The Book Thief

An enthusiastic group of 7 Book Club members met on Tuesday to discuss The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the story of a young girl in Nazi Germany, sent by her distraught mother to be taken in by foster parents at the height of the war. Narrated by an omniscient and omnipresent figure of Death, it is a poignant story of a family struggling not to become overwhelmed by the war effort, and to maintain their principles under the circumstances.

The meeting opened with an engaging discussion of members’ associations with the war and its aftermath. Several members recounted moving connections with survivors of the war from both sides of the conflict, as well as their own local associations, whether it was observing bombed buildings, studying historical texts, or an exhaustive investigation of the Imperial War Museum.

The readers’ responses were at extremes. Some felt the book was a moving and captivating emotional tale of characters with whom they could identify and empathize. Common agreement was expressed as to the wholesome nature of the portrayal of the protagonists relationships and certain well written aspects. Others were extremely frustrated by the author’s devices, which seemed contrived, its lack of effective imagery, and moreover, by the flippant superficiality with which the author treated the historical subject and circumstances of the war.

The book chosen to be discussed on Tuesday, January 12th, is the novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid.

Thank you very much to everyone who participated and for bringing incredibly delicious food and beverages and a special thanks to Julie for hosting the gathering, and providing more delicious food and punch!

We welcome any comments or suggestions for future meetings.

We look forward to seeing you January 12th, the date set to allow everyone a chance to enjoy the holidays.

Best wishes for a lovely holiday season to everyone, wherever you may be,

Kerry and Julie