"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

To celebrate our 3rd Year Anniversary we chose an award-winning book which examines the importance of words and the transforming power they give us, as we deal with extreme situations of adversity and despair. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak is a detailed, multi-layered examination of how a small community, and specifically a a group of families living on Himmel Street deal with the realities of World War II. The impact of the war and Jewish Holocaust is narrated by Death, and told from the point of view of a young girl, Liesel. Through these characters and several others we are shown the human side of war and the effect it has on ordinary citizens. This is an accomplished, and thought-provoking novel with strong characters, a unique plot and presentation.

For those keeping track here is the list of books we read in 2009:
Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
Angle of Repose, Wallace Stegner
The Ayatollah Begs to Differ, Hooman Majd
Three Cups of Tea: One man's mission to fight terror and build nations-- one school at a time, Greg Mortenson
Nine Parts of Desire: the hidden world of Islamic Women, Geraldine Brooks
Mask of Apollo, Mary Renault
Manhunt: the twelve day chase for Lincoln's Killer, James L. Swanson
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The Geography of Bliss: one grump's search for the happiest places in the world, Eric Weiner
The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
The Cairo Diaries, Tom Markus and Linda Sarver
The Man Who Love China: the fantastic story of the eccentric scientist who unlocked the mysteries of the Middle Kingdom, by Simon Winchester