My summer project in 2015 was to do a quote a day from one of my favorite books, The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak. This entailed writing a quote on my window and photographing it as documentation. Here they all are, my the summer of 2015 in quotes. Each quote is typed up below the original image.
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“First the colours. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least how I try.” -The Book Thief (page 3)
“You could argue that Liesel Meminger had it easy. She did have it easy compared to Max Vandenburg. Certainly her brother practically died in her arms. Her mother had abandoned her. But anything was better than being a Jew.” – The Book Thief (page 161)
“Yes, I know it. In the darkness of my dark-beating heart, I know. He’d have loved it, all right. You see? Even death has a heart.” – The Book Thief (page 242)
“Liesel, from the hallway, could see the drawn face of a stranger, and behind it, the worried expression scribbled like a mess onto Mama. She looked at both her foster parents. Who were these people.” -The Books Thief (page 198)
“That was the first time Hans Hubermann escaped me. The Great War. A second escape was still to come, in 1943, in Essen. Two wars for two escapes. One young, once middle aged. Not many men were lucky enough to cheat me twice.” -The Book Thief (page 178)
“In the kitchen on those mornings, Papa made the accordion live. I guess it makes sense when you think about it. How do you check if something is alive? You check for breathing. The sound of the accordion was also in fact, the announcement of safety. Daylight.” -The Book Thief (page 38)
“Naturally they found nothing. No one can be that lucky twice in a year, let alone a single afternoon. Still, with red tongues and teeth, they walked down Himmel Street, happily searching the ground as they went. The day had been a great one, and Nazi Germany was a wondrous place.” -The Book Thief (page 156)
“It was decided that Trudy, despite her mild demeanor, could not be trusted. “We trust only the people we have to,” Papa started, “and that is the three of us,”‘ -The Book Thief (page 216)
“I have given you two events in advance, because I don’t have much interest in building mystery. Mystery bores me. It chores me.” -The Book Thief (page 243)
‘”Did you even read the last one?” “Of course I did,” Rudy threw a stone into the water. “Was it any good?” “Of course it was,” “Of course I did, of course it was,” He tried to dig another rock out of the ground but cut his finger. “That’ll teach you,” “Saumensch,”‘ -The Book Thief (page 325)
“How about a kiss? How about a kiss? Poor Rudy. *A Small Announcement About Rudy Steiner* He didn’t deserve to die the way he did.” -The Book Thief (page 241)
“The boy turned with the ball just as Liesel arrived, and they collided with such force that the game stopped automatically. As the ball rolled off, players ran in.” -The Book Thief (page 340)
“At the door, Rosa was still asking the meaning of this interruption when the kindly party man noticed Liesel. “The maniacal soccer player!” He grinned. “How’s the knee?” You don’t usually imagine the Nazis being to chirpy, but this man certainly was.” -The Book Thief (page 343)
“For the next hour, the good girl lay wide awake in the bed, listening to the quiet fumbling of sentences in the kitchen. One wild card was yet to be played.” -The Book Thief (page 186)
“Five hundred souls. I carried them in my fingers, like suitcases. Or I’d throw them over my shoulder. It was only the children I carried in my arms.” -The Book Thief (page 336)
“The beginning of September. It was a cool day in Molching when the war began and my workload increased. The world talked it over. Newspapers reveled in it.” -The Book Thief (page 73)
“A book floated down the Amper River. A boy jumped in, caught up to it, and held it in his right hand. He grinned. He stood waist-deep in the icy Decemberish water. “How about a kiss, Saumensch?” he said.” -The Book Thief (page 241)
“It was June. It was Germany. Things were on the verge of decay. Liesel was unaware of this.” -The Book Thief (page 348)
“She sang to herself while she cooked those eggs to the brink of burndom. It appeared that there was great joy in cigarettes, and it was a happy time in the Hubermann household. It ended a few weeks later.” -The Book Thief (page 90)
“As she said it out loud, the words distributed into a room full of cold air and books. Books everywhere! Each wall was armed with overcrowded yet immaculate shelving. It was barely possible to see the paintwork.” – The Book Thief (pg 134)
“Got it. There was barely a disturbance or sound. The book was simply tilted toward her and she took it with her free hand. She even closed the window, nice and smooth, then turned and walked back across the potholes of clouds.” – The Book Thief (pg 367)
“‘What about it Saumench?”
“What about what?”
“You know…”
Liesel responded in her usual fashion.
“Saukerl,” she laughed, and she walked the short distance home.” -The Book Thief (pg 271)
“Although something inside told her this was a crime – after all, her three books were the most precious items she owned – she was compelled to see the thing lit. She couldn’t help it. I guess humans like to watch a little destruction.” – The Book Thief (pg 109)
“Yes, an illustrious career. I should hasten to admit, however, that their was a considerable hiatus between the first stolen book and the second. Another noteworthy point is that is that the first was stolen from snow and the second from fire.” -The Book Thief (pg 30)
“Eventually, when Liesel returned to bed, the image of Rosa Hubermann and the accordion would not leave her. The book thief’s eyes remained open. She waited for the suffocation of sleep.” – The Book Thief (pg 430)
“For a while she said nothing. She was making calculations, despite already knowing. An eleven year old girl is many things, but she is not stupid.
***A Small Addition***
The word communist + a large bonfire + a collection of dead letters + the suffering of her mother + the death of her brother = the Fuhrer
The Fuhrer.” – The Book Thief (pg 114-115)
“We move forward now to a cold night struggle. We’ll let the book thief catch up later. It was November 3rd, and the floor of the train held onto his feet. In front of him he read of copy of Mein Kampf. His savior.” – The Book Thief (pg 157)
“The road was cold and straight. It wasn’t long until the soldiers came with the Jews. In the tree shadows Liesel watched the boy. How things had changed from fruit stealer, to bread giver. His blonde hair, though darkening, was like a candle. She heard his stomach growl – and he was giving people bread.” – The Book Thief (pg 440)
“Some people say the truck was broken down, but I can personally testify that this was not the case. I was there. What had happened was an ocean sky, with whitecap clouds. Also, there was more than one vehicle. Three trucks don’t all break down at once.” – The Book Thief (pg 389)
“During the nights Liesel Meminger and Max Vandenburg would go about their other similarity. In their separate rooms, the would dream their nightmares and wake up, one with a scream drowning in sheets, the other with a gasp of air next to a smoking fire.” – The Book Thief (pg 219)
“When she returned to the basement, she told him. “The sky is blue today Max, and there is a big long cloud, and it’s stretched out like a rope. At the end of it, the sun is like a hole…'” – The Book Thief (pg 249)
“Sometimes, close to the end of the marathon of sleep, he would speak. There was a recited of murmured names. A checklist. Issac. Aunt Ruth. Sarah. Mama. Walter. Hitler. Family, friend, enemy.” – The Book Thief (pg 205)
“From there, the children would be taken to the town square in their groups. Speeches would be made. A fire would be lit. A book would be stolen.” – The Book Thief (pg 107)
“‘Yes Frau Diller,” they said in unison. “Mixed candy, please.” The framed Fuhrer looked proud of them. Calm before the storm.” – The Book Thief (pg 167)
“***Duden Dictionary Meaning #3*** Angst – Fear: An unpleasant, often strong feeling caused by anticipation of awareness of danger. Related words: terror, horror, panic, fright, alarm.” – The Book Thief (pg 375)
“‘When death captures me,” the boy vowed, “he will feel my fist in his face.” Personally, I like that. Such stupid gallantry. Yes. I like that a lot.” – The Book Thief (pg 189)
“Immediately. Her brother was next to her. He whispered for her to stop, but he, too, was dead and not worthy of listening to.” – The Book Thief (pg 263)
“However, she could also sense the bitter taste of questions in his mouth. Why him? Why Hans Hubermann and not Alex Steiner? He had a point.” – The Book Thief (pg 480)
“*** A Small But Noteworthy Note*** I’ve seen so many young men over the years who think they’re running at other young men. They are not. They are running at me.” – The Book Thief (pg 174-175)
“Just passed the rubble of Cologne, a group of kids collected empty fuel containers dropped by their enemies. As usual, I collected humans. I was tired. And the year wasn’t even halfway over yet.” – The Book Thief (pg 338)
“Rudy placed the lantern on the counter and came toward her in mock-anger, Liesel had to admit that a nervousness started gripping her stomach. It was with both relief and disappointment that she watched him fall on the disgraced mannequin. On the floor Rudy laughed. Then closed his eyes, clenching then hard.” – The Book Thief (pg 455)
“I shiver when I remember it, as if I try to de-realize it. I blow warm air into my hands to heat them up. But it’s hard to warm them up when the souls still shiver. God. I always say that name when I think of it.” – The Book Thief (pg 350)
“He pushed her toward the fence, threw the empty sack on the wire, and they climbed over, running toward the others. Rudy made his way up the closest tree and started flinging down apples. Liesel stood below, putting them into the sack. By the time it was full, there was another problem. “How do we get back over the fence?'” – The Book Thief (pg 182)
“For at least twenty minutes, she handed out the story. The youngest kids were soothed by her voice, and everyone else saw images of the whistler running from the crime scene. Liesel did not. The book thief saw only mechanics of the words – their bodies stranded on the paper, beaten down for her to walk on.” – The Book Thief (pg 381)
“He lifted himself forward, rose to his feet, and walked out. This time, when he came back, he said, “Actually, I have a better idea.” In his hand was a thick painter’s pencil and a stack of sandpaper. “Let’s start from scratch.” Liesel saw no reason to argue.” – The Book Thief (pg 67)
“The human heart is a line, whereas my own is a circle, and I have the endless ability to be in the right place at the right time. The consequence of this is that I am always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both. Still, they have one thing I envy. Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die.” – The Book Thief (pg 491)
“The night was calm. Her bed was warm and soft with contentment. Yes, it was a great night to be Liesel Meminger, and the calm, the warm, and the soft would remain approximately three more months. But her story lasts for six.” – The Book Thief (pg 493)
“There was a young man standing in the kitchen. The key in his hand felt like it was rusting in his palm. He didn’t speak anything like hello, or please help, or any other such expected sentence. He asked two questions. ***Question One*** “Hans Hubermann?'” – The Book Thief (pg 173)
“*** A Small Threat From Viktor Chemmel To Rudy Steiner*** “You’ll pay for that at a later date my friend.” Say what you will about Victor Chemmel, but he certainly had patience and a good memory. It took him approximately five months to turn his statement into a true one.” – The Book Thief (pg 276)
“After delivering the first handfuls of snow, Liesel checked that no one else was outside, then proceeded to take as many buckets and pots out as she could. She filled them with the mounds of snow and ice that blanketed the small strip of world that was Himmel Street. Once they were full, she brought them in and carried them down to the basement,” – The Book Thief (pg 312)
“It was a year for the ages, like 79, like 1346, to name just a few. Forget the scythe, God damn it, I needed a broom or a mop. And I needed a vacation.” – The Book Thief (pg 307)
“‘What’s wrong?” Papa asked. “Nothing.” Quite a few things, however, were most definitely wrong: Smoke was rising out of Liesel’s collar. A necklace of sweat had formed around her throat. Beneath her shirt, a book was eating her up.” – The Book Thief (pg 122)
“In the uneven circle, the minutes soaked by. Liesel held Rudy’s hand, and her mama’s. Only one thought saddened her. Max. How would Max survive if the bombs arrived on Himmel Street?” – The Book Thief (pg 376)
“The group stopped. Instinctively, Liesel ran back. “Hurray up!” Arthur called out. His voice was far away, as if he’d swallowed it before it exited his mouth. White sky. The others ran.” – The Book Thief (pg 165)
“From above she heard footsteps. “The light!” Rudy whispered. The words were shoved through the open window. “It’s out.” “Scheisse.” “They’re coming downstairs.” There was a giant length of moment then, the eternity of a split-second decision. Her eyes scanned the room and she could see The Whistler, sitting patiently on the mayor’s desk.” – The Book Thief (pg 288-289)
“The human too, were wearing patches of snow on their heads and shoulders. The brother shivers. The woman weeps. An the girl goes on reading, for that’s why she’s there, and it feels good to be good for something in the aftermath of the snows of Stalingrad.” – The Book Thief (pg 471)
“In the Summer of 1942, the town of Molching was preparing for the inevitable. There were still people who refused to believe that this small town on Munich’s outskirts could be a target, but the majority of the population was well aware it was not a question of if, but when.” – The Book Thief (pg 353)
“When she finished berating the people she worked for, Rosa Hubermann would usually move onto her other favorite theme of abuse. Her husband.” – The Book Thief (pg 43)
“The first few days, she sat and talked to him. On her birthday, she told him there was an enormous cake waiting in the kitchen, if only he’d wake up. There was no waking. There was no cake.” – The Book Thief (pg 317)
“She was just about to leave when a realization struck her. The cookies. They’d been there for weeks. That meant that if the mayor himself used the library, he must have seen them. He must have asked why they were there. Or – and as soon as Liesel felt this thought, it filled her with a strange optimism – perhaps it wasn’t the mayor’s library at all; it was hers. Ilsa Hermann’s.” – The Book Thief (pg 460)
“For a few moments Liesel stood. The corridor was huge. She examined the soldier in her palm. Instinct told her to run home immediately, but common sense did not allow it. Instead, she placed the ragged soldier in her pocket and returned to the classroom. Everyone waited.” – The Book Thief (pg 333)
“Hans took out two paint cans and invited him to sit down. Before he accepted the invitation, the young man extended his hand and introduced himself. “My name’s Kugler. Walter. I came from Stuttgart.” They sat and talked for fifteen minutes of so, arranging a meeting for later on, in the night.” – The Book Thief (pg 184)
“In late November, he had his first smokey taste of an actual raid. The truck was mobbed by rubble and there was much running and shouting. Fires were burning and the ruined cases of buildings were piled up in mounds. Framework leaned. The smoke bombs stood like matchsticks in the ground, filling the city’s lungs.” – The Book Thief (pg 433)
“Trudy and mama sat silently, scared, as did Liesel. There was the smell of pea soup, something burning, and confrontation. They were all waiting for the next words. They came from the son. Just two of them. “You coward.” He upturned them into Papa’s face, and he promptly left the kitchen, and the house.” – The Book Thief (pg 105)
“*** A LAST NOTE FROM YOUR NARRATOR *** I am haunted by humans.” – The Book Thief (pg 550)
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