Symphony for the City of the Dead

Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad

Kids, People and Places, Biography, Non-Fiction, Historical, History
Cover of the book Symphony for the City of the Dead by M. T. Anderson, Candlewick Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: M. T. Anderson ISBN: 9780763680541
Publisher: Candlewick Press Publication: September 22, 2015
Imprint: Candlewick Press Language: English
Author: M. T. Anderson
ISBN: 9780763680541
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication: September 22, 2015
Imprint: Candlewick Press
Language: English

A 2016 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist

National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson delivers a brilliant and riveting account of the Siege of Leningrad and the role played by Russian composer Shostakovich and his Leningrad Symphony.

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 that culminated in the harsh winter of 1943–1944. More than a million citizens perished. Survivors recall corpses littering the frozen streets, their relatives having neither the means nor the strength to bury them. Residents burned books, furniture, and floorboards to keep warm; they ate family pets and—eventually—one another to stay alive. Trapped between the Nazi invading force and the Soviet government itself was composer Dmitri Shostakovich, who would write a symphony that roused, rallied, eulogized, and commemorated his fellow citizens—the Leningrad Symphony, which came to occupy a surprising place of prominence in the eventual Allied victory.

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.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A 2016 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist

National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson delivers a brilliant and riveting account of the Siege of Leningrad and the role played by Russian composer Shostakovich and his Leningrad Symphony.

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 that culminated in the harsh winter of 1943–1944. More than a million citizens perished. Survivors recall corpses littering the frozen streets, their relatives having neither the means nor the strength to bury them. Residents burned books, furniture, and floorboards to keep warm; they ate family pets and—eventually—one another to stay alive. Trapped between the Nazi invading force and the Soviet government itself was composer Dmitri Shostakovich, who would write a symphony that roused, rallied, eulogized, and commemorated his fellow citizens—the Leningrad Symphony, which came to occupy a surprising place of prominence in the eventual Allied victory.

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.

More books from Candlewick Press

Cover of the book Castle Diary by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Wild Times at the Bed and Biscuit by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Into the Jungle: Stories for Mowgli by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Ride: Kit Meets Covington by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book M.T. Anderson: Exclusive Candlewick Press Sampler by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Philippa Fisher's Fairy Godsister by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book The Hired Girl by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book The Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Curse of the Evil Librarian by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Now Playing: Stoner & Spaz II by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Timmy Failure: Now Look What You’ve Done by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Potty by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Philippa Fisher and the Fairy's Promise by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Ask Amy Green: Summer Secrets by M. T. Anderson
Cover of the book Double or Nothing with the Two and Only Kelly Twins by M. T. Anderson
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy