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Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson
mywaitisu's review against another edition
5.0
Initially, I had picked up this book because I got into Shostakovich as a composer late 2023 & naturally, wanted to learn more about him. I expected a plain biography, but fell down into another rabbit hole; (shamefully) when thinking about WWII, I find that I rarely think about the civilians as all the events occur. Anderson is a powerful writer and perfectly conveys the brutality of Stalin's regime, the purges, and the siege itself. I absolutely loved the way Anderson brought life and feeling to Shostakovich's symphonies. Beyond knowing the context behind each symphony discussed, Anderson balanced history, music, and storytelling so well. I'm looking forward to reading his other books.
sereia8's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! This book was beautifully done. I am always amazed by the depravity of man and the resilience of the human spirit.
hollyxbear's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book a lot, but there was just so much information. It almost felt overwhelming. At the same time however, it was so interesting to read! I have never learned much about Russian history and this book really made me want to learn more.
steller0707's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Torture, War, and Violence
sshabein's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
4.0
It may have been the cover of the book that drew me in while browsing Libby, but I'm glad I read this biography of Shostakovich, which shows how his life and career intersected with that period of Russian history. There are parallels to world events today, particularly the war crime of letting an entire population starve. Heavy reading, but the information is presented in a straightforward, easy to understand way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Animal death, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, and Genocide
Moderate: Antisemitism
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
5/5
I am speechless. This book was amazing. I learned so many things I would have never even passed my mind. the horrors of the war and the lengths of where people went to survive. It was very good at keeping the information interesting without it reading like a textbook. the photos were also a nice add on to add to the history.
I am speechless. This book was amazing. I learned so many things I would have never even passed my mind. the horrors of the war and the lengths of where people went to survive. It was very good at keeping the information interesting without it reading like a textbook. the photos were also a nice add on to add to the history.