Speaking of visits – What do you think about Death’s
visitation to the living and deceased?
Obviously Liesel is a character demanding our sympathy and
feelings. Yet, she was a thief. Was her thieving justified due to
circumstances? Is thieving ever
justified or is it circumstantial morality?
The Hubermann’s give refuge to Liesel and Max. Why?
What do Max and Liesel have in common and what does caring for them
fulfill in Rosa and Hans?
One of the fascinating specifics in the book was the color
of Hans’ eyes. Death repeatedly talked
about them as did Liesel. Do you think
there is significance in that? Are you
ever swallowed up by the color of someone’s eyes? {I remember a boy in high school who had ice
blue, grey eyes that were just mesmerizing yet I don’t remember his name, just
his eyes! I used to think he could read my thoughts with those eyes.}
Mein Kampf plays an important role in both Max and Liesel’s alienated
existence. Has anyone read it? I love that they painted over the pages to
write their own stories. So deliciously ironic!
Do you have a story playing around in your head like the
Standover Man or The Word Shaker? What
is your story about? How is it written
and do you have illustrations? Last year
I read the letters of my neighbor’s mother.
She was the first female cardiologist in NJ. After medical school she went to Appalachia
and worked for 4 months with the family there and she recorded her daily work
in letters that were mailed home to family and friends. It was a powerful study on the surviving capabilities
of the human spirit.
The mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hermann is and empathic character
throughout the book. Her inability to
dress and be present in the town was due to great loss. She is obviously educated and loved books. Was that part of the reason she secluded herself? Did she see from her reading what was
happening to Germany and couldn’t face that as well as the loss of her
son? Agoraphobic behavior is overcome
when she visits Liesel’s home to give her the book. Do you think she overcame the agoraphobia at
the end of the book?
We cannot forget to mention Rudy. Just thinking of a boy imitating Jesse Owens
in Nazi German makes me laugh and shudder.
Why does Rudy instantly love Liesel?
Do you believe in love at first sight?
Hitler used words to separate Aryan from Jew. He dehumanized the Jew to less than worthy of
life. Death says: ‘I am constantly
overestimating and underestimating the human race – that rarely do I ever
simply estimate it.’ And the final line
in the book: ‘I am haunted by humans’. How
do you think, feel, or react to those statements?
Now I have gone on about the book in a very brief way for
the over 500 pages that contained a great amount of information and discussion
points. Enter your comments and
reactions so we can share the information and story in this book.
Happy Reading,
Barbara
