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Summary: very well-written book
Review: innocencent or guilty? Up to ur justice..
Rating: 
Summary: WHAT'S THE BIG FUSS ABOUT HIS BOOK?
Review: THE STORY IS SIMPLE YET COMPLEX AT THE SAME TIME, BUT IT REALLY AMAZES ME TO SEE HOW A FOREIGN BOOK REMAINS A FOREIGN BOOK EVEN AFTER ITS TRANSLATION. THE REAL MEANING OF THE STORY MUST HAVE GOTTEN LOST IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL.
Rating:
Summary: A Great read
Review: I really cared for this book. It opened up my own senses like nothing I have read in a long time. It made me cry, but ultimately, it made me think about how I view situations in my own life. And, of course, in viewing those situations in our mind's eye, we can visualize the solutions also. Hanna, wherever you are, you have absolution from me.
Rating: 
Summary: Just o.k
Review: I've tried to find gracious ways in which to describe this book but the truth of the matter, for me, is that this was simply an o.k. read. Although the subject matter is of interest the writing failed to connect me to the experiences of the characters in any memorable way. I'm certain that this would have been a much better literary experience if I could read German and experience the book in its native language. Throughout the entire novel, I kept feeling that there was significant meaning lost in the translation to English. While in San Francisco, I met a couple who simply loved the book. In my brief conversation with them, they confirmed that most people with whom they've spoken with about the book either loved it or hated it. I'm somewhere in between. The Reader is an easy enough read but not very engaging. I highly recommend the book to high school children who are starting to learn about the Holocaust (and no, I don't think the relationship between Hanna and Michael was child abuse). For adults who are looking for a more intellectually stimulating read on the subject matter I strongly recommend Ursula Hegi's Stones From The River.
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Summary: Thoughtful tale told in a simple style
Review: Don't read the reviews below unless you want to know the secrets of the plot! Why does Amazon let reviews by these spoilsports through? This was a well told story, apparently autobiographical, and when you finish you'll want to discuss the themes with someone, so pass the book on!
Rating:
Summary: Difficult material but worthwhile
Review: This is one of those books of which you either like it or not. Maybe is not an option. Great book overall!
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Summary: A wondeful book that will make you question your morals.
Review: The Reader by Bernhard Schlink is a captivating book about love and mystery. Michael Berg becomes involved with Hanna Schmitz, a woman twice his age. What follows is a boy who struggles to understand the woman he fell in love with. When Hanna suddenly disappears, Michael cannot stop thinking about her. The next time he sees her is in the courtroom, where she is on trial. Michael cannot comprehend the indescribable horror that occurred at the concentration camp where Hanna had been a guard at. As he struggles to come to grips with himself and his former love, he realizes that people often keep secrets and sometimes a hidden secret can be worse than what people already think of you. Michael realizes that the key to the future is to accept the past. This is a wonderful book that makes a person look inside him or herself to question what is right and wrong. A very beautiful novel that questions today's morals.
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Summary: limited guilt
Review: This is NOT about understanding the "weaknesses" of our parents; of the previous generation. Committing atrocities is not a "weakness" and any attempt to trivilize what happened in the camps is deplorable. What kind of person can truly love a person who stands by while innocent people burn to death?That said, the book is well-written. It describes somewhat the feeling of "falling in love", with a face, a motion, a movement - but not really a whole person. Young Michael Berg never falls in love with her mind. Understanding and empathy is a necessary prerequisite for complete loving. What many people have against this book is the idea that seems to come across - if one is ignorant, one is capable of atrocities. This is not borne out by history, however, as the Germans of Nazi Germany where highly literate and sophisticated and committed unspeakable acts. When the former camp guard is capable of reading she becomes capable of introspection. What hogwash. There are many people with oral history instead of written history who are very capable of moral behavior and introspection. The real question here is, "What is the author trying to prove?"
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Summary: What can I say?
Review: Some people may find it offensive, because of the relationship between the main characters. But I personally thought it was a good story in spite of it. The characters seem to change right before your eyes, and the end changed my whole view of everything beforehand. Overall, a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Why was this an Oprah pick?
Review: This was not a good read at all. Something must have gotten lost in translation because I found it to be quite uninteresting. What was the point? I was very disappointed in this book and could hardly even bring myself to finish it.
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