Reviews
Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson
canadiyank's review against another edition
5.0
I finished this a few days ago and have been mulling on how to write a review that conveys how much this book affected me. I think I can't write something that's adequate, so I'll just say that I was really struck at how Shostakovich was able to still create beauty in the midst of such persecution, both against himself personally and the Russian people at large (first through the czars, then Lenin, then Stalin, then the Nazis). I think this book would be interesting to anyone interested in music, history, WWII, Russian culture, etc. I wasn't particularly familiar with Shostakovich, and while this book is about him and specifically his 7th Symphony, it encompasses a much larger theme of the development of art while "under siege" (either literally or figuratively through censorship, etc.). Highly recommended!
helterskelliter's review against another edition
5.0
-This novels tackles the complex history of the siege of Leningrad (the longest in history) & the role that music played in preserving the morale of a badly traumatized & abused Russian populace.
-Follows the life of famous composer Shostakovich, pre + post-Stalin, and the lived experiences that contributed to the creation of his symphonies, most notably the 5th - 7th.
-We see how there was no great ideal that propelled people forward. Instead, there were just human beings who wanted to survive, who wanted to live even if they couldn’t imagine anything beyond simply living, couldn’t hope for anything better.
-Humanizes the people of the Soviet Union and contextuslizes the sacrifices made by the Russian people during WWII (Russians accounted for 95% of Allied casualties — my history books didn’t teach me that).
-Follows the life of famous composer Shostakovich, pre + post-Stalin, and the lived experiences that contributed to the creation of his symphonies, most notably the 5th - 7th.
-We see how there was no great ideal that propelled people forward. Instead, there were just human beings who wanted to survive, who wanted to live even if they couldn’t imagine anything beyond simply living, couldn’t hope for anything better.
-Humanizes the people of the Soviet Union and contextuslizes the sacrifices made by the Russian people during WWII (Russians accounted for 95% of Allied casualties — my history books didn’t teach me that).
carstensena's review against another edition
5.0
An incredible synthesis of biography, history and musicology. I knew about the Siege of Leningrad, but the brutality of that time was still shocking to read. Shostakovich both lived through and influenced the major events of Russian history in the first half of the 20th century. The depth of research (some of it original) is remarkable. Anderson does a great job of describing symphonies for readers who may not listen to classical music, and explaining the importance of the arts during difficult times. He also helps readers negotiate the unreliable information that came out of Stalin's Russia with perfect clarity. Fascinating through and through.
(I especially enjoyed the fact that, coincidentally, this book continues Russian history from the point that Candace Fleming's The Family Romanov leaves off!)
(I especially enjoyed the fact that, coincidentally, this book continues Russian history from the point that Candace Fleming's The Family Romanov leaves off!)
bellaelise109's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
5.0
I cannot hype this book up enough!! Perfect for any classical music nerds.
ionamcewan's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A beautiful heart wrenching exploration of one of the darkest moments in soviet history. It makes clear some of the soviet history I’ve always struggled to understand and somehow captures the broad strokes and the minute with Extream care and gentleness. I highly reccomend
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, Cannibalism, and Death
morbidcai's review against another edition
2 things:
1. Shostakovich's 7th Symphony helped Russia get US aid during their gruesome battle against the Nazis.
2. The library stayed open in Leningrad, despite the city barely hanging on. The librarians checked out books, exchanged books for food, and collected books among the rubble. They also answered questions such as what are alternatives for food. Something else: the city was filled with the dying and the dead. The librarians also dragged people who died while they were reading a book, to the streets to be picked up and be put into the mass graves.
1. Shostakovich's 7th Symphony helped Russia get US aid during their gruesome battle against the Nazis.
2. The library stayed open in Leningrad, despite the city barely hanging on. The librarians checked out books, exchanged books for food, and collected books among the rubble. They also answered questions such as what are alternatives for food. Something else: the city was filled with the dying and the dead. The librarians also dragged people who died while they were reading a book, to the streets to be picked up and be put into the mass graves.
ricparks's review against another edition
4.0
Highly readable and illuminating. Very simple prose because it is written for a young adult audience but I like that about it. I focus so much on intense stuff at work that I am not currently in the mood for a deep and difficult history book so this made for easy but nevertheless enlightening history reading.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
5.0
A 2015 staff favorite highly recommended by Andrea and Ellen. Read Ellen's review: http://shelflife.cooklib.org/2015/11/10/pick-of-the-week-symphony-for-the-city-of-the-dead-dmitri-shostakovich-and-the-siege-of-leningrad-by-m-t-anderson/
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Ssymphony%20for%20the%20city%20of%20the%20dead__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Ssymphony%20for%20the%20city%20of%20the%20dead__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold