Literary Pick (****)

The Book Thief
-Markus Zusak

This is one of the sweetest books I've ever read. It's like the Author took The Diary of a Young Girl and a Tree Grows in Brooklyn and meshed them together to create The Book Thief.
The Conceptual purity of expression in giving colors feelings was something I could immediately connect with. One of my favorite quotes in the world by August Macke is..."My entire joy in life comes almost entirely from pure colour". I've always believed colors play a much more essential role than just the superficial aesthetic value they initially present. There are times when I can clearly see a certain day and it's atmospheric greenish tint, and it astounds me when no one else around me sees it. I believe assigning colors to emotions and events is the primary quality of this novel. It's what pulled the reader into the history of the events and what gives it true affection and compassion. There is also the story of Liesel, a little Jewish girl who is adopted by German (non-Jewish) parents Hans and Rosa Hubberman, in the fictional town of Molching in Munich, Germany... I won't give much away because I don't want to ruin it for the people who haven't read it yet, (*ahem*..my husband) but it's a story about hope, not giving up, standing up for what is right, even if that means possible persecution.
The authors ability to add tenderness to a history which is so obviously tragic, and from a German perspective, in any manner, is praisable to say the least. What's even more amazing is that the author is so young. Only 36 years old. I'm pretty hard to impress when it comes to modern literature, but I must say, this book is one that will have it's place among the classics years down the road.

The cover (Domino cover edition) seems inappropriate for the theme of the book. I could think of several other ideas which would be much more suitable for the story. Like an accordion...or maybe an illustratrion of a little boy and girl.