Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
59 used & new from £2.04
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Definitions)
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Definitions) (Paperback)

by John Boyne (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (304 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
Price: £4.54 & eligible for Free UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.45 (35%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Saturday, July 11? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
36 new from £2.30 23 used from £2.04
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 17 used & new from £9.65
Paperback £6.99 £3.49 51 used & new from £1.99
Library Binding (Reprint) 5 used & new from £20.14
Hardcover (Large Print) 18 used & new from £18.63
Audio CD (Audiobook) £12.72 £7.63 14 used & new from £5.38
Unknown Binding Order it used

Watch a Related Video
02:13

Frequently Bought Together

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Definitions) + The Book Thief + The Kite Runner
Price For All Three: £12.52

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Definitions) by John Boyne

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Book Thief

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak
4.5 out of 5 stars (447)  £3.99
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas [DVD] [2008]

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas [DVD] [2008]

DVD ~ Cara Horgan
4.4 out of 5 stars (124)  £4.98
The Reader

The Reader

by Bernhard Schlink
4.0 out of 5 stars (90)  £4.64
Q and A (filmed as Slumdog Millionaire)

Q and A (filmed as Slumdog Millionaire)

by Vikas Swarup
4.5 out of 5 stars (60)  £4.79
The 19th Wife

The 19th Wife

by David Ebershoff
3.7 out of 5 stars (57)  £3.20
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Definitions (1 Feb 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099487829
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099487821
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 1.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (304 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,996 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
John Boyne's The Boy in Striped Pyjamas will no doubt acquire many readers as a result of the subsequent film of the novel, but viewers of the latter would do themselves a favour by going back to the spare and powerfully affecting original book. Bruno is nine years old, and the Nazis’ horrific Final Solution to the ‘Jewish Problem’ means nothing to him. He's completely unaware of the barbarity of Germany under Hitler, and is more concerned by his move from his well-appointed house in Berlin to a far less salubrious area where he finds himself with nothing to do. Then he meets a boy called Shmuel who lives a very different life from him -- a life on the opposite side of a wire fence. And Shmuel is the eponymous boy in the striped pyjamas, as are all the other people on the other side of the fence. The friendship between the two boys begins to grow, but for Bruno it is a journey from blissful ignorance to a painful knowledge. And he will find that this learning process carries, for him, a daunting price.

A legion of books have attempted to evoke the horrors of the Second World War, but in this concise and perfectly honed novel, all of the effects that John Boyne creates are allowed to make a maximum impact in a relatively understated fashion (given the enormity of the situation here). The Boy in Striped Pyjamas is also that rare thing: a novel which can affect both children and adults equally; a worthy successor, in fact, to such masterpieces as To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye -- both, of course, books, dealing (as does this one) with the loss of innocence. --Barry Forshaw

Product Description
The story of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the cover, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about. If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence. We hope you never have to cross such a fence.

See all Product Description

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(9)
(7)
(4)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(1)
See all 11 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Definitions)
83% buy the item featured on this page:
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Definitions) 4.0 out of 5 stars (304)
£4.54
The Book Thief
6% buy
The Book Thief 4.5 out of 5 stars (447)
£3.99
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas [DVD] [2008]
4% buy
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas [DVD] [2008] 4.4 out of 5 stars (124)
£4.98
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
3% buy
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 4.1 out of 5 stars (161)
£3.99
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

304 Reviews
5 star:
 (163)
4 star:
 (67)
3 star:
 (22)
2 star:
 (17)
1 star:
 (35)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (304 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
278 of 296 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A READ TO REFLECT ON, 8 April 2006
By A Customer
This review is from: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Hardcover)
When I bought this book I wasn't sure what to expect; the blurb was very secretive about the content of the book. I was reading it with the thought of passing it on to my year 6 class, to try and lure them away from J.Wilson's teen-reads!

At first, it felt like a light read, for a book which says it isn't suitable for nine year olds; however, it becomes a lot darker the further you get into the story. As an adult, you can see beyond what the child sees and hears (this can be disturbing at times). I could not put this book down and read it in two days!

I won't spoil the ending for those who choose to buy it. The book as a whole left me thinking, which is a good thing. I am not sure if I would recommend it to the majority of my 11 year olds;however, I think a mature child would find it a thoughtful read.

I will be passing it on to one or two adults and children; I also think I may read it again in time I think a second reading may bring more subtext to the suface.

Comment Comments (2) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
97 of 105 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A parable that will stay with you..., 13 Sep 2008
By Michelle Moore "bookclubforum.co.uk" (Kent, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Paperback)


I'm sure that this is a book that most people have now heard of, especially with the film now released. However, it's probably approached with as least pre-information as possible. I prefer the synopsis that the book originally had..

"The story of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the cover, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about. If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence. We hope you never have to cross such a fence."

It is listed as a children's book, but it's not for younger children, and it's certainly an adult book aswell. If you haven't yet read it, don't go searching the reviews, just pick up the book, and read it in the way it was intended.

The book is told in a simple manner, reflecting the innocence and naivety of Bruno. I believe it's meant to be read in the same way as a parable or fable, it's not meant to be a historically accurate text. To me, it was a simple, very effective piece of story telling, which brought me to a stand still, made me cry, and has stayed very much in my thoughts.
Comment Comments (2) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
129 of 140 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Judging a book by its cover, 9 Dec 2006
By Dr. James Austin (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: a Fable (Hardcover)
I have to confess, this is really a review of the cover of the book - specifically the creamy-beige softback edition. The book itself has been extensively reviewed elsewhere, and I, like many, found it superb.

The front inside flap of the hardcover edition reads as follows: "The story of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is very difficult to describe. Usually we give clues about the book on the jacket, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about............". The back flap contains a few terse details about John Boyne, and the back is blank.

I knew nothing about the book when I picked it up from a colleague at work, and began reading in exactly the frame of mind suggested above. I was soon immersed in the little-boy world of Bruno. It was soon evident from people's names that he was in Germany (or possibly Austria), and that his father was an important man; but apart from that, I knew as little about the external world as Bruno did; and so it continued for several pages, until gradually the context of the story became clearer.

To put the reader into the mindset of another person is a great literary skill, and John Boyne carries it off very well - reminiscent of Mark Haddon with "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time". Unfortunately, this paperback edition, rather like an over-excited child, insists on giving away both the context and a significant part of the plot on the back cover. I can't help feeling that Mr Boyne must have wept when he saw how his carefully-constructed narrative had been undermined by this clumsy piece of publishing.

I urge the reader to read no more reviews of this book, but to go out and buy (or order) the hardcover edition - the one with the blue stripes - and enjoy a fine and thought-provoking read.
Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Annoying narration
There seems to be some confusion over whether the narrator is the main character. Although set up as third-person, the narrator's voice is often that of the child, yet at other... Read more
Published 5 hours ago by April Hollands

5.0 out of 5 stars An important contribution
This book is an important contribution towards telling this generation about the horrors of the holocaust. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Mondoro

4.0 out of 5 stars wow.
"Wow" is the impact that this book left on me at the end of the story, and if you read it, you will see why. If not for that, I would have rated the book lower. Read more
Published 1 day ago by J. Steele

4.0 out of 5 stars Devastating Read
Having watched the film I went to the book and was surprised at some of the nuances which the film seemed to miss or I didn't pick up at the time. Read more
Published 2 days ago by kdog

5.0 out of 5 stars The story of Auschwitz: told as never before
It is light. It is funny. It is deep. It is sad. It is dark. It is serious. It is naïve. It is simple. It is complex. It is tragic. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Lance Mitchell

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book
I have just seen the film, that is why i read the book; Book is more detailed than film (as to be expected), but the end of story in book was far better than the film's... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Mr. L. Deans

4.0 out of 5 stars well worth a read
Like many more recent studies of the holocaust and persecution of Jews by the Nazis, this explores a more personal side of the persecutors, namely that of the young son of a... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Talc Demon

5.0 out of 5 stars the book or the film ?
This was a lovely read - a relaxing style, wonderful characters...with the twist at the end. i saw the film first , but enjoyed the book far more
Published 8 days ago by Lain

1.0 out of 5 stars This book is for schoolchildren
I believe this book was made into a film which I have not seen and that may have been excellent. Having read the book, however, I do believe it is a first class book for school... Read more
Published 9 days ago by foxy reader

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple yet effective ...
I bought this book based on other reviews here on Amazon and I finished reading it on the same day that the book arrived. Read more
Published 9 days ago by L. SIMON-CREASEY

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (4 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
Surely the wire would have been electrified? 8 2 months ago
dangerous historical inaccuracy 9 2 months ago
the boy in the striped pyjamas 1 April 2009
fiction within fact? 4 April 2009
› See all 4 discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

›Shop the Powerball store

  

More From John Boyne

Crippen: A Novel...

Crippen: A Novel of Murder by John Boyne

July 1910: a gruesome discovery has been made at 39 Hilldrop Crescent... Read more

 

A Close Shave

Philips Nivea Coolskin HS8060 Moisturizing Rotary Shaving System
For all types of hair removal, stay smooth with Amazon.co.uk.

›Discover Shaving & Hair Removal

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (72)£3.99
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (457)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (161)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (80)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates