“Living in Sydney, I've taken the chance to start surfing again. One of my best memories of growing up is catching my first proper wave and surfing across it and my brother cheering at me from the shore.”

Australian author of the early 21st century, Markus Zusak is best known for his novel *The Book Thief*, which blends historical fiction with a narrator who is Death. His work often explores war, memory, and the human spirit through poetic prose and unconventional storytelling.