Flap Copy Description:
In September of 1941, Adolf Hitler's Wehrmacht surrounded Leningrad in what was to become one of the longest and most destructive sieges in Western history - two and a half years of bombardment and starvation. More than a million citizens perished. Survivors recall corpses littering the frozen streets, the relatives of the dead having neither the means nor the strength to bury them. Desperate citizens burned books, furniture, and floorboards to keep warm; they ate family pets and - eventually - even 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. This testament of courage was copied onto microfilm, driven across the Middle East, and flown over the deserts of North Africa to be performed in the United States - where it played a surprising role in strengthening the Grand Alliance against the Axis powers.
This is a 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.
My Thoughts:
This superbly researched account of the life of Dmitri Shostakovich was informative and inspirational. It's also timely: Learning about the journey of the Russian composer from his birth through his death, at the most tumultuous times of the 20th Century, was entertaining, as well as eye-opening. What the brilliant musician endured throughout his life, just to continue creating, was heartbreaking. The portion of his story that included the Siege of Leningrad, was extraordinary. I highly recommend this work of non-fiction to readers aged fourteen and up.
Click here to learn about the award-winning author, M.T. Anderson
