The Book Thief: Markus Zusak

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If you're looking for inspiration, don't turn to a writer -- they thrive on misery. Writing a book is all about struggling with inadequate prose, false starts and discarded drafts. Yet, in this surprising talk, author Markus Zusak explains how failure can often motivate us towards our greatest successes. Learning from our failed efforts and overcoming our insecurities is what makes us stronger and better, and gives success much greater meaning. Despite his affinity with failure, Markus Zusak is the author of five books, including the international bestseller, The Book Thief, which has now been translated into more than 40 languages. First released in 2005, The Book Thief has spent more than 400 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and remains there nine years after the book first came out. It has since been adapted into a major motion picture starring Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush, and Academy Award nominee, Emily Watson. Markus's first four books, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry and The Messenger were all published internationally and garnered a number of awards throughout the world.

Its just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . . It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Markus Zusak takes time to chat with Fenella Kernebone in The Studio after he comes of the main stage at TEDxSydney in 2014. Here he describes the art of writing, some points that never made it into his talk and his next book. Markus Zusak was born in Sydney and is the author of five books, including the international bestseller, The Book Thief, which has been translated into more than 40 languages. First released in 2005, The Book Thief has spent a total of 375 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and remains there eight years later.

Markus Zusak is the author of five books, including the international bestseller, The Book Thief , which spent more than a decade on the New York Times bestseller list, and is translated into more than forty languages – establishing Zusak as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia.