, Liesel matures and begins to realise the horrors of Nazi Germany and the Hubermanns also hide Max Vanderburg, a Jew. 

Image sourced from Wikimedia Commons

While initially scared of Max, Liesel soon forms a close friendship with him . She tells him about her day and brings him presents.

Max, too, enjoys telling stories and frequently tells Liesel the stories he knows. For her birthday, he writes a book for Liesel which details his life , which includes her and the Hubermanns too. 

As the war continues, food rationing and money becomes scarce. Thus Rosa loses her laundry jobs, including Ilsa’s.

One night, Liesel sneaks in through a window and takes a book from Ilsa Hermann’s library, becoming a book thief. After stealing several books from them, Liesel finds a Dictionary and Thesaurus left by the window where Ilsa tells Liesel she is aware of her stealing books, and encourages her to come in through the front door. 

The Air Raids Begin

Eventually, the air raids begin and Nazi soldiers inspect the Hermann’s basement but conclude it is not deep enough for a bomb shelter. Instead, they have to take shelter at a neighbour’s house and leave Max in their basement by himself.

During one of the air raids, Liesel reads from a book and everyone gathers around her and begins to calm down. It is here that Liesel develops an appreciation and understanding for the power of words and stories. 

As the war continues, Liesel begins to see Jewish prisoners being paraded through their town on the way to the concentration camps. Max is no longer safe in the basement of their home and has to flee again. A few days later, Hans and Rudy’s father are drafted into the German army.

One day, Ilsa gives Liesel a blank notebook so she may write her own story. While she is writing in her basement, her neighbourhood is bombed and Hans, Rosa and Rudy are killed .

Liesel finds Rudy’s body and gives him the kiss he always wished for and when she is rescued, Liesel leaves behind her book called ‘The Book Thief ’. Death keeps the book.

The novel ends with Liesel living with Ilsa and the mayor and when the war ends, she meets Max again . Liesel lives to old age, and when Death comes to collect her soul, he returns the book which she wrote. 

Key Characters in The Book Thief

Death Death is the narrator of the book and we see many events through his viewpoint as well. Death is an inevitable part of life and he seems to witness many of the saddest yet heartwarming moments of humanity, but also the cruelty and ugliness in us. Rather than portraying Death as a figure to be feared and dreaded, Zusak also humanises Death portraying him as a character with empathy. 

Liesel Meminger Liesel is 9 years old when we first meet her and we follow her as she grows up in the midst of WWII. We watch her gradually mature and realise the realities of the world she is growing up within. While Liesel is unable to read when we first meet her, she has always seemed to have a desire to read and develops an appreciation and awareness of the power of words for both kindness and cruelty. 

Hans Hubermann Hans is Liesel’s foster father and was a former soldier during WWI. He is warm-hearted and plays the accordion, which Liesel associates with safety and comfort. He teaches her how to read and is a highly empathetic man, sheltering Max during the War and attempting to help one of the Jewish prisoners in a parade that passes through Molching. 

Rosa Hubermann Rosa is Liesel’s foster mother and appears to be a strict and impatient lady at first. However, she is a loving wife and mother — while not as affectionate as Hans, it is clear that she cares about Liesel through the way she nags.  

Max Vanderburg Max is a Jewish man who hides from the Nazis in the Hubermann’s basement. During his time here, he befriends Liesel, bonding over similar struggles they have both experienced but also a shared love for words and stories. Max writes a book about his life and includes Liesel and the Hubermanns in it, presenting it to her as a present. 

Ilsa Hermann Ilsa is the Mayor’s wife and one of Rosa’s laundry customers. Liesel meets her while collecting and delivering the laundry, and one day Ilsa invites her into the study which is filled with books. Noticing Liesel’s amazement, Ilsa allows her to read in the library with her and helps to cultivate her love of reading. Later on, Ilsa presents Liesel with a book for her to write her own story in. 

The Book Thief is set in Molching, a small town near Munich during Nazi Germany . The majority of the book’s events take place between 1939-1945, during WWII.

By this time, Hitler has well established the Nuremberg Laws, which removed the rights of many Jewish people . In 1939, the Nazi regime was becoming increasingly hostile and concentration camps were set up in Germany. 

During the years of the war, many German men lost their lives on the Eastern Front. For those who were allowed to stay at home, like older men, women and young children, air raids, food supply and finance were often precarious during the war.

Many fictional books written about the events of WWII are often told in the point of view of Holocaust victims, retelling the horrors that occurred in Nazi Germany. Markus Zusak chooses to explore the German perspective and their experience of this period in history to demonstrate what life was like for those who disagreed with the Nazis but found themselves having to comply in order to keep themselves and their family safe. 

Image sourced from Flickr

If your school is studying The Book Thief in relation to the context of Nazi Germany in WWII, it is important that you know the events of the war really well (don’t be afraid of flipping through your notes of history!).

As a rule of thumb, it is best to introduce the historical context within your thesis statement and ensure that each paragraph contains at least one ‘Explanation’ that clearly links back to the events of WWII or how it has impacted the lives of the character. 

Symbols in The Book Thief

Books Books represent knowledge, power, and the potency of words . Liesel’s journey begins with the stolen “The Grave Digger’s Handbook,” symbolizing her entry into the world of literature. Throughout the story, books offer solace, education, and connections. They embody the potential for both positive and negative influence, showcasing the impact of words on individuals and society. In a time of turmoil, books become tools of resistance, signifying defiance against ignorance and oppression. They provide hope and escapism, offering a sense of normalcy and humanity amidst chaos. Hans teaching Liesel to read and write secretly in their basement epitomises this resistance and the significance of knowledge in challenging authority.

Death Death serves as the narrator, offering a unique perspective that combines insight with detachment. Its presence throughout the story underscores the inevitability of mortality and the universal experience of loss during wartime. Despite its role as the harbinger of the end, Death’s observations often convey empathy, emphasising the resilience and beauty found within individuals even amid tragedy. Death symbolises transition, guiding souls from life to afterlife. Its narration allows the exploration of themes surrounding mortality, loss, and the fragility of life, providing a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Themes Explored in The Book Thief

Mortality  .

Narrated by Death and set during WWII, the theme of mortality is pertinent throughout the whole novel. All the characters in the book have encountered death closely, including Liesel herself where her younger brother dies at the beginning of the book.

Death is not a stranger and the characters are vividly aware of their own mortality, as well as the increasing number of lives that have been lost during the war. 

Power of Reading and Writing

Throughout the novel, the power of stories is evident through the recurring motifs of books and writing as symbols of personal agency and expression. Various characters throughout the book read, write or share stories with each other, allowing them to connect with each other or to control their own narratives even when all hope seems lost. 

The power of words is portrayed in a paradoxical manner throughout the book. Liesel, and many of the people around her, use words to bring comfort and build relationships with each other.

A particularly powerful moment is during one of the air raids when Liesel reads a book out loud and everyone gathers around her to listen during this terrifying moment. However, this is contrasted by Hitler who used words to incite violence during WWII.

The power of words is further reinforced during the novel through book burnings and how various characters throughout the novel encourage Liesel to read, and write her own story. 

Paradox of Humanity

The Book Thief explores the paradox of humanity, examining our inherent kindness alongside our immense capacity for cruelty. Throughout the novel, there are small acts of kindness among the residents of Molching.

From Hans patiently teaching Liesel how to read, the Hubermanns hiding Max, Liesel bringing snow into the basement so she can build a snowman with Max or Ilsa gifting her a dictionary instead of getting angry for stealing books — there are small acts of kindness that occur throughout the novel in contrast to the vast cruelty that is occurring in Nazi Germany. 

Writing about the Themes

The text contains many contrasting themes and elements for you to explore, from the power of words, mortality and the paradoxes of human nature. When writing in relation to a theme, make sure that your thesis and point sentences relate to the theme clearly, this will make it easier for you to choose your quotes and will help to guide your analysis.

You could include your personal observations for essays that are centred on a theme too, as long as you remember to back these up through the TEE format. This will give your essay a unique perspective and your English teacher will be sure to appreciate it too!

Need to know how to write a feature article for English on ‘The Book Thief’? Look no further than our amazing article!

How to Analyse The Book Thief in 3 Steps

Step 1: choose your example.

When picking an example ensure that you are able to identify a technique in the text.

For this example, I have chosen to analyse the following quote which states: 

“I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their skills are their capacity to escalate.”

Step 2: Identify your technique(s)

Ensure that the technique you choose for your quote supports your analysis or helps you to build your argument.

In the above quote we can find tricolon, listing and Death’s colloquial yet darkly humorous tone. Set against the context of WWII, foreshadowing may also be used depending on how you choose to analyse the quote!  

Step 3: Write the analysis

When writing the analysis, focus on the effect of the technique and how it supports your argument. 

For this quote, let’s analyse it in relation to humanity’s paradox — our great capacity for kindness and cruelty. 

Death’s ironic tone in the quote “I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate” highlights capacity’s paradoxical nature and our capacity for both cruelty and kindness through the use of tricolon. Furthermore, Death foreshadows the inevitable violence that will occur during WWII, demonstrating how harmless acts like destroying “sandcastles” can “escalate” into extreme cruelty if humanity does not remain vigilant about their behaviour. 

Need some help analysing other texts?

Check out other texts we’ve created guides for below:

• All the Light We Cannot See
• Lord of the Flies
• King Richard III
• In Cold Blood
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Pride and Prejudice
• Rainbow’s End
• Jasper Jones
• Things Fall Apart
• Mrs Dalloway

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Tiffany Fong is currently completing a double degree in Media and Communications with Law at Macquarie University. She currently contributes to the university zine, Grapeshot where she enjoys writing feature articles, commentary on current affairs or whatever weird interest that has taken over her mind during that month. During her spare time, Tiffany enjoys reading, writing, taking care of her plants or cuddling with her two dogs. 

• Topics: ✏️ English , ✍️ Learn

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• The Book Thief

Markus Zusak

• Literature Notes
• Book Summary
• Character List and Analysis
• Liesel Meminger
• Hans Hubermann
• Rosa Hubermann
• Rudy Steiner
• Max Vandenburg
• Ilsa Hermann
• Minor Characters
• Summary and Analysis
• Prologue: A Mountain Range of Rubble
• Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: Arrival on Himmel Street
• Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: Growing Up a Saumensch
• Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Woman with the Iron Fist
• Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Kiss (A Childhood Decision Maker)
• Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Jesse Owens Incident
• Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Other Side of Sandpaper
• Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Smell of Friendship
• Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Heavyweight Champion of the School-Yard
• Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: A Girl Made of Darkness
• Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: The Joy of Cigarettes
• Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: The Town Walker
• Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: Dead Letters
• Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: Hitler's Birthday, 1940
• Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: 100 Percent Pure German Sweat
• Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: The Gates of Thievery
• Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: Book of Fire
• Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Way Home
• Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Mayor's Library
• Part 3: Mein Kampf: Enter the Struggler
• Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Attributes of Summer
• Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Aryan Shopkeeper
• Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Struggler, Continued
• Part 3: Mein Kampf: Tricksters
• Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Struggler, Concluded
• Part 4: The Standover Man: The Accordionist (The Secret Life of Hans Hubermann)
• Part 4: The Standover Man: A Good Girl
• Part 4: The Standover Man: A Short History of the Jewish Fist Fighter
• Part 4: The Standover Man: The Wrath of Rosa
• Part 4: The Standover Man: Liesel's Lecture
• Part 4: The Standover Man: The Sleeper
• Part 4: The Standover Man: The Swapping of Nightmares
• Part 4: The Standover Man: Pages from the Basement
• Part 5: The Whistler: The Floating Book (Part I)
• Part 5: The Whistler: The Gamblers (A Seven-Sided Die)
• Part 5: The Whistler: Rudy's Youth
• Part 5: The Whistler: The Losers
• Part 5: The Whistler: Sketches
• Part 5: The Whistler: The Whistler and the Shoes
• Part 5: The Whistler: Three Acts of Stupidity by Rudy Steiner
• Part 5: The Whistler: The Floating Book (Part II)
• Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Death's Diary: 1942
• Part 6: The Dream Carrier: The Snowman
• Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Thirteen Presents
• Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Fresh Air, an Old Nightmare, and What to Do with a Jewish Corpse
• Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Death's Diary: Cologne
• Part 6: The Dream Carrier: The Visitor
• Part 6: The Dream Carrier: The Schmunzeler
• Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Death's Diary: The Parisians
• Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: Champagne and Accordions
• Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Trilogy
• Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Sound of Sirens
• Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Sky Stealer
• Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: Frau Holtzapfel's Offer
• Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Long Walk to Dachau
• Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: Peace
• Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Idiot and the Coat Men
• Part 8: The Word Shaker: Dominoes and Darkness
• Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Thought of Rudy Naked
• Part 8: The Word Shaker: Punishment
• Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Promise Keeper's Wife
• Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Collector
• Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Bread Eaters
• Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Hidden Sketchbook
• Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Anarchist's Suit Collection
• Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Next Temptation
• Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Cardplayer
• Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Snows of Stalingrad
• Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Ageless Brother
• Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Accident
• Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Bitter Taste of Questions
• Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: One Toolbox, One Bleeder, One Bear
• Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: Homecoming
• Part 10: The Book Thief: The End of the World (Part I)
• Part 10: The Book Thief: The Ninety-Eighth Day
• Part 10: The Book Thief: The War Maker
• Part 10: The Book Thief: Way of the Words
• Part 10: The Book Thief: Confessions
• Part 10: The Book Thief: Ilsa Hermann's Little Black Book
• Part 10: The Book Thief: The Rib-Cage Planes
• Part 10: The Book Thief: The End of the World (Part II)
• Epilogue: The Last Color: Death and Liesel
• Epilogue: The Last Color: Wood in the Afternoon
• Epilogue: The Last Color: Max
• Epilogue: The Last Color: The Handover Man
• Character Map
• Cite this Literature Note

The majority of the novel takes place in the fictional town of Molching, Germany, near Munich, between 1939 and 1943. Death narrates the story of Liesel Meminger, beginning when she is nine years old and suffering from the death of her brother and separation from her mother. Liesel goes to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann at 33 Himmel Street in Molching. When Liesel arrives, she can't read and is made fun of in school. She realizes how powerless she is without words, and so Hans, a painter and accordion player, teaches her how to read during midnight lessons in the basement, reading from the book Liesel took from her brother's burial:  The Grave Digger's Handbook . During Liesel's early days with the Hubermanns, she has nightmares and Hans sits with her through the night. With his gentle demeanor and his accordion playing, Hans gains Liesel's trust as she grows close to him and comes to associate his presence with safety. She becomes very good friends with Rudy Steiner, the Hubermanns' neighbor. Rudy is constantly trying to get Liesel to kiss him, but she always refuses.

For a while, Himmel Street is a happy place for Liesel. She helps Rosa collect the washing from different wealthy inhabitants of Molching. One house, in particular, catches her attention: 8 Grande Strasse, the home of the mayor and his wife, Ilsa Hermann.

The Nazi Party's presence becomes increasingly apparent in Molching. In addition to the destruction of Jewish shops and yellow stars that have already been painted on door fronts and windows, Liesel and Rudy are required to join the Band of German Girls and Hitler Youth, respectively. To celebrate the Führer 's birthday, the people of Molching gather for a bonfire during which they burn enemy propaganda, including books. Liesel sees one book that survives the fire and hides it under her shirt. She's beginning to realize that Hitler is responsible for her brother's death and her mother's absence, and she hates him for it. Ilsa Hermann sees Liesel take the book and decides to share her own love of books with Liesel by inviting her into her library. To Liesel, the library is the most beautiful sight she's ever seen.

Meanwhile, Max Vandenburg, a Jew, is hiding in a storage closet in Stuttgart and receiving help from his friend Walter Kugler. Walter has been in touch with Hans and asks if Hans is willing to keep the promise he made to Max's mother after World War I. It was Erik Vandenburg, Max's father, who saved Hans's life during World War I and taught Hans to play the accordion. Hans promised Frau Vandenburg that if she ever needed something, she could contact him. Hans agrees to hide Max in his basement and sends the key to his house inside the front cover of Mein Kampf , a book written by Hitler. In an ironic twist, it is this book that holds the key to Max's life.

After Max arrives at 33 Himmel Street, Liesel is curious about the man in her basement but also somewhat afraid of him. She begins to realize that they have much in common. They both have nightmares, they both are fist-fighters, and they both have lost their families. They also share the same view of Hans Hubermann, namely that he and his accordion are sources of safety. Liesel does the best she can to bring the outside world to Max, describing the weather to him, bringing him snow, and delivering presents to the foot of his bed when he falls ill. She continues to play with Rudy and go to school, all while keeping Max a secret and listening to his stories about his past at night. Max, too, loves stories and shares these with Liesel.

Max also understands the power of words. For Liesel's birthday, he paints over the pages of Mein Kampf and makes a book for Liesel called The Standover Man . It is the story of his life, how he had to leave his family, about his journey to the Hubermanns, and about Liesel, who has become his friend and watches over him. In addition to his nightmares, Max also starts having daydreams about boxing the Führer , but Hitler always uses his words to incite the crowd and turn the people against Max.

Because most of the people on Himmel Street are struggling for money, Rosa Hubermann loses her washing jobs, including the one for Ilsa Hermann. Meanwhile, Liesel and Rudy join a gang of youths who steal apples and potatoes from farmers. One night, Liesel takes Rudy to the mayor's house and earns her title of book thief when she sneaks in through the window and takes The Whistler from Ilsa Hermann's library.

The summer of 1942 is primarily a happy time for Liesel. She spends it mostly with Hans as he blackens the windows for homes and shops in Molching in preparation for air raids. He tells her stories and plays his accordion, and at one home they even share a glass of champagne with the residents. Rudy continues training for the Hitler Youth carnival where he hopes to win four gold medals like Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics. He wins three, but he gets disqualified from the fourth race, which, he says, he does on purpose.

On another late-night visit to Ilsa Hermann's house, Liesel and Rudy take the Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus , which appears to have been placed by the window as a gift. Liesel finds a letter inside from Frau Hermann, saying that Liesel is welcome to come in the front door, too.

Shortly after these somewhat lighthearted days, the air raids begin. Liesel and her family, along with Rudy and his family, take shelter in the Fiedlers' basement because they've been told their basement is not deep enough to protect them from the bombings. They must leave Max behind. On one occasion in the Fiedlers' basement, Liesel begins to read from The Whistler . Everyone gathers around her and the words calm them as they calm Liesel. Those in the basement stay even after the all-clear signal has been given to hear the end of the chapter. Liesel realizes that books are her accordion.

Parades of Jews come through Molching on their way to Dachau. Liesel sees their suffering, and Hans tries to help one of them. Because of Hans's actions, they must send Max away because Hans is afraid the Gestapo will come to search their house. The Gestapo never comes for him, though; instead, they come for Rudy to offer him a place in a special school. The Steiners refuse. Eventually, both Hans and Alex Steiner are punished for their actions. Hans is sent to serve with the LSE, an air raid unit, in Stuttgart, and Alex goes to Vienna, Austria, to serve at an army hospital. Himmel Street becomes a very forlorn place.

Rosa gives Liesel a book called The Word Shaker , which Max made for her. It contains many of Max's stories, thoughts, and sketches. The fable about the word shaker catches Liesel's attention. In it, Max describes a girl who is able to use words like some of Hitler's most skilled word shakers, but she uses her words to help her friend and remove small bits of hate from a forest dominated by cruelty. Her words are for good, not for evil.

Meanwhile, Hans Hubermann avoids a fatal accident while on an LSE truck. Reinhold Zucker, who holds a grudge against Hans because of a card game loss, takes Hans's usual seat on the truck and dies in the accident. Hans gets a broken leg and is sent home.

In 1943, the Jews continue to march through Molching, and Liesel always looks for Max. One day, she sees him and runs to him, but a Nazi soldier tosses her from the parade. She gets up and enters the parade again, reciting words from The Word Shaker . She is whipped, and Rudy has to hold her down to keep her from going back for more punishment. Afterward, Liesel finally tells Rudy about Max Vandenburg.

Liesel returns to Frau Hermann's library and becomes angry with the words, how they can fill her up, but can also bring so much hate to so many people. She tears the pages from a book and then writes a note to Frau Hermann to apologize and say that she won't come back. Three days later, Ilsa Hermann shows up at Liesel's front door and gives her a black journal so that she can write the words of her own story.

Then, in October 1943, bombs fall on Himmel Street while everyone sleeps. Liesel, though, sits in the basement writing her story in her journal. She survives. When she emerges from the basement, she finds the bodies of those she loves — her Mama and Papa, as well as Rudy, whom she kisses on the lips. She is taken away by air raid officers, and it is at this moment that Death finds and takes her book, The Book Thief . This is how he knows her story.

Ilsa Hermann and the mayor collect Liesel from the police station and take her home with them. Alex Steiner is relieved of duty after he hears about the bombings and finds Liesel. She tells him about Rudy, about kissing him. They spend a lot of time together, going for walks and hiking to Dachau after its liberation. She spends a lot of time with Alex in his shop, and one day, in 1945, Max Vandenburg shows up. They have a reunion mixed with much happiness and great sadness.

Death ends the story by telling us about Liesel Meminger's death, how she lived a long life in Sydney with her husband, three children, and many grandchildren. When Death goes to collect her, he sets her down so they can walk together for a while. He shows her The Book Thief and wants to ask her so many questions about humans. He cannot understand them, how they can contain so much lightness and darkness. He doesn't ask these things, though. All he can tell her is that humans haunt him.

Next Liesel Meminger

The Book Thief

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — The Book Thief

Essays on The Book Thief

Prompt examples for "the book thief" essays, the power of words and literature.

Discuss the significance of words, books, and literature in "The Book Thief." How does Liesel's love for books and Max's writing influence their lives, and what do these elements symbolize in the novel?

Narration by Death

Analyze the unique narrative perspective in the novel, which is narrated by Death. How does Death's perspective provide insight into the human experience during wartime, and what effect does it have on the reader's understanding of the story?

Character Development

Examine the growth and development of characters like Liesel, Hans, Rosa, and Max throughout the novel. How do their experiences and relationships shape their personalities and perspectives?

Survival and Resistance

Discuss the themes of survival and resistance in "The Book Thief." How do characters resist oppression and maintain their humanity during the harsh conditions of Nazi Germany, and what strategies do they employ to survive?

The Impact of War on Innocence

Explore how the novel portrays the loss of innocence in the face of war. How do Liesel, Rudy, and other child characters grapple with the harsh realities of war, and how does their understanding of the world change?

Symbolism of Colors

Analyze the symbolism of colors in the novel, particularly the use of the colors red, white, and black. How do these colors represent different aspects of the characters' experiences and emotions?

The Book Thief Analysis

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The Book Thief: an Analysis of Love and Loss

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A Look at The Emotional Journey of Liesel as Shown in "The Book Thief"

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Analysis of The Key Scene Depicting Violence in "The Book Thief"

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2005, Markus Zusak

Historical Fiction

Narrated by Death, the story follows Liesel Meminger, a young girl living with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, in Nazi Germany during World War II. Liesel settles down into her new home and during her time there, she is exposed to the horrors of the war and politics. Hans, who has developed a close relationship with Liesel, teaches her to read during this time. Recognizing the power of writing and sharing the written word, Liesel not only begins to steal books that the politicians are seeking to destroy, but also writes her own story.

A theme that stands out from the beginning is literacy and power. While language initially is a struggle for the main character, Liesel, it becomes one that empowers her and allows her to quietly rebel against Hitler's regime. Other major themes include kindness, and cruelty of humans, reading and writing, the duality of the Nazi era, mortality, and love.

The Book Thief features innovative stylistic techniques. The most obvious innovation is narrator Death's use of boldface text to relay certain information. The mood of "The Book Thief" is defiantly a somber time, and fear is in the air in Nazi Germany.

Liesel Meminger, Death, Hans Hubermann (Papa), Rosa Hubermann (Mama), Rudy Steiner, Max Vandenburg, Ilsa Hermann, Werner Meminger, Paula Meminger (Liesel's Mother), Hans Jr (Hans' and Rosa's son)

Published in 2005, The Book Thief became an international bestseller and was translated into 63 languages and sold 16 million copies. It was adapted into the 2013 feature film, The Book Thief. The novel has also win several awards, such as Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book, Michael L. Printz Honor Book, Best Books for Young Adults (American Library Association).

“The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you.” “I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” “Even death has a heart.” “Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day.”

1. Buráková, Z. (2019). Whose trauma is it? A trauma-theoretical reading of The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. Holocaust Studies, 25(1-2), 59-73. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17504902.2018.1472874) 2. Koprince, S. (2011). Words from the basement: Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. Notes on Contemporary Literature, 41(1). (https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA255494819&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00294047&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E7cb76d72) 3. Yarova, A. (2016). Haunted by humans: Inverting the reality of the holocaust in Markus Zusak's' The book thief'. Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature, 24(1), 54-81. (https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/ielapa.033178079846317) 4. Brady, B. K. (2013). Beyond the basics with Bakhtin: a dialogical look at Markus Zusak's The Book Thief (Doctoral dissertation, Rutgers University-Camden Graduate School). (https://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/40257/) 5. Gipson, E. M. (2017). A Close Encounter with Death: Narration in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Southern Mississippi). (https://www.proquest.com/openview/eba2b3153629faedca16050fdb2c21ff/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750) 6. Adams, J., & Adams, J. (2011). ‘Into Eternity’s Certain Breadth’: Ambivalent Escape in Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. Magic Realism in Holocaust Literature: Troping the Traumatic Real, 144-172. (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230307353_6) 7. Stevenson, D. (2006). The Book Thief. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 59(9), 389-390. (https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/197387/summary) 8. Lee, G. (2015). Literacy in The Book Thief: Complicated Matters of People, Witnessing, Death (Doctoral dissertation). (https://whitelibrary.dspacedirect.org/handle/11210/49)

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30+ of the best quotes from "The Book Thief"

In Markus Zusak's haunting novel, an orphan girl discovers the power of courage, empathy, and words amid Nazi Germany’s horrors. Read 30+ quotes about humanity, grief, and love from "The Book Thief."

Set in the small town of Molching, Germany, during World War II, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is the coming-of-age story of Liesel Meminger, an orphan girl who recently lost her only brother. Death is the novel’s omniscient narrator, which provides an unusual perspective on Hitler’s actions and the Holocaust. Liesel is sent to live with foster parents, the kind Hans Hubermann and his stern wife, Rosa. Seeking comfort from grief and the turmoil and brutalities around her, she turns to stealing books–even though (at first) she can’t read them. She shares her books and other treasures with Rudy Steiner, the young neighbor and classmate who later becomes her best friend, and Max Vandenburg, the Jewish man whom Hans offers to hide in their basement. Along with mortality, the novel explores the human capacity for both exceptional kindness and staggering cruelty.

Affirming the power of reading to foster empathy and understanding, The Book Thief remains profoundly relevant. Below are 30+ insightful quotes from the novel.

The best quotes from The Book Thief on pain and love

"A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship."

"The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you."

“Somewhere, far down, there was an itch in his heart, but he made it a point not to scratch it. He was afraid of what might come leaking out.”

"If only she could be so oblivious again, to feel such love without knowing it, mistaking it for laughter."

The best quotes from The Book Thief on suffering and resilience

"Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day."

"Usually we walk around constantly believing ourselves. 'I'm okay' we say. 'I'm alright'. But sometimes the truth arrives on you and you can't get it off."

"Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness."

“Together, they would watch everything that was so carefully planned collapse, and they would smile at the beauty of destruction.”

“It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on.”

"So much good, so much evil. Just add water."

"He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It's his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry."

"She took a step and didn't want to take any more, but she did."

"Often I wish this would all be over, Liesel, but then somehow you do something like walk down the basement steps with a snowman in your hands."

"I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know?”

The best quotes from The Book Thief on books and the influence of words

“As always, one of her books was next to her."

"I want words at my funeral. But I guess that means you need life in your life."

"You can't eat books, sweetheart."

"I like that every page in every book can have a gem on it."

"I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right."

"She was the book thief without the words."

The best quotes from The Book Thief on human nature and mortality–from the perspective of Death

"I've seen so many young men over the years who think they're running at other young men. They are not. They are running at me." 

"I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it." 

"I'm always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both."

"I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that's where they begin. Their great skill is their capacity to escalate."

"A human doesn't have a heart like mine. The human heart is a line, whereas my own is a circle, and I have the endless ability to be in the right place at the right time."

"One opportunity leads directly to another, just as risk leads to more risk, life to more life, and death to more death."

"If they killed him tonight, at least he would die alive."

"Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die."

"It kills me sometimes, how people die."

"Even death has a heart."

The Book Thief

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Tracking the brazen Dallas thief who was never caught - despite stealing $6 million in jewels

In 1970, Rena Pederson drove straight from grad school to Dallas to work the lowly night shift for the United Press International news service. This was long before she became an editor for The Dallas Morning News.

One night in that unglamorous UPI office, Pederson picked up a dispatch from a teletype machine. The teletypes chugged out reports 24/7, and this one concerned a break-in. A jewel thief had robbed a house in Highland Park. What caught Peterson's attention was that the police believed it was the same person they'd been chasing for years. And had never caught.

Reading that left Pederson with a lingering question. She didn't know it then, but 1970 was "the last year that the King of Diamonds operated," she said. "I arrived just as people began speculating what happened to him, where did he go? And I thought, what did they mean? Where did who go?"

The story stuck with her even into retirement — precisely because it lacked an ending. The result is her new true-crime book, "The King of Diamonds.'

The Dallas police attribute 40 break-ins to the thief from the mid-'50s to 1970. Pederson said she believes the number is more than double that because some people didn't report the thefts. The Highland Park police didn't report some as well, she said.

The burglar was particular in what he stole, but he got away with pearls, rings, necklaces, diamond earrings, pendants. He even robbed some houses twice. Trying to determine the value of his total haul — across the decades — involved complicated figuring and even guesswork: "I had to get estimates from what newspaper accounts I could find."

Pederson put the value of all the stolen merch at more than $6 million.

"My best guess is that there were over 100 burglaries," she said. "And I think I could make a really good case that he was one of the best jewel thieves in the country — because of the duration of the thefts and the monetary value. . . . And because of the fact that it was a very small area. Highland Park is only 2.24 square miles."

So the King of Diamonds was a remarkable thief — but not so much for his total haul. There have been art heists that grabbed more. Neither was he a technical genius. He wasn't cracking safes or defeating electronic security systems.

But Pederson's numbers mean the King was successfully breaking into homes, on average, about every two months — for 15 years. And despite news coverage, despite police traps and surveillance, he did all that in an area about the size of the Los Angeles International Airport.

Hard to catch, hard to research

The thief's physical abilities and sheer daring are notable. He repeatedly eluded dogs. He sometimes waited until people returned from social evenings (that way, they were more likely to leave their jewels out). He left no fingerprints, only a couple shoeprints outdoors. And he often climbed through second-story windows — even while his targets were asleep.

"He sometimes hid in your closet," Pederson said. "And he could have heard the people breathing. That psychologically just creeped people out, understandably so. He was just a very different, Houdini-like burglar. I don't think there's ever been anyone quite like him."

However elusive the King was for the police, he was perhaps even harder to pin down for Pederson. There simply weren't many records left. Dallas has a history of destroying its history, and she spent six years doggedly picking out the King's trail.

"The problem," she said, "was that all the Dallas police records disappeared over time. And all the FBI records were destroyed within 2 or 3 years. And unfortunately, the Dallas Times-Herald had gone out of business by then."

Picking up pieces, putting together a portrait

"So I pieced together what I could" — leading Pederson to interview retired police officers, track down surviving relatives and visit Top o' Hill Terrace in Arlington, which was once an infamous underground gambling joint.

Naturally, much of the attention given The King of Diamonds is about the identity of the thief. A key piece of evidence: The thief knew a lot about Highland Park, its layout, its social calendar, even particular jewels people owned. Pederson's book proceeds by considering different suspects — eliminating them one by one, like a game of Clue.

But what has mostly been overlooked in coverage of The King of Diamonds is that, along the way, Pederson also presents an eye-opening cross-section of Dallas in the ‘60s.

Some of this material is familiar from Bryan Burroughs' The Big Rich and some from the biography of the gambler and mobster Benny Binion , who ran Dallas' numbers racket for years.

But when put together with Pederson's research, what results is an interconnected view of Dallas society in the '60s — from splashy galas in Highland Park to strip joints and pawn shops. Essentially, some of the richest oil money in the world, some of the most famous and influential families in Dallas history were comfortable associating with violent criminals.

Benny Binion, for example, would organize dice or poker games for them. But he personally shot at least two people dead. Both times he was declared not guilty by reason of self defense. His motto? "Do your enemies before they do you." His biographer, Doug Swanson, wrote that Binion went from being "a murderous street thug" to "a domineering crime boss" to "a civic treasure" — after he moved to Las Vegas and opened his casino.

Bright lights, big bookmakers

In The King of Diamonds , Pederson reports there were gambling connections even in the city police department. The FBI tapped one bookie's business, a downtown gas station, and recorded more than a dozen Dallas police officers regularly placing bets.

Before the '50s, Pederson said, there was downtown Dallas "with the flying red horse on top of the Magnolia Building — and then out to the horizon, it was just bare. By the end of the '50s, there were bright lights and big buildings."

Dallas became a city of new money, oil money.

"It was a city full of Gatsbys," Pederson said. They'd never had money before, so "they wanted to be somebody, they were what I would call 'strivers.' And I don't mean that as a negative word. That's the great American story, right? Everybody wants to strike it rich."

But "a lot of people came into money with big oil. And oil people were gamblers at heart. You know, they risked their money, they lost it, they got it back. So it was just part of the thrill, part of the adrenaline rush."

As a reporter, Pederson said, she'd always been told "organized crime never had a foothold in Dallas. But it did. It came in through gambling. And hand in hand with the gambling went drugs and prostitution and other vices – with a wink from the city fathers because they gambled, too," she said.

"Everybody gambled."

All of this is one reason the thief thrived in Dallas: easy pickings.

But because he was getting away with so much and so often, Pederson said, suspicion and gossip took over. Perhaps, people speculated, there were other reasons for his success. He had to be someone from Highland Park society to know so much about people's homes and safes and schedules. And perhaps he was so well-connected, the police were covering for him.

More than 50 years after the burglar's heyday, when Pederson called some Dallasites to talk, they hung up on her.

"High society is like a city within a city," she said. "And you wouldn’t want to have someone in your family involved in something unseemly."

Of course — this far away in time — Pederson's The King of Diamonds doesn't offer any air-tight convictions. But, as she said, "the police thought — and I finally determined they were probably right — that it was someone from a prominent family."

Got a tip? Email Jerome Weeks at [email protected].  You can follow him on X (Twitter) @dazeandweex.

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Thieves Stole Thousands of Lego Sets in L.A., Police Say

Just to confirm, the theft ring’s focus is, indeed, Lego.

By Victor Mather

It may not be the kind of hard-boiled Los Angeles crime that attracts the likes of Sam Spade or Jake Gittes, but the police say they have arrested the perpetrators in a series of thefts.

To be clear, Lego is not a new slang term for cars, diamonds or heroin. The thefts were of literal Lego.

A Target store in San Pedro, Calif., reported some of the thefts, and the police observed Blanca Gudino, 39, of Lawndale, stealing Lego sets at branches of the retailer in Torrance and Lakewood, they said. They followed her to the home of Richard Siegel, 71, in Long Beach, where she delivered the items, they said.

Upon searching the home on Wednesday, the police said they found 2,800 boxes of Lego, with individual values ranging from $20 to “well over” $1,000. They included Star Wars, Harry Potter and Marvel sets, KTLA reported .

The items were being sold to buyers found through online ads, the police said. While the police were on the scene, some prospective buyers showed up at the home.

Ms. Gudino was charged with organized retail theft, a felony, and held on a $20,000 bail. Mr. Siegel was charged with grand theft, also a felony, and was released on his own recognizance.

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The Book Thief

By markus zusak.

• The Book Thief Summary

Narrated by Death , The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger , a nine-year-old German girl who given up by her mother to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann in the small town of Molching in 1939, shortly before World War II. On their way to Molching, Liesel's younger brother Werner dies, and she is traumatized, experiencing nightmares about him for months. Hans is a gentle man who brings her comfort and helps her learn to read, starting with a book Liesel took from the cemetery where her brother was buried. Liesel befriends a neighborhood boy, Rudy Steiner , who falls in love with her. At a book burning, Liesel realizes that her father was persecuted for being a Communist, and that her mother was likely killed by the Nazis for the same crime. She is seen stealing a book from the burning by the mayor's wife Ilsa Hermann , who later invites Liesel to read in her library.

Keeping a promise he made to the man who saved his life, Hans agrees to hide a Jew named Max Vandenberg in his basement. Liesel and Max become close friends, and Max writes Liesel two stories about their friendship, both of which are reproduced in the novel. When Hans publicly gives bread to an old Jew being sent to a concentration camp, Max must leave, and Hans is drafted into the military at a time when air raids over major German cities were escalating in terms of frequency and fatality. Liesel next sees Max being marched towards the concentration camp at Dachau. Liesel loses hope and begins to disdain the written word, having learnt that Hitler's propaganda is to blame for the war and the Holocaust and the death of her biological family, but Ilsa encourages her to write. Liesel writes the story of her life in the Hubermanns' basement, where she miraculously survives an air raid that kills Hans, Rosa, Rudy, and everyone else on her block. Liesel survives the war, as does Max. She goes on to live a long life and dies at an old age.

The Book Thief Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Book Thief is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Characterize Rosa Hubermann. What kind of a character is she?

Rosa Hubermann

Hans' wife and Liesel's foster mother. A squat woman who makes some money doing laundry for wealthy neighbors, Rosa has a fiery attitude and frequently employs profanity, especially towards those whom she loves. Death describes Rosa...

Number of washing customers Rosa has left in Part 6

How Rudy become a giver instead of a taker in Part 8?

C. He gives bread to the Jewish

Study Guide for The Book Thief

The Book Thief study guide contains a biography of Markus Zusak, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Book Thief
• Character List

Essays for The Book Thief

The Book Thief essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

• Liesel's Emotional Journey Through the Book Thief
• Zusak's Death Breaks the Mould
• Guilt in The Book Thief
• The Toil of Good and Evil: Multi-Faceted Kindness in The Book Thief
• Stealing the Narrative: The Irony of Reading in The Book Thief

Lesson Plan for The Book Thief

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Book Thief
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Book Thief Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Book Thief

• Introduction
• Recognition

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The Best Fiction Books » Science Fiction

The best science fiction: the 2024 arthur c. clarke award shortlist, recommended by andrew m. butler.

Every year, the judges for the Arthur C. Clarke Award highlight the best of the latest batch of science fiction books. In 2024, the six-strong shortlist includes an exploration of octopus intelligence, a queer space opera, and a dystopian novel hailed as the new  Hunger Games .  Andrew M. Butler , academic and chair of the judges, talks us through the finalists for the title of sci fi novel of the year.

Interview by Cal Flyn , Deputy Editor

Chain Gang All Stars: A Novel by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

In Ascension by Martin MacInnes

The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

Corey Fah Does Social Mobility: A Novel by Isabel Waidner

1 Chain Gang All Stars: A Novel by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

2 the ten percent thief by lavanya lakshminarayan, 3 in ascension by martin macinnes, 4 the mountain in the sea by ray nayler, 5 some desperate glory by emily tesh, 6 corey fah does social mobility: a novel by isabel waidner.

T hanks for joining us again to discuss the shortlist for the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award for the science fiction book of the year. Might you remind our readers what your judges are looking for?

Let’s step through the six science fiction books shortlisted for the 2024 prize one by one, starting with Nana Kwame Adjei-Benyah’s Chain-Gang All Stars . This is a dystopian novel that some have likened to The Hunger Games . What did the judges like about it?

Next up we have The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan. Why is it one of the best sci-fi books of 2024?

This is a mosaic novel , which I suspect is a specialism of science fiction and fantasy – think of Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles .

Yes. I can also think of Jennifer Egan’s incredible, semi-speculative A Visit from the Goon Squad ,  and – more recently – Sequoia Nagamatsu’s  How High We Go in the Dark . Or even  World War Z .

Intriguing. The third book on the 2024 shortlist is Martin MacInnes’s In Ascension . It falls on the more literary end of the sci-fi spectrum and was previously longlisted for the Booker Prize . Tell us more.

It was also named the Blackwell’s Book of the Year . One of their judges called it “a science fiction novel fit for the 21st century.”

I think it’s the most Clarkeian book on the shortlist, with adventures deep under the sea and ventures into outer space. It’s also got a bit of a Gravity vibe at times, although one of the judges would like to see Denis Villeneuve adapt it for the big screen after Dune .

Sounds epic.

Let’s turn our attention to Ray Naylor’s The Mountain in the Sea . Jeff VanderMeer called it “a first-rate speculative thriller.” Might you introduce us, and explain why it is one of the science fiction books of 2024?

It’s got octopus, so what more does anyone need to know?

In fact, speaking of Denis Villeneuve, there’s a hint of the film Arrival in the depiction of the attempts to make first contact with a very alien species – octopus anatomy and psychology is so aliens to ours and there’s been some speculation that they come from a very different origin to us . They are incredibly talented at escaping from captivity and seeking revenge on their human keepers.

Absolutely. I read a fascinating nonfiction book about octopus and cuttlefish intelligence, Other Minds . I can see why they might inspire speculative fiction.

Sounds great. That brings us to Some Desperate Glory , a queer space opera by Emily Tesh. What should readers expect?

There’s a slightly daunting trigger warning at the start, which I took as a bit of a hint not to take the main protagonist at face value.

Much of humanity has been wiped out by an alien species, with a surviving rump of humanity divided into the military and ‘breeders.’ Seventeen-year-old Kyr learns that she has been assigned to reproduction, whilst her brother has been given a suicide mission – but may have defected. She sets off to track him down, and in the process discovers that the situation isn’t quite as she’s been led to believe.

The final science fiction book on the 2024 Clarke Award shortlist is Corey Fah Does Social Mobility by Isabel Waidner. The Guardian described it as an “energetic inquiry into class politics and cultural capital.” In a science fiction context, I presume! Can you talk us through it?

This is perhaps this year’s wild card and I think it may have been one the judges called in.

Waidner won the Goldsmiths prize for Sterling Karat Gold , their third novel, but theirs was a new name to me and I want to work my way through their back catalogue. The eponymous protagonist has won a prize in a city that seems to be a surreal version of Prague, but there’s a complication when they try to collect it. They enlist the help of a chat show host to track it down, but they seem as busy dealing with an eight-legged version of Bambi…

There are nods to a real murdered playwright, to Franz Kafka , to Disney and to the American artist Nicole Eisenman , alongside time travel and paradoxes. In the meantime, the novel raises questions about gender, sexuality, class, intersectionality and creativity, in a short but densely constructed narrative. Of course, if they win, we need to send them to Hyde Park so they can fail to pick up the trophy!

Has it been a good year for science fiction? Are you left feeling optimistic about the state of the genre in 2024?

We have a shortlist with six authors new to the award, although only a couple are debuts. Which is not to say that there weren’t great books by previous winners or shortlistees – but none of them cut through. One of the jobs of the award is to promote writers that not everyone has heard of, and each of these novels stand alone, rather than being parts of long series. I like series fiction, but it’s sometimes hard to find the entry point.

There are a lot of publishers that are still committed to print fiction, including some ambitious small presses and some people who have chosen the self-publication route. I’m optimistic because publishers are taking chances.

I haven’t crunched the numbers on demographics on the submissions list, but I don’t think we were in danger of an all-male shortlist. On the other hand, I think writers of colour are still underrepresented by British publishers. I hasten to say, there’s nothing inherently wrong with novels by cis, straight, white men – and the judges definitely don’t pick books to meet any kind of quotas – but it’s great to get perspectives that are different from the majority of the last century of science fiction writers.

June 4, 2024

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Andrew M. Butler

Andrew M. Butler is a British academic who teaches film, media and communications at Canterbury Christ Church University. He is a former editor of Vector , the critical journal of the British Science Fiction Association and was membership secretary of the Science Fiction Foundation. He is the non-voting chair of the judges for the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Science Fiction.

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