Posts
1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak:
The Book Thief tells the story of a German family struggling through WWII. Liesel is taken in by a family who seem, at first, to be uncaring. But it soon becomes apparent that there is more to the parents than meets the eye. Throughout the book, Liesel develops a love of reading and a sympathy for her fellow neighbors. When the family hides a Jewish man in their basement, Liesel who befriends the man and begins to understand the enormity of the events enveloping Germany. Through hunger, cold, and bombings, Liesel finds small ways to be defiant in the face of oppression. This is a beautiful book. With unique narration, this is both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.
2. Lisette's List by Susan Vreeland:
Susan Vreeland shows us the effects of WWII on a small village in Provence, France through the eyes of Parisian, Lisette, who moves there with her husband. Instead of the life she had planned on, (becoming involved in the art scene in Paris) history and fate step in to create a life she must accept and find a way to shape her own happiness. This book shows the hardships and loss of war, but also shows how a small village bands together to fight oppression in their own way. The characters had depth and changed over the course of the book. This is a story of one woman’s personal struggle to honor what she has lost, but also to move forward. I think this is really a universal issue. Life NEVER turns out the way we plan it. We can either be swept away by forces beyond our control, or take charge and create what we want out of life. I found the list of goals Lisette kept inspiring, and it made me want to create my own list of goals to find a meaningful life.
3. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr:
The Book Thief is an incredibly moving book, I've never read anything quite like it. Who would have thought that Death could end up being one of my favorite narrators?
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