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Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad

M.T. Anderson

4.35 · Rating details · 4,550 ratings · 1,130 reviews

National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson delivers an 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 ...more

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Hardcover, 456 pages

Published September 22nd 2015 by Candlewick

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Jan 29, 2017 Dem rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, recommended, ww2, audible, 5-star, russian-history

Every now and then a book comes along that blows me away and Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad is one of those books.
A riveting story of the music of composer Dimitri Shostakovich along with an extensively researched
history of the siege of Leningrad.

I was vaguely aware of this composer and to be honest had only a little interest in reading this book, I had an audio copy downloaded for such a long time and never felt compelled to listen to it unti Every now and then a book comes along that blows me away and Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad is one of those books.
A riveting story of the music of composer Dimitri Shostakovich along with an extensively researched
history of the siege of Leningrad.

I was vaguely aware of this composer and to be honest had only a little interest in reading this book, I had an audio copy downloaded for such a long time and never felt compelled to listen to it until a friend bought me a hard copy as a Christmas Gift and I was forced to read it and from the first chapter I was captivated by a book I thought I would have absolutely no interest in but its a fascinating read, extremely well researched and packed full of photographs, maps and images which add immensely to the overall reading experience.

" 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. After three years of bombardment and starvation, culminating in the bitterly cold winter of 1943-44, more than a million citizens lost their lives. In order to survive, many residents burned books, furniture and floorboards to keep warm; they ate family pets and, eventually, each other. In the midst of this bloodshed, Dimitri Shostakovich composed the Leningrad Symphony, a piece that both rallied and eulogized his fellow citizens ... and which would come to play a surprising part in the Allies' eventual victory

I love reading Russian History and this book ticked every box for me in terms of a 5 star read, the book reads like a thriller, is historically informative and packed full of remarkable photographs and images. I was shocked, saddened, I exclaimed out loud while reading. I reread chapters several times and underlined so many passages. I tried to slow down my reading in order to prolong the agony of finishing but alas the book ended. I know this is a book I will reread in the future and still learn something new from it. I loved reading about the the life works of Shostakovich and enjoyed listening to his music afterwards.

Every time I read about the horrors of World War I and World War II, I am shocked and saddened. The people of Leningrad suffered horribly during the siege and this book really brings their suffering to the forefront.

Some shocking facts taken from this book ...............

******27 million Soviet citizens died during the conflict more in other words that the dead of all the other nations combined. The total dead in World War II numbered roughly fifty million. Around 13.6 percent of the Soviet population had died. The siege of Leningrad alone cost approximately one and a half million Russian lives- more than the combined World War II casualties of the Americans and the British.

******After Stalin's death the labour camps began quietly to release their prisioners. About eight million of their twelve million prisioners were free and found themselves wandering through their home cities in the old, stained clothes they had been wearing years before when they were torn from their families.

*** LET NO ONE FORGET. LET NOTHING BE FORGOTTEN ***

I recommend this book for lovers of music and those who have an interest in the Siege of Leningrad. ...more

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Jul 05, 2015 Abby Johnson rated it it was amazing

Holy cats, you guys. THIS BOOK. It's a masterpiece. At once a fascinating biography, a testament to the power of music, and a riveting World War II story that I bet your teens don't know much about (I certainly didn't). Your performing arts kids, your WWII and history buffs, DON'T LET THEM MISS IT. ...more

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Oct 22, 2015 Chrissie rated it really liked it

Shelves: history, soviet-union, russia, bio, 2015-read, audible, arts

In Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad history is very clearly explained starting with Bloody Sunday in 1905 and continuing through the Siege of Leningrad. The history presented is woven around the central figure Dimitri Shostakovich(1906-1975). You get history and biography together. Little of his life after the years of the siege is presented. The central focus is nevertheless the role of music, and particularly Shostakovich’s in the siege.

I have ...more

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Feb 23, 2016 Francisco rated it it was amazing

One of the best things about this book for me is how it shed light on a period of Russian history that I had heard about but had never really understood on a gut level. The book took me from the 1917 Russian Revolution when Czar Nicholas II was overthrown to the take over by Lenin a few months later and on to the reign of Stalin and the siege of Leningrad by the Nazi army. History is told best in the particular. This turbulent and painful period of Russian history is woven around the life story ...more

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Jan 20, 2021 Joy D rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, reviewed, zck, non-fiction, music, wwii, russia, 2021-top-50, history

Well-constructed non-fiction that weaves together a biography of Dmitri Shostakovich with the key events in the history of the Soviet Union during his lifetime. It portrays how events influenced his music, and how his music, in turn, influenced and inspired the people. It tells of the rise of Lenin, Stalin’s Great Terror, the German invasion of Russia during WWII, the Siege of Leningrad, and the Cold War.

The author discusses Shostakovich’s many compositions, focusing on details of his writing hi ...more

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Aug 17, 2015 Kristen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, favorites, history, young-adult, reviewed, political, 2016

I'm still reeling from this book, and think I will be for quite a while. It was the kind of book that I had to put down often, just to be able to process the horror that the Russian people experienced. There's all kinds of horror in here: at the hands of the state, at the hands of the Germans, at the hands of people you thought were your friends. Anderson does an amazing job of bringing the realities of what it must have been like to live through Stalin's purges and the siege of Leningrad to lif I'm still reeling from this book, and think I will be for quite a while. It was the kind of book that I had to put down often, just to be able to process the horror that the Russian people experienced. There's all kinds of horror in here: at the hands of the state, at the hands of the Germans, at the hands of people you thought were your friends. Anderson does an amazing job of bringing the realities of what it must have been like to live through Stalin's purges and the siege of Leningrad to life. It's incredibly hard to read, but also important to understand this time of history.

I found myself trying to bring all conversations back to Soviet Russia while reading this book. I wanted people to talk to about it; I wanted them to understand. I think Anderson using Shostakovich as the conduit to tell this story was particularly brilliant. There's a lot about Soviet history in here, but there's also a lot about art, and how an artist who is beloved by both the West and his own country fared during this time.

Another thing this book deals with is how tricky it is to find the truth. There's a lot about why it's hard to know for sure details of Shostakovich's thoughts on Communism, or anything else (living under an extremely totalitarian regime where being honest could get you killed is a huge impediment to speaking your mind, obviously). There's also a lot about the complexities of living under such a regime. People don't always fit neatly into categories like "hero" and "villain" and Anderson explores that really well and shows how multifaceted people had to be to survive.

I am somewhat surprised that this is a teen book. While I think everyone who sits down and reads this book will enjoy it, it's a really niche audience that will find it interesting without some hand-selling. (When I described it to people while reading it, they all looked at me like they were surprised anyone would want to read a book on this topic.) I'm worried that adults will skip this because it's a teen book, and that lots of teens won't think it will sound interesting, or that its size will be daunting. But I hope I'm wrong. I think everyone could benefit from reading this book--it will deepen your knowledge of WWII, of Russian history, of Dmitri Shostakovich, and of humanity. ...more

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Sep 27, 2015 Chris Burd rated it it was amazing

Shelves: politics, non-fiction, biographies, all-time_favorites

I should give myself more time to compose an appropriate review, but I want so badly to hand everyone a copy of this book that I'm going to rush to get the word out. Biography, history, philosophy and sociology all collide in this brilliant book - and I am not going to be able to say enough good things about it.

During a semester studying abroad in St. Petersburg, I first heard the story of Shostakovich and his 7th symphony. That story has stuck with me for 20 years, and this book is able to arti I should give myself more time to compose an appropriate review, but I want so badly to hand everyone a copy of this book that I'm going to rush to get the word out. Biography, history, philosophy and sociology all collide in this brilliant book - and I am not going to be able to say enough good things about it.

During a semester studying abroad in St. Petersburg, I first heard the story of Shostakovich and his 7th symphony. That story has stuck with me for 20 years, and this book is able to articulate why in a way that I never could.

While the title indicates that the book is about this particular symphony, it is about so much more. The reader is taken into the world of Stalinist Russia in the 30s, with it's constant fear. It is a brilliant historical analysis of Russia's role in WW II, including some of Stalin's most baffling decisions. This book is also an extremely sensitive biography of a composer who was hailed as a hero, a traitor and coward throughout the course of his life - but was really just a man - a son, a brother, a husband and a father - who was just trying to survive. The author also digs into the question of what makes us human - and how far can we be pushed until our humanity gives out.

Ultimately, this book is about the power of music and art. And it is nothing short of brilliant. The writing itself is poetry - taking the reader through the triumph, fear, and horrors of the narrative. In the worst moments of the story, your stomach rolls with disgust. In the best moments, goosebumps and tears break out.

If you read my other book reviews, you will understand that I am not prone to this level of hyperbole in my reviews - but this may be one of the three best books I have ever read.

[I listened to this book as an audiobook - and while I will be picking up the hardcover version to keep in my library, I actually strongly recommend the audiobook for this one. The author has chosen to narrate his own work, and he puts as much emotion and poetry into the narration as he did into the writing.] ...more

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Dec 11, 2015 Dov Zeller rated it really liked it

Shelves: biograpical, non-fiction, war-and-fighting, wwii-related, music

This is a long book and a library book, too, and I didn't read it as carefully as I likely would have had I owned it. Maybe I will get it out of the library again at some point. That said, I enjoyed what I read, and learned quite a bit, not just about Shostakovich, but about the shifting conditions. I was fascinated by how happy Shostakovich was in his early life though there was a lot of hardship. It seemed happiness in adverse conditions was not an unlikely outcome when people feel connected t This is a long book and a library book, too, and I didn't read it as carefully as I likely would have had I owned it. Maybe I will get it out of the library again at some point. That said, I enjoyed what I read, and learned quite a bit, not just about Shostakovich, but about the shifting conditions. I was fascinated by how happy Shostakovich was in his early life though there was a lot of hardship. It seemed happiness in adverse conditions was not an unlikely outcome when people feel connected to each other and connected to a cause. And then, in contrast, this book presents the misery and torment of every-day life when people are faced with demented leadership that does its best to undermine and eat away at the fabric of trust between people and their loved ones. Not that there aren't always troubles on a personal and political level in any given community. But the severity of the persecution under Stalin, and the ways it tore people's words apart, was vividly and painfully drawn.

I think this book does something interesting as a YA historical biography. It lets the reader know at regular intervals that the information used to write this novel might not be accurate for so many reasons. For example, concerning primary source materials with Shostakovich writing (letters, statements made about his art) 1) Who knows when and if Shostakovich is speaking for himself; 2) who knows when and if the things being written were written in coded language, 3) or, at least, who knows the truth when things are likely written in the way one writes when one doesn't want to be the next target in a long line of artists tortured and/or killed by the leaders and followers of a sadistic, blood-thirsty, regime.

One thing that is interesting about reading this. We often forget how complicated truth is outside of these extreme circumstances (and how much more complex in and among them.) And Anderson is sort of guiding his readers through his process (teaching) of looking at source material, and noting that one can't look at it simply for information, but must really ask a lot of questions about the context in which things are written. (We might tell different versions of the same story to our lover, our sister, our friend. During war-time and during peace-time.)

Anyway, this is a funny book (definitely not "funny haha".) It defies categories a bit. I wonder what the YA readership is like. I imagine this might turn out to be a book read more by not so young adults than younger ones, but who knows. And who is to say where YA ends and nsya begins. I think it would be a great read also for first years in college who are getting deeper into the work of writing researched papers and essays.

It also offers ground for meditation on the role of art (and education) in nation-building. Where does propaganda end and art begin? Is it the role of art to undermine authority, to teach, to un-teach, to make us question the symbols we take for granted? ... ...more

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Nov 07, 2020 Annie (Sad Water Bottle) rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-nonfiction, rating-four-stars, author-male, favorites, 1-music, 4-war-or-rebellion

"Most symphonies...are built only of tones, nonlinguistic sounds vibrating in the air, and somehow, we take them to heart and feel that they speak to us more deeply than words ever could."

4 Stars // 85%
There are a lot of classical music-related books that are not for everyone. The Noise of Time, for example, is a similar book, yet it's not as accessible as Symphony for the City of the Dead, which stands out in the fact that anyone can fall in love with it, whether classical musician or not. It's written in uniquely beautiful, engaging prose that keeps the reader hooked, with images that serve to strengthen the text and add to the atmosphere. In short, this book packs the facts of nonfiction with the depth and rhetoric of fiction in an excellent biography of who is quickly becoming one of my favorite composers—Dmitri Shostakovich.

yes this guy

One thing that struck me was how fluently M.T. Anderson described Shostakovich's music and by extension the meaning of it. Shostakovich, like many other composers during the rapidly changing, politically charged twentieth-century, encoded hidden messages into every note and phrase, and Anderson analyzes them with ease, making sense of what some would call "muddle instead of music". Through his similes and elegant prose, one can almost hear Shostakovich's tense, frantic compositions playing in the background, as if Anderson's words are being backed by a soundtrack.

I also admire Anderson's ability to pull the reader into the narrative. Many nonfiction books seem to push you back as if telling you, "You don't belong in this story; this is the life and history of someone else!" Anderson, however, gives the reader room to ponder over dates and events, letting them freely wonder what they would do if they were in x situation. He doesn't push facts as much as pose questions and scenarios and probable answers, and thus Symphony for the City of the Dead becomes an intellectual playground as stimulating and evocative as listening to an actual classical music performance.

yes

This book is about many things: how we cope with tragedy, how art heals, and how Dmitri Shostakovich saved millions of people. But in the end, it's about music and its transforming power. It's about the multilayered meanings of a single note. It's about how music can shape politics and vice versa and how composers play a duet with history itself. If you have ever felt something twinge in your heart from a simple melody, this is the book for you. ...more

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Aug 02, 2021 Max Berendsen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A highly readable combination of a history of the siege of Leningrad and a biography of Dmitri Shostakovich. It shows the reader the status which Shostakovich deserves amongst the great modern composers, being perhaps the greatest of the twentieth century.

A book on musical history that's able to satisfy every category of history reader! ...more

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Dec 19, 2019 Zak rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: biographies, non-fiction, historical-non-fiction

Powerful, sad and moving. This historical account of the role Shostakovich and his 7th Symphony played during the Siege of Leningrad is a true testament to the strength of the human spirit. That I got this from a 2 dollar shop makes it probably one of the best bargains of my life.

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Dec 26, 2015 Beth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed

It feels like it's been a good year for nonfiction. This, the Steve Sheinkin... This is a powerful piece of work about the life of the Russian composer Shostakovich, who wrote the titular symphony for Leningrad - the City of the Dead. It's almost exhausting in its comprehensiveness. It's detailed and meticulously told and very interesting at the same time; it also retains a degree of author presence, particularly when pointing out how unreliable certain sources are.

It's a funny thing, that autho ...more

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Dec 16, 2019 Robert Sheard rated it really liked it

This was terrific. Hitting both my love of classical music and one of my favorite reading subjects (WWII), this recounts what is an almost unbelievable story of the Russian people during the siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg), and the writing of Shostakovich's 7th Symphony during the siege. And the audiobook includes snippets of the famous symphony as Anderson describes the work's creation. ...more

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Jun 03, 2015 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, on-my-shelves, owned-print-copy

In general, I’ve been reviewing all the books that really move me in full. Obviously, I’m not doing that for Symphony for the City of the Dead, mostly because I’ve never really been sure how to write a comprehensive review for nonfiction, since that seems to come down in large measure more on the accuracy of the information which I can’t really speak to.

In all my years studying history, I’ve always been most fascinated by the World War II era. One of my other favorite bits of history to study wa ...more

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Jul 08, 2015 Alicia rated it it was ok

Shelves: family, war, voices, adult, politics-justice, male, nonfiction, historical

I would compare this book to The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia in that it's marketed toward an upper-level YA reader in the nonfiction vein, yet both are too convoluted and dense to be interesting for most teen readers.

I was interested in reading it for the history of the time period, the slice of life of musician Shostakovich, and how it all affected St. Petersburg/Leningrad all for learning more but for also having visited Russia (though not St. Petersburg ...more

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Feb 10, 2017 Julie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: just-finished

An extraordinary achievement. A penetrating gaze into the not-too-distant past into a chapter of history I imagine most people understand only in broadest brushstrokes, and through the haze of propaganda. The humanity and the horror of the people who lived under 20th Century European despotism is laid bare here, as the talents and survival of one nervous, brilliant composer are caught in the tug-of-war between Stalin's schizophrenically incompatible objectives, and then between Stalin and Hitler ...more

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Sep 22, 2015 Book Riot Community added it

Shelves: new-books-liberty-s-recs

It's only out today, but Symphony for the City of the Dead has already made this year's National Book Award longlist. As it should - Anderson has written an amazing account of the atrocities that occurred in Leningrad when Hitler's forces surrounded the city, in what was to become one of the longest and most destructive sieges in Western history. Composer Dmitri Shostakovich was trapped in the fighting, and went on to write an amazing symphony that lifted spirits and beautifully commemorated the ...more

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Oct 11, 2018 Erica rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio-books

So, so, SO good! Why only 4.5 Stars, you ask? I reserve 5 star ratings for books I will read over and over. And while this book was illuminating, educating and astonishing - i'm likely good with the one reading.

Still - everyone who thinks they know all about WW2, or wants to know more - should read (or listen to) this! The author did a thorough job of researching and an excellent job of presenting. You feel like you're walking the streets of St. Petersburg/Leningrad or Moscow. Though I've not l So, so, SO good! Why only 4.5 Stars, you ask? I reserve 5 star ratings for books I will read over and over. And while this book was illuminating, educating and astonishing - i'm likely good with the one reading.

Still - everyone who thinks they know all about WW2, or wants to know more - should read (or listen to) this! The author did a thorough job of researching and an excellent job of presenting. You feel like you're walking the streets of St. Petersburg/Leningrad or Moscow. Though I've not lived most of what takes place in this book, I could picture it in vivid detail. I could feel the bone chilling cold. Taste the fear of saying the wrong thing. Imagine keeping your head down and pasting on a smile. I could literally hear parts of Shostakovich's symphony's playing in the background! {ok, for reals I could cause it was included in the audiobook, but still... ;)} The message of the importance of music in keeping these people alive, giving them a sense of hope, is palpable.

This story is rich with imagery of life in Russia, particularly the life of composer Dmitri Shostakovich in Russia. I'm not musically inclined and have little musical ability, that said - i was engrossed and mesmerized by all that occurred during his life. Without getting into politics, government and social issues, there is still so much to unpack here! Add those details in and there's even more. My children listened with me at various points. The teen history lover was as captivated as I was. The younger kids had the misfortune of being present for some seriously graphic parts and were pretty freaked out. Life was not pretty then, and very unlike the privileged first world Republic they live in now. There were some disturbing parts for sure, so heads up on that.

I feel like Russian history was glossed over when I was in school in the 1990's. So much was unknown at that time; it was well hidden by those who didn't wish us to know the details. As I've learned about these things as an adult - in my 30's instead of my pre-teen & teenage years; I am astounded and appalled at all that went on.

I strongly encourage everyone to read or listen to this book! Music lover or not, it shows the influence different aspects have on our life. Music being one of them.

The importance of learning from the past is to keep mistakes from being repeated; that is a heavy responsibility we must all bear. ...more

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Apr 25, 2015 Jessica Schwartz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, favorites

ALL THE STARS!!!!!!!

Fascinating and beautifully written. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

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Aug 20, 2015 Steve Smits rated it liked it

Symphony for the City of the Dead is a well-researched history and political analysis of the Soviet government's impact on the arts centered around Dmitri Shostakovich and his work, particularly his masterful seventh symphony -- the Leningrad Symphony. The book touches deeply on the manipulation of the arts and artists to further the political and ideological aims of the Communist state. Shostakovich, recognized then and now as one of the 20th century's most accomplished composers, was profoundl Symphony for the City of the Dead is a well-researched history and political analysis of the Soviet government's impact on the arts centered around Dmitri Shostakovich and his work, particularly his masterful seventh symphony -- the Leningrad Symphony. The book touches deeply on the manipulation of the arts and artists to further the political and ideological aims of the Communist state. Shostakovich, recognized then and now as one of the 20th century's most accomplished composers, was profoundly impacted by the state's attempts at controlling artistic content, particularly after Stalin took power. The use of art in the Soviet system as propaganda intended to sway the public's acceptance of the state's ideology is the major theme of this book and is told quite well.

After the Bolshevik's took power in 1917 a spirit of modernism took hold among the artistic elite. In the visual, literary and performing arts there emerged the so-called Futurist movement which optimistically exalted the arrival of the "new" society that discarded the corrupt and exploitive political, economic and social systems of the past. Shostakovich was a part of this scene, writing musical compositions, film scores for message-driven films and avant-garde operas. His renown soon became international.

This rosy optimism began to fade after Stalin's assumption of power following Lenin's death. His iron-handed approach to advance the Soviet state wrought incredible suffering and death to millions of people through the brutal efforts to collectivize farming and the five-year industrial plans. By the 1930's Stalin's tyrannical control over Soviet society became massively draconian and oppressive. His paranoid persecution of purported "enemies of the state" resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and the exile to forced labor of millions. Intellectuals in all fields were caught up in this era of the "Great Terror"; those not persecuted were consumed by anxiety that they might be on the list of enemies and it decidedly affected their art. The book's depiction of Soviet brutality is quite chilling.

Shostakovich fell prey to the regime's campaign against "formalistic" art in the aftermath of the debut of his opera "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District". The work premiered to ecstatic reviews until it was seen in person by Stalin who, to the shock and dread of the composer, walked out in mid-performance. Shortly after, the critical reviews changed completely in tone and the work was deemed "a mess instead of music". In the Soviet Union of the 30's such criticism meant much more than disappointment; it could mean the life or freedom of the composer.

The invasion of Soviet Russia by the Nazi's in 1941 changed Shostakovich's standing dramtically. The city of Leningrad was surrounded by the German army within months. The city was continually shelled and bombed and was cut off from food and fuel resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths through starvation. It was Hitler's overt plan to starve the city into non-existence. The book's portrayal of the suffering of the city's residents details the horrors they endured. Shostakovich resided in Leningrad in the early months of its isolation, but later was evacuated to the east with most of his family. He had begun already to compose the seventh symphony and completed the work in exile. The piece is massive in scope and length. It was understood to convey the devastation inflicted by the German invaders and to praise the city's heroic resistance ending, by the fourth movement, in foreseeing the inevitable triumph of Leningrad and Mother Russia over the fascist enemy. The symphony brought a huge boost to the morale of the country and, after being smuggled circuitously out of the country, was performed throughout the West where it was perceived as a tribute to Russian courage and sacrifice. Here again the relationship of art and politics in the 20th century is seen. After the war and until Stalin's death in 1953 Shostakovich was again subjected to the state's political criticism of his work, most likely because his work was so revered in the West that by then had become the enemy of the Soviet Union in the Cold War.

The book touches well on the major themes and events from the onset of the Soviet state to the post war era. Its depth of analysis and description makes it a worthwhile read. It is marred, however, by quite a bit of sloppy and inartful writing. The author resorts to many one-sentence paragraphs that seem glib and curt. He makes frequent use of odd-sounding allusions -- "With the kind of grotesque, Tintin-esque whimsy that somehow always dogs espionage like a puppy hot on the heels of a murderous thug,...." There are too many cliches, e.g. "she watched him like a hawk" and so on. When his misplaced manuscript was found on the dirty bathroom floor of the train carrying his family to escape from besieged Leningrad... "they discovered that the score was almost entirely unstained. The lesson here: a true masterpiece can marinate in filth and still come out clean". Not major, but he mentions of allied planes shipped to Russia as "B-52's"; I think they were B-25's. One hopes that further editing will clean up this distracting writing because the book makes an important contribution to the story of the Soviet Union's use and misuse of artists.

One, of course, should listen to the symphony before and after reading the book. It is a deeply evocative, if profoundly complex, work. ...more

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Sep 26, 2015 Ellen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio-book, nonfiction

My visit to Leningrad in 1989 still haunts me in large part because I had been completely ignorant of the huge role the Russians played in WWII and the enormous price they paid. All over Russia old WWII vets sat, in their uniforms covered with medals, in parks and on street corners and were paid great respect. M. T. Anderson's story about Shostakovich's life and the importance of his music to Russians and the war effort was another eye-opener for me. He spares no detail in describing Stalin's pu ...more

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May 24, 2017 Vedika rated it liked it

This book really wasn't bad - the first third though, was, torturous. To really pull through that first leg of the book and gain momentum was extremely difficult. But after I finished the book, I've realised that it really wasn't that bad honestly. ...more

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Jul 15, 2019 Erika rated it really liked it

Shelves: wwii, maybe-a-little-bit-of-history, listen-while-i-work, i-m-a-believer

This is an important story. I learned more than I expected. Then I started freaking out about some parallels between this and our world right now. Then I was blinded by hope. That’s important.

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Mar 10, 2017 Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) rated it liked it

Shelves: sent-by-publishers, nonfiction

Originally posted on A Frolic Through Fiction

*Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

As much as I love learning about history, reading books about it can be a bit hit or miss. Especially when they’re as long as this.

Which side was this book on?

Well…both, actually. It was both a hit AND miss.

It took me awhile to get into. Like with most books, I went into this knowing barely what it was about, and somehow missed the fact it was a biography. Not just that, ...more

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Feb 29, 2016 Barb Middleton rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, wwii, historical, musical-instrument

Stalin was a paranoid and cruel dictator that killed millions of Russians crippling his economy, government, Arts, and military long before World War II even broke out. While the Germans laid siege to Leningrad during the war, it was Stalin that initiated the "first siege" during his Great Terror and Five-Year Plan. Like most despots, he murdered anyone that disagreed with him, repressed free will, free press, violated human rights, and ruled with terror. Popularity and capitalist notions could Stalin was a paranoid and cruel dictator that killed millions of Russians crippling his economy, government, Arts, and military long before World War II even broke out. While the Germans laid siege to Leningrad during the war, it was Stalin that initiated the "first siege" during his Great Terror and Five-Year Plan. Like most despots, he murdered anyone that disagreed with him, repressed free will, free press, violated human rights, and ruled with terror. Popularity and capitalist notions could get you killed or sent to Gulag labor camps. Stalin trusted no one (except Hitler who betrayed him). He felt it was his right to enact terror - he was an institutionalized psychopathic leader. Through music, Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, was able to give the people a voice to express their feelings and emotions in a state where it was not allowed.

Stalin was trying to break down social structure to the point that people were denied their souls and aligned with the party. Through alienation, loneliness, and terror he tried to create a classless society and in the effort tore down the moral fabric. Shostakovich's symphonies allowed listeners a respite and not only pride in their Arts but an understanding that was unique to their own experience. And Shostakovich managed to hold on to his humanity even though Stalin attacked him twice and had him publicly denounced. Shostakovich remained a kind man who cared for the students he taught at the Conservatory and his family for his whole life. He was a complex mixture of defiance and compliance with the Party. He easily could have ended up murdered like so many of his other friends, but he survived even when the odds looked bad.

The first part of the book shows the experimentation that Lenin allowed before his death and Shostakovich's extraordinary gift in music at the piano and later writing of symphonies. When Lenin died and Stalin's Five-Year Plan and Great Terror steamrolled through the Arts, Shostakovich's wildly popular 4th Symphony was marked as being too individualistic. A smear campaign by the Party and the death of his other successful friends, led to him fearing for his life. He wrote symphonies that reflected more of the Party's liking, but he also had discordant sections that spoke to the people and reflected the repression of will by the government. Stalin was always leery of Shostakovich and his popularity. It is somewhat of a mystery that he let him live.

The second part of the book focuses on the horrors of the siege of Leningrad that lasted for three years. The desperate and terrifying situation is reflected in Shostakovich's 7th Symphony that he wrote as German bombs pounded the city mercilessly. Shostakovich ended up escaping to Moscow after a year-and-a-half and times got even worse for the Leningrad people. As the winter temperatures plunged to minus forty degrees people died of exposure and hunger by the thousands. While some resorted to cannibalism, others created communities that cared for one another. The library stayed open for people to read and the orchestra got together to play Shostakovich's 7th Symphony when he completed it in Moscow. The concert was a turning point for the people in Leningrad for it told the Germans that they could not break the Russian spirit and it was their identity. While Stalin used the 7th Symphony as propaganda to inspire national pride, the Russians saw it as Art as a way of self-expression.

Any good history book shows the struggles the author has with its sources and whether or not they are truthful or exaggerated or false. M.T. Anderson does this with exhaustive notes and logic to create a solid glimpse of Russian history. Last year I read the book, "The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia," by Candace Fleming that explains the downfall of the 300-year-rule by Russian tsars. The books combined show how the severe economic distress, ineffective political, and judiciary system made it ripe for the Russian revolution and rise of despotic rulers such as Lenin and Stalin. ...more

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Dec 14, 2015 Chelsey rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, ya-teen, 2016-hub-reading-challenge

Russia during and between the World Wars is a terrifying place. After ousting the royal family and killing off Lenin, Josef Stalin rose to power and created an empire of secrecy, where people lived in fear of their own children turning on them. And then the Nazis invade, and Russia must figure out how to deal with their inner and outer battlegrounds all at once.

In the midst of this, a brilliant young pianist and composer surfaces. Dmitri Shostakovich is one of the most famous Russian composers o ...more

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Sep 30, 2015 Cat rated it it was amazing

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Anderson writes so movingly and eloquently about the nature of evil (not just in the Fascist dictators in the book but also in the roving gangs of cannibals during the Siege of Leningrad and other cases of human beings brutalized out of their veneer of civilization) and of fear and deprivation. He reflects on his historiographic process, evaluating sources for his YA audience and keeping multiple versions of events in mind, reflecting on the conseq ...more

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Aug 13, 2015 Jana Light rated it it was amazing

This book. Oh my word. Any book about the Eastern front of WWII is going to be dismal, so this is not a lighthearted read, but the way Anderson uses the development of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony to frame his telling of it emphasizes the courage and resilience of humanity that cannot be suffocated even when subjected to one of the most brutal periods of human history. Anderson accomplishes many wonderful things here, so many that it's hard for me to describe what exactly he's doing and why i ...more

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Jan 18, 2020 Kristen Freiburger rated it it was amazing

That’s it, I’m ruined for all other books in 2020 and it’s only January. I completely devoured every single word. Some books you learn from, some books make you feel something, some books call you to action, this book...did all three. I’d give it 10 stars if I could. Brilliant! Thanks to my amazing pal, J-9, for another epic recommendation!

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Apr 16, 2015 Bronwyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: by-men, history, non-fiction, author-a-i, title-s-z-and-number, audiobook, bios-autobios, 2016-reads

Just so fantastic. I learned so much about Shostakovich and Leningrad and Russia as a whole that I never knew. I have names of other people and things to learn about, and more of Shostakovich's music to listen to. Just so so good. ...more

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About M.T. Anderson

M.T. Anderson

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Matthew Tobin Anderson (M. T. Anderson), (1968- ) is an author, primarily of picture books for children and novels for young adults. Anderson lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

His picture books include Handel Who Knew What He Liked; Strange Mr. Satie; The Serpent Came to Gloucester; and Me, All Alone, at the End of the World. He has written such young adult books as Thirsty, Burger Wuss, Feed, The ...more

Books by M.T. Anderson

The Pox Party (The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, #1)

The Kingdom on the Waves (The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, #2)

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“Some love is so powerful after all, that it must always include sadness, because encrypted within it is the knowledge that someday it will come to an end.” — 6 likes

“Strangely enough, doctors and nurses noted that activity actually prolonged life, when it should have shortened it. Those who lay down and tried to conserve energy often were the ones who trailed off and died first.” — 5 likes

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