Markus Zusak Trivia

1. "The Gravedigger's Handbook" is the first book that Liesel steals. At which life-changing event does she pocket the little black book?

From Quiz Books of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Her brother's funeral

The story "The Book Thief" opens with Death meeting Liesel Meminger when he takes the soul of her brother. They are on a train and her brother, Werner, dies. He is buried, and, at the funeral, Liesel spots a black book in the snow. She pockets the book and later discovers that it's "The Gravedigger's Handbook". This becomes the first book that Liesel reads and her first entrance into the world of thievery as well as words, both of which will become important aspects of her life.

From Quiz "I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

Answer: Australia

The book takes place in a small town near Sydney, Australia. Although it is fall and winter in the book, it is Australia's summer. Readers could be confused because the characters speak a lot like they do in England.

From Quiz The Characters of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Werner

Werner dies on the train on their way to the Hubermann's, of a cough. When he's buried, that is when Liesel steals her first book.

From Quiz "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Answer: Death

Interestingly enough, Death is the narrator. It's mentioned on the back cover of the book. It's not everyday you read a book narrated by Death.

From Quiz 'The Book Thief' - Markus Zusak

Answer: Germany, WWII

The main character of this book is named Liesel. Some other famous Liesels; Liesel Vontrap : a character in the The Sound of Music - She is the eldest Von Trapp child and is in love with Rolf. Liesel Pritzker : an American heiress and actress. Liesel Westermann : a German athlete who competed mainly in the discus throw. Liesel Litzenburger : a writer from Michigan. Liesel Holler : the 2004 Miss Peru (for Miss Earth 2004). Liesel Moak Skorpen : a children's author.

From Quiz Books of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Mama and Papa

When Liesel's mother, Paula, drops off Liesel to stay with the Hubermanns without telling Liesel why, or even for how long, she is reluctant to even enter their house. Hans and Rosa have agreed to foster Liesel and she is dropped off. They tell her to call them "Mama" and "Papa", which at first Liesel does with much reluctance. After a while it becomes more habitual, but, as her relationship with the Hubermanns develops, she actually begins to feel affection for Hans and Rosa as though they were her actual Mama and Papa. Rosa is a foul-mouthed, tough-as-nails woman who hides a big heart, while Hans is quite the opposite, a quiet man who wears his heart on his sleeve.

From Quiz "I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

Answer: taxi driver

Ed Kennedy is the main character of the book. He is an underage taxi driver. He works for the Vacant Taxis. He is only nineteen, but he should be twenty to be a cab driver. Throughout the book he drives his taxi.

From Quiz "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Answer: Nazi Germany

The story starts in 1939, at the beginning of WWII. The story is set in the city of Molching in Nazi Germany.

From Quiz 'The Book Thief' - Markus Zusak

Answer: The Whistler

Liesel steals 'The Whistler' with Rudy Steiner by going through the library window. 'The Shoulder Shrug' is the book that Liesel steals from the fire that is burning all of the propaganda against the Nazis and Adolf Hitler. However, the mayor's wife, Isla Hermann, sees her do it. 'The Standover Man' is the book that Max Vandenburg [the Jew hiding in her basement] makes for her whilst in the basement of Himmel Street. 'The Dream Carrier' is the second book Liesel steals from the mayor's library.

From Quiz Books of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Max Vandenburg

"The Shoulder Shrug" was a story about a Jew which did not vilify him, therefore, it was unacceptable to the Nazi regime under Hitler. It got thrown into the bonfire for Hitler's birthday, however, it remained on the side of the fire and was only smouldering when Liesel took it. She hid it under her dress and hurried home with Hans, only, smoke started to come up out of her dress and he caught on to what she did, though not disapprovingly. Max Vandenburg is a Jew whose father was close with Hans. When the lives of all the Jews of Germany are in peril, Hans agrees to shelter Max, at great personal risk. Rosa, too, does this without question. In their eyes, a human life is a human life, no matter what the party propaganda says.

From Quiz "I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

Answer: the Doorman

The Doorman is seven years old and part Rottweiler and part German Shepard. He is called the Doorman because he always sits right next to the door. In the book, Ed translates what he is saying. Ed takes him for walks a lot and gives him coffee.

From Quiz The Characters of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Max

Max Vandenburg is the son of the man that saved Hans' life during WWI. Hans kept his promise to help their family by hiding Max, a Jew, in his basement. Max wrote "The Standover Man" and "The Word Shaker". He is Liesel's close friend.

From Quiz "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Answer: Communist

Liesel's mother was arrested because she was accused of being a communist. In Nazi Germany, all communists were arrested and either sent to concentration camps or were executed. In the book, it is written "Kommunist", which is how it is said in German.

From Quiz 'The Book Thief' - Markus Zusak

Answer: Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens was born on September 12, 1913 and died on March 31, 1980. He was an African American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Ralph Metcalfe was the person he beat in the 100m, much to everyone's surprise. Luz Long, another competitor from Germany, gave Owens some helpful advice on the long jump. Cornelius Johnson was an African American athlete who Adolf Hitler refused to shake hands with at an awards ceremony.

From Quiz Books of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Mein Kampf

"Mein Kampf", Hitler's manifesto, is not a book that gets stolen by Liesel, however, it actually plays a part in her life. Originally, Hans trades some cigarettes to get a copy for two reasons: to curry favour with the party he originally shunned when it rose to power; and to provide Max, the Jew he is saving, a bit of cover while he travels to find Hans' and Rosa's house. Also, the key to their house it taped on the inside. Max shows up at the Hubermann house with the copy of "Mein Kampf". Apart from his meager personal belongings, this is all he owns. When Liesel's birthday comes around, he is sorry that this is all he can give her. However, seeing cans of unused paint in the basement, he realizes that he can whitewash the pages of "Mein Kampf" and he then recreates them into a story of his own. This is how "The Standover Man", a story by Max, is born.

From Quiz "I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

Answer: aces

Ed got one ace for each of the four suits. The first card, the ace of diamonds, had three addresses on it. The second card, the ace of clubs, had a message on it. The ace of spades, which was the third one he got, had three authors on it. The last ace he got, the ace of hearts, had three movies on it. The last card he got, though, was a joker with his address on it.

From Quiz The Characters of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Hans

Hans Hubermann was taught how to play the accordion during WWI. He also likes to smoke cigarettes. He's against the Nazi Party and isn't admitted to it until they want to send him to war as punishment for helping a Jew on the street. He is Liesel's foster father.

From Quiz "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Answer: Max

Max is a Jew that the Hubermann's hid. They did it because Hans Hubermann had promised the family of his deceased friend--from the first World War and who had taught him how to play the accordion--many years before that he would help them if they ever needed it. Max was the child of the Jewish family he promised to help. Little did he know he would have to risk his own life (as well as his family's) to help them.

From Quiz 'The Book Thief' - Markus Zusak

Answer: Jesus, Mary and Joseph

In case you're unsure - Jesus Christ is the son of God, Mary is his mother and Joseph is his foster-father.

From Quiz Books of "The Book Thief"

Answer: The mayor's wife

Ilsa Hermann is a troubled soul. She leads a privileged life, being the Bürgermeister's (mayor's) wife and living in their big house on the hill, however, her son had died and left her broken. Her house has a great library that is mostly unused, and she welcomes Liesel into the library to read when Liesel is picking up and dropping off the laundry that Rosa does for the mayor. When Ilsa has to cancel the laundry services, Liesel is furious. Now, without a reason to go in, she doesn't have access to the books. However, this is when Liesel starts sneaking in through the conveniently-open window and she starts stealing books. However, during an encounter with Ilsa, Liesel realizes that Ilsa has known all along that Liesel is the book thief. Ilsa gifts Liesel a copy of "The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus" to help her look up the difficult words, but also to help her when she is writing. She also gifts her an empty diary, something that is directly responsible for saving Liesel's life.

From Quiz "I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

Answer: He stopped a bank robber.

At the very beginning of the book Ed and his friends are on the floor in the bank while the bank robber gets the money. When the bank robber was leaving he dropped the gun that he had. Ed ran after him, picked up the gun, and stopped him. The bank robber ended up being part of the whole thing.

From Quiz "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Answer: "The Whistler"

Liesel reads "The Whistler". Her voice soothed the children, and everyone pays close attention to her reading. It takes their mind off the raid, for at any minute they might have been bombed.

From Quiz 'The Book Thief' - Markus Zusak

Answer: Viktor Chemmel

After Arhur Burg leaves for Cologne, Viktor Chemmel becomes the new leader of the gang but Liesel and Rudy take an immediate dislike to him. Andy Schmeikl is another member of the gang and Rudy beat up his brother. Wenzel Gruber is the person Max Vandenburg first fought with. Tommy Muller Lives on Himmel Street and often gets picked on.

From Quiz Books of "The Book Thief"

Answer: A plate of cookies

About two weeks after Christmas, Rudy and Liesel break into the Hermanns' library to steal another book and a plate of cookies are waiting for them. They are kipferl, crescent cookies, and they clearly were left over from the holiday, but the two hungry kids don't care, they take them anyway. Liesel sees another book that she wants, "The Last Human Stranger", and the mayor's wife, Ilsa, confronts Liesel before she makes her exit. The mayor's wife admits that she is aware that Liesel has been stealing books, but, since the library is mostly hers, she is happy to give the books away to someone like Liesel who will appreciate them.

From Quiz The Characters of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Death

The last words in the book are Death telling Liesel that he is haunted by humans. He is haunted by humans because of how they kill so many people. Death is the narrator of the book. He sees Liesel three times and is interested in her and her story.

From Quiz Books of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Rudy Steiner

Rudy Steiner is Liesel's best friend, but he is also a bit in love with her. Always loyal, always headstrong, he comes from a large family, rich in love but poor in wealth. He lives in the rented house next door to Liesel and gets to know her when playing soccer in the street, and from school. They are kindred spirits and take to each other right away, which is probably why they develop a childhood attraction to one another. Since they are poor and looking for ways to find food, they join a gang who steal things from neighbouring farms. The next year, the leader of the gang changes. The new leader, Viktor Chemmel, is unusually cruel and mean to both Rudy and Liesel. The two leave the gang, but not before Rudy insults Viktor, who vows to get Rudy back one day. Later, when the two run into the older boy, he takes Liesel's book and tosses it into the river. Rudy, ever-loyal, jumps into the river to save it.

From Quiz "I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

Answer: He had to buy her an ice cream.

Once a week, Angie would buy her kids an ice cream, but she never bought one for herself. It was an easy message for Ed to deliver. He gave her two flavors on a waffle cone. On Christmas, when Angie saw him, she gave him an ice cream in thanks.

From Quiz The Characters of "The Book Thief"

Answer: Ilsa

Ilsa Hermann is one of Liesel's friends. She saw Liesel steal her second book from the bonfire. When Liesel delivered her washing, she would sit in her library and read. After they fired Rosa, Liesel yelled at her and started stealing books from her open window. At the end of the book they become friends again.

From Quiz "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

Answer: "TheStandover Man" and "The Word Shaker"

Max gives Liesel "The Standover Man" and "The Word Shaker". He wrote them both. He gave "The Standover Man" to Liesel for her birthday, and "The Word Shaker" he gave to her mother to before he left to give to Liesel when she was ready to have it.

From Quiz 'The Book Thief' - Markus Zusak

Answer: Accordion

Hans would sometimes go to the local pub and play his accordion to earn some extra money for tobacco in addition to his painting profession.

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