Cover of The Book Thief

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak · first published 1998

7mentions
4recommended by
7HN commenters
2013–2025first – last mentioned

57% recommend43% neutral

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 we

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Mentions per year

20 2007: 0 mentions2008: 0 mentions2009: 0 mentions2010: 0 mentions2011: 0 mentions2012: 0 mentions2013: 1 mention2014: 0 mentions2015: 2 mentions2016: 0 mentions2017: 0 mentions2018: 0 mentions2019: 0 mentions2020: 0 mentions2021: 2 mentions2022: 0 mentions2023: 1 mention2024: 0 mentions2025: 1 mention2026: 0 mentions200720172026

What Hacker News says

  • mswift42 · Mar 3, 2015 · Recommends

    This is as good an opportunity as I'd be likely to get to heartily recommend "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_Thief One of the finest books I've had the pleasure to read.

    on “The Book Thieves of London” ↗
  • URfejk · Mar 8, 2021 · Recommends

    Quincunx An Instance of the Fingerpost A Fire Upon the Deep Culture novels Sea of Rust Necronomicon Thieves Emporium The Book Thief Matthew Shardlake novels Blindsight

    on “Ask HN: What Stories Would Make for a Good TV Adaptation?” ↗
  • tiriplicamihai · Mar 25, 2021 · Recommends

    The Book Thief and Educated made realise how important is to have the freedom to learn and how improving yourself is never a waste of time. Crucial Conversations improved my communication skills by 10x. In terms of…

    on “Ask HN: Which book/essay changed your life?” ↗
  • aditiyadav · Jan 21, 2023 · Recommends

    …other reviews and do those similarity calculations in my head. Now I can just search by typing “Life in France during Nazi Occupation” and BookGenie returns highly relevant books like The Nigtingale, Book Thief etc”. Matt, a Greek origin immigrant had high praises for this feature where he said “I love reading Greek books and searching in my mother tongue but none of the other websites could understand my intent,…

  • pavel_lishin · Mar 3, 2015 · Mentions

    This book is surprisingly hard to find on Amazon. This one's title appears to be "By Markus Zusak The Book Thief": http://www.amazon.com/Markus-Zusak-Book-Thief-First/dp/B00N4... This one has the same title, but the author appears to be "-Alfred A. Knopf-": http://www.amazon.com/Markus-Zusak-Book-Thief/dp/B0084V2R7Q/...…

    on “The Book Thieves of London” ↗
  • peterspath · Dec 27, 2025 · Mentions

    …Death of Europe by Douglas Murray - The Madness of Crowds by Douglas Murray - The War on the West by Douglas Murray - Porn Generation by Ben Shapiro - The Authoritarian Moment by Ben Shapiro - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen - Darkest Hour by Anthony McCarten - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown - Casino Royale by Ian Fleming - Live and Let…

    on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗
  • amjd · Sep 14, 2013 · Mentions

    Reading The Book Thief at the moment.

    on “Ask HN: What literature do you read?” ↗

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