Very few people know that I love history and anthropology. I don’t deny myself opportunities that would give me greater insights into the past, human and human behavior. Somewhere post-May, last year, I began reading more fiction and non-fiction on Holocaust, Indian history, mental health and human behavior. I also ventured a little into French revolution. I literally felt I was back to school, but without any pressure of scoring well in the examination.
Perks of adult life I guess.
Nevertheless, The Book Thief had been on my TBR for too long and it kinda perfectly blended into my current reading pattern, so I picked it up without a second thought. I struggled through the first few pages but after a few chapters, the book kept me going.
I will not write the review but will write down ten of my favorite quotes from the book.
Here they go:
I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.
Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness.
This has got to be one of my most favorite quotes simply because of its irony in the book and in real life.
I witness the ones that are left behind, crumbled among the jigsaw puzzles of realization, despair, and surprise. They have punctured hearts. They have beaten lungs.
From the Death’s point of view, living with the loss of a loved one is worse than death itself. How true. isn’t it?
The consequence of this is that I’m 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.
Death is the narrator in this book, and they way death wonders about us humans, I wonder too. How can one person be so ugly and yet so beautiful at times?
The words. Why did they have to exist? Without them, there wouldn’t be any of this.
This reference was with how Hitler controlled the entire nation by his words. Mainly, how deeply we are affected by words, the bruises and heals that it makes, only if we could see it.
I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race – that rarely do I ever simply estimate it.
On the power of emotions and how we are capable of love and hate.
Please believe me when I tell you that I picked up each soul that day as if it were newly born. I even kissed a few weary, poisoned cheeks. I listened to their last, gasping cries. Their vanishing words. I watched their love visions and freed them from their fear.
An account of the gas chambers and the atrocities of Nazi Germany.
The words were on their way, and when they arrived, she would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain.
I kind of relate the quote to the modern times, wherein, words in the form of old messages keep us going through tough times. And yet again, showing how powerful words are in any form.
The best word shakers were the ones who understood the true power of words. They were the ones who could climb the highest. One such word shaker was a small, skinny girl. She was renowned as the best word shaker of her region because she knew how powerless a person could be WITHOUT words.
Words are powerful and immortal, tyrants may come and go, but words had more power than any of them.
When life robs you, sometimes, you have to rob it back.
My Reaction:
What were your favorite quotes from this book?
Awesome
Some great quotes. Thank you https://riseandsoar.com/hearing_loss/
I can relate to “I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race – that rarely do I ever simply estimate it”.
Like your idea of quotes rather than review.
Superb review
The whole book is full of such beautiful writings and lovely words. One of the best I liked was the way the author described the skies. Everytime in a different manner, matching the mood of the story.
I loved the book. Period.
Frankly, I rarely remember quotes from a book after I have finished reading it. So I don’t remember the quotes from this book either. All I do remember is how I wept at the end. As in seriously wept so much, my hubby asked what the matter was!
Thank you for reminding me about this beautiful experience, Ramya!
This is such a brilliant book and every word and line stands out in its own sweet way.
It was such a pleasure to read these quotes again. The whole book has some amazing and soul stirring phrases… Loved them
You’ve picked out absolute gems. The beauty of this book was more in the way it was written than in the story itself, though the story is mesmerising too.
“When life robs you, sometimes, you have to rob it back”. This one liner straight away took my breath. Its more relevant in today’s society.
Keep up the good work and GOD bless.