Here is a small fact: you are going to die.

A reassuring announcement: Please, be calm, despite that previous threat. I am all bluster – I’m not violent. I’m not malicious. I’m a result.

The Book Thief was written by Markus Zusak and was first published in 2005. Since then it has reached the rank of best seller in many countries, won a panoply of awards and enjoys the support of many readers, writers and critics. I bought it in Zurich a couple of years ago because luck, destiny or whatever your personal superstitions allow you to call such things, made it to be the only one in English in that book store. Ever since then I can’t shake the feeling that I didn’t choose the book, but on the contrary, it chose me. … More