Pete Postlethwaite died today. His death saddened me for a number of reasons, not the least of which being he was a tremendous actor. Most relevant in this case, as I read The Book Thief, I marveled at what a well constructed character Leisel's foster father was and how perfectly Pete would have played him on screen. That being said, this might be a book better left to the imagination, for it's utterly sad and absolutely worth reading. Highly recommended.