Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad
A Wall Street Journal 20 Best Children’s Books of the Past 20 Years Selection
A 2016 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist
“This ambitious and gripping work is narrative nonfiction at its best. . . . The book has all the intrigue of a spy thriller. . . . A must-have title with broad crossover appeal.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
In September 1941, Adolf Hitler’s Wehrmacht surrounded Leningrad in what was to become one of the longest and most destructive sieges in Western history—almost three years of bombardment and starvation. Trapped between the Nazi invading force and the Soviet government itself was composer Dmitri Shostakovich, writing a symphony to rouse, rally, eulogize, and commemorate his fellow citizens: the Leningrad Symphony. This is the true story of a city under siege, the triumph of bravery and defiance in the face of terrifying odds. It is also a look at the power—and layered meaning—of music in beleaguered lives. Symphony for the City of the Dead is a masterwork thrillingly told and impeccably researched by National Book Award–winning author M. T. Anderson.
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Community Reviews
I read & listened to this title off and on for the last month and while I adored the writing, the numerous illustrations, the research, the footnotes, the narration, the story line, the historical sweep & the music itself, I can't give it 5 stars. I'm sorry to say this, because it is indeed MT Anderson's magnum opus, and it is amazing in every way.
Unfortunately however, the book was just too long & the writing too dense for the young adult readers I shared it with. When we met last Sunday, my Baby Girl Book Group reported that they just couldn't get into it & not one of us finished it in time. Our discussion was limited because the majority had only read a chapter or two. Ultimately, only one member reported that she would go ahead & finish it.
I want to stress that I am not an apologist for lazy teenagers--that isn't the case with these young ladies. It's just that their days are over filled with school and extra curricular activities and I fear the days of getting completely lost in a book are lost as well- at least until Summer anyway.
Unfortunately however, the book was just too long & the writing too dense for the young adult readers I shared it with. When we met last Sunday, my Baby Girl Book Group reported that they just couldn't get into it & not one of us finished it in time. Our discussion was limited because the majority had only read a chapter or two. Ultimately, only one member reported that she would go ahead & finish it.
I want to stress that I am not an apologist for lazy teenagers--that isn't the case with these young ladies. It's just that their days are over filled with school and extra curricular activities and I fear the days of getting completely lost in a book are lost as well- at least until Summer anyway.
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