The Book Thief Quotes
While subjected to the horrors of World War II Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. In the basement of her home, a Jewish refugee is being sheltered by her adoptive parents.
[last lines]
Death: I have seen a great many things. I have attended all the world's worst disasters, and worked for the greatest of villains. And I've seen the greatest wonders. But it's still like I said it was: no one lives forever.
Death: When I finally came for Liesel, I took selfish pleasure in the knowledge that she had lived her ninety years so wisely. By then her stories had touched many souls, some of whom I came to know in passing. Max, whose friendship lasted almost as long as Liesel. Almost. In her final thoughts, she saw the long list of lives that merged with hers. Her three children, her grandchildren, her husband. Among them, lit like lanterns, were Hans and Rosa, her brother, and the boy whose hair remained the color of lemons forever.
Death: I wanted to tell the book thief she was one of the few souls that made me wonder what it was to live. But in the end there were no words. Only peace. The only truth I truly know is that I am haunted by humans.
Death: I have seen a great many things. I have attended all the world's worst disasters, and worked for the greatest of villains. And I've seen the greatest wonders. But it's still like I said it was: no one lives forever.
Death: When I finally came for Liesel, I took selfish pleasure in the knowledge that she had lived her ninety years so wisely. By then her stories had touched many souls, some of whom I came to know in passing. Max, whose friendship lasted almost as long as Liesel. Almost. In her final thoughts, she saw the long list of lives that merged with hers. Her three children, her grandchildren, her husband. Among them, lit like lanterns, were Hans and Rosa, her brother, and the boy whose hair remained the color of lemons forever.
Death: I wanted to tell the book thief she was one of the few souls that made me wonder what it was to live. But in the end there were no words. Only peace. The only truth I truly know is that I am haunted by humans.
Liesel Meminger: There once was a ghost of a boy who liked to live in the shadows, so he wouldn't frighten people. His job was to wait for his sister, who was still alive. She wasn't afraid of the dark, because she knew that's where her brother was. At night, when darkness came to her room, she would tell her brother about the day. She would remind him how the sun felt on his skin, and what the air felt like to breathe, or how snow felt on his tongue. And that reminded her that she was still alive.
Liesel Meminger: Do you think my mother really loved me?
Max Vandenburg: Of course. Every mother loves her child. Even Hitler's.
Liesel Meminger: Do you think she writes to him?
Max Vandenburg: "Dear Führer, just wait until your father gets home! Love, Mama."
Liesel Meminger: "Dear Führer, clean up your mess."
Max Vandenburg: "Dear Führer, who cut your hair?"
Liesel Meminger: "You're not going out in that, are you?"
Max Vandenburg: "What's that growing on your lip?"
Liesel Meminger: "Don't raise your voice at me!"
Max Vandenburg: "Stop spitting when you yell."
Max Vandenburg: Of course. Every mother loves her child. Even Hitler's.
Liesel Meminger: Do you think she writes to him?
Max Vandenburg: "Dear Führer, just wait until your father gets home! Love, Mama."
Liesel Meminger: "Dear Führer, clean up your mess."
Max Vandenburg: "Dear Führer, who cut your hair?"
Liesel Meminger: "You're not going out in that, are you?"
Max Vandenburg: "What's that growing on your lip?"
Liesel Meminger: "Don't raise your voice at me!"
Max Vandenburg: "Stop spitting when you yell."
Rudy Steiner: I miss my dad. I don't even know if he's alive.
[Rudy pauses]
Rudy Steiner: I'm not ready. I want to grow up before I die.
Liesel Meminger: So did my brother.
Rudy Steiner: I'm sorry.
[he pauses again]
Rudy Steiner: I didn't ask for this.
Liesel Meminger: Who would?
Rudy Steiner: I hate Hitler.
Liesel Meminger: Me too.
[Rudy looks at her, seemingly surprised, but satisfied. Liesel stands up and shouts out to the woods]
Liesel Meminger: I hate Hitler!
Rudy Steiner: [stands up as well] I hate Hitler!
Rudy Steiner, Liesel Meminger: I hate Hitler!
Liesel Meminger: Hitler is a monkey's ass!
Rudy Steiner: Stick you, Hitler!
[they laugh, and then they gradually become more serious]
Liesel Meminger: You're all I've got, Rudy.
Rudy Steiner: Let's go home.
[Rudy pauses]
Rudy Steiner: I'm not ready. I want to grow up before I die.
Liesel Meminger: So did my brother.
Rudy Steiner: I'm sorry.
[he pauses again]
Rudy Steiner: I didn't ask for this.
Liesel Meminger: Who would?
Rudy Steiner: I hate Hitler.
Liesel Meminger: Me too.
[Rudy looks at her, seemingly surprised, but satisfied. Liesel stands up and shouts out to the woods]
Liesel Meminger: I hate Hitler!
Rudy Steiner: [stands up as well] I hate Hitler!
Rudy Steiner, Liesel Meminger: I hate Hitler!
Liesel Meminger: Hitler is a monkey's ass!
Rudy Steiner: Stick you, Hitler!
[they laugh, and then they gradually become more serious]
Liesel Meminger: You're all I've got, Rudy.
Rudy Steiner: Let's go home.
Liesel Meminger: Rudy, where are you going to stay?
Rudy Steiner: "You"? What about "we"?
Liesel Meminger: I didn't think you were this serious.
Rudy Steiner: What do you call this?
[holds out his small bag]
Rudy Steiner: Packed lunch?
Liesel Meminger: Is there anything in there besides your soccer ball?
Rudy Steiner: "You"? What about "we"?
Liesel Meminger: I didn't think you were this serious.
Rudy Steiner: What do you call this?
[holds out his small bag]
Rudy Steiner: Packed lunch?
Liesel Meminger: Is there anything in there besides your soccer ball?
