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Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad
Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad | Matthew Tobin Anderson
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."
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LeoGirlReads
Pickpick

A must read for any classical music or Russian history buff

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ReadingEnvy
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Pickpick

I've had this on my TBR forever but it took the non-fiction quarter of #readingenvyrussia to finally get to it. If you're like me and struggle to read history, make it a cultural history like this one, where the history is told sideways through the life and work of an artist, in this case the composer Dmitri Shostakovich and his hometown of Leningrad, up until and during the Siege itself. ↘️

ReadingEnvy The publisher is also YA and while this book is considered YA, I didn't find it overly simplified in its discussion of the music or the history. The author does a fantastic job narrating his own work, bringing a vibrance to the political and musical worlds of Shostakovich. ↘️ 2y
ReadingEnvy Many of you know one of my goals this year was to better understand how Russia moved from WWI into the 1950s and still remain a powerhouse despite - or as I'm learning on top of - the devastation to the country and its people. The background of this story displays many of the missteps made by the Soviet government - really mostly Stalin - on the German front in particular, but also in dealing with their own citizens. ↘️ 2y
ReadingEnvy One somewhat sordid argument this author uncovers is that it was Stalin's history of food deprivation that may have trained the citizens of Leningrad to survive what should have been an impossible solution. I don't want to give him that much credit, but it was an interesting tangent.

And who will now go on a Shostakovich listening spree? It's me!
2y
See All 9 Comments
andrew61 Fantastic review jenny. I read a novel about the recording a few years ago and found it fascinating the whole process of recording a symphony inbthe midst of starvation and war. I will definitely be finding some of his music to listen to and also looking for this book. Increasingly I find my route to classical music through references in novels. 2y
Daisey This is one of my most memorable nonfiction audiobooks! I need to listen to it again. 2y
ReadingEnvy @andrew61 yes they mention that briefly! I was going to look to see if I could find it. Knowing several.members of the symphony died between him finishing and that performance is pretty insane 2y
EvieBee Yes! I loved this sooo much and the audio version was a smash. 2y
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youngreadrshelf
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Pickpick

The story of Russian composer, Shostakovich, and interwoven with WWII and the siege of Leningrad. Really well-told YA story. Trigger warnings for cannibalism and eating pets.

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youngreadrshelf
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It‘s a little hot to do much more than read books and drink a summer beer.

EvieBee Oh yeah! And this is a great read! 3y
youngreadrshelf @EvieBee I know. I kept putting it off because I had some hesitation about reading a war book. Anderson does a good job making it relatable. 3y
EvieBee @youngreadrshelf I so agree, and I think it‘s perfect as a young person book. Not too much, but just enough. 3y
youngreadrshelf @EvieBee yes. I think at least middle school and up though. Some of the cannibal moments are difficult. 3y
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Becker
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Pickpick

The author weaves a basic biography of Shostakovich with an intense time in Russian history. It‘s very readable and very interesting. 🇷🇺

BookishTrish Looooooooooooove this book 3y
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charl08

All of these tasks made it almost impossible to survive alone. Only by creating sanctuaries where many came together to share the work, the food, and the warmth could people carry on. "We moved into one room and lived as a family playing chess, reading Pushkin out loud in the evenings, one man remembered. "It was vital to keep helping others."

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charl08
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In later symphonies, however, Shostakovich often quoted the Revolutionary songs of his youth....
But we can never be certain exactly what he meant by them..... And if we assume that every recognizable tune carries a valuable secret message, then what precisely does Shostakovich mean when, in his intense Second Cello Concerto, he quotes an Odessan jingle called "Pretzels, Buy My Pretzels"?

charl08 Pretzel image via unsplash 3y
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Moray_Reads
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Pickpick

A brilliantly rendered story of the great composer and his most famous work. Anderson weaves together the history of Shostakovich and Leningrad with clarity and compassion, highlighting the personal struggle of an artist under authoritarianism and the tragedy of the drive. Peppered with anecdotes, analysis and bursts of black humour Anderson strikes the perfect notes each time. A difficult read with many distressing passages, but a remarkable one.

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Moray_Reads
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1. Tagged book plus SPQR by Mary Beard
2. “An American agent met with a Russian agent one bright summer morning when the world was collapsing in the face of Nazi terror.“
3. “Always be reading something, he said. Even when we're not physically reading. How else will we read the world? Think of it as a constant.” ― Ali Smith, Autumn
#weekendreading

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Moray_Reads
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It's my turn to work today and I'm even less enthused about losing my Saturday than usual. At least I have a book to keep me company...

saresmoore Ooh! This sounds fantastic! 5y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore It's very good. So far Shostakovich's story is very similar to Bulgakov's 5y
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Moray_Reads
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Those moments when your partner makes you wonder whether you were separated at birth

BookishTrish We have literally had the same text exchange more than once. Granted I‘m sort of obsessed with the Siege 5y
Moray_Reads @BookishTrish there's nothing like being in sync. Not long after we had a long conversation about how to establish the origin of medieval manuscripts 5y
LeahBergen This is so wonderful! ❤️❤️ 5y
saresmoore ♥️😍♥️ 5y
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ssravp
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Pickpick

Shostakovich is one of my favorite composers, and this one of my favorite books from a few years ago. I decided to revisit it in audiobook format this year. Still one of my favorites.

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Daisey
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I just happened to download this audiobook a few years ago with no knowledge of what I was getting, and it has become one of my go to book about music recommendations. It is YA nonfiction about the composer Dmitri Shostakovich and the Seige of Leningrad during WWII. Absolutely fantastic on audio with snippets of music included!

#YAWednesday #YA #nonfiction #audiobook

BookishTrish This book is such a favourite of mine. I‘ll read anything about the Siege of Leningrad but this one stands out. 6y
TheFunkyBookworm Ohhh sounds great!!! 6y
JazzFeathers Wow! It sounds great 😊 6y
Daisey @BookishTrish Just out of curiosity, do you have any other specific recommendations for the Siege of Leningrad? (edited) 6y
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VioletBramble
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My book haul from BookCon. I thought that BookCon had a lot less attendees than previous years. Panels and even the Main Stage had empty seats.
#BookCon #BookCon2018

Beachesnbooks Yeah I was really surprised that a lot of really great panels weren't more full! 6y
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anneofgreentables
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Day 1

Post a book you love each day for 7 days, without review or comment, using the hashtag #7favesin7days in your post so we can keep it going.

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Read66
Pickpick

Fascinating and devastating history of the people of Leningrad during Stalin's purges and World War II.

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ApoptyGina69
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Back at it! Slower start today what with brunch and mimosas, but 10 hrs yesterday and 5 books down, not too shabby. #readathon #deweysreadathon

Daisey I listened to this as an audiobook and it was fantastic! It even included short excerpts of the music throughout. 6y
ReadingEnvy @Daisey ooh I keep meaning to listen to it! 6y
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rachelle
Pickpick

This book was so well written but I still had a hard time reading because it doesn't shy away from descibing the horrors of war. Before reading this book I knew Stalin and the invasion of Russia was bad but I never had any idea just how horrible the situation was. I never knew how huge of a role music could play in saving lives. I don't think a work of nonfiction has ever affected me so deeply. #bookreview #music #Shostakovich #nonfiction #WWII

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rachelle
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Pickpick

I loved this book because it was so easy to imagine the people and what they were going through. I started to feel a sort of kinship with the people of Lenigrad. I felt like I was being transported back in time, which I don't find very often when I read nonfiction.
#biography #WWII #bookreview #nonfiction

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rachelle
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Listening to Shostakovich's music while reading, gives the symphonies so much more depth to know what was happening when he wrote them. I especially love his 5th symphony❤️

#music #biography #history #halfwaydone

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anneofgreentables
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My #musicaltitles ! Being a musician and avid reader, I love it when the two meet! The best ones of the stack (in my opinion, anyway) are Symphony for the City of the Dead and This is your Brain on Music, although The Great Composers has some interesting tidbits.
#maybookflowers @RealLifeReading

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IReadThereforeIBlog
Pickpick

M T Anderson leaves the world of fiction to create that YA rarity - a non-fiction book for the commercial market, which mixes history, biography and music in a way that had me gripped from start to finish.

Caitriona Sounds interesting! 7y
IReadThereforeIBlog I will lend it to you when I see you - great book. 7y
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Daisey
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Symphony for the City of the Dead is a wonderful biographical audiobook which includes short excerpts of Shostakovich's music throughout the story of his life and specifically the writing and sharing of his Leningrad Symphony. This inspiring story of the power of music amidst such horrible circumstances was definitely bittersweet. 🎶

#LyricalApril #bittersweetsymphony #audiobook #nonfiction

ReadingEnvy The guest on the next episode of my podcast mentioned this in passing when we recorded. Second mention means I'm supposed to read it, clearly!! 7y
Cinfhen I'm not familiar with this audiobook but it sounds fascinating and I love the addition of actual symphonies included in the audio😍brilliant pick❤️ 7y
Iindseyo One of my all time favs!! I read it but I'm tempted to do it again but on audiobook 😊 7y
Daisey @ReadingEnvy Definitely! 😀 @Cinfhen Thanks, it's so good! 7y
Daisey @Iindseyosborne I would definitely recommend giving the audiobook a try. I want to listen to it again soon as well because I keep mentioning it. 7y
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Ellsbeth
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Pickpick

This book does a good job explaining why Shostakovich's music meant so much to so many people. It's tough to read about the Siege of Leningrad and the time period surrounding it, but it is history worth knowing. If you teach AP Euro, this could be a good choice for your students. And yes, while this is a serious book, I could not resist posting this picture once I saw it! #harrypotter #LitsyAtoZ #teachersoflitsy

youngreadrshelf Thanks for the review. It's sitting on my #TBR pile. I'll have to get to it sooner. 7y
MrBook Well I'll be! 7y
30 likes2 comments
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Ellsbeth
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It is fascinating to read about real life accounts such as this one during the Soviet era as I'm rereading and teaching Fahrenheit 451.

Iindseyo One of my favorites! Not sure why it's still not on more people's radars 🤗 7y
Ellsbeth @lindseyosborne I finished it today and I loved it. Now I want to teach this one too. (edited) 7y
Ellsbeth And now I am reading the commentary in the back of my copy of F 451. Bradbury WAS heavily influenced by instances such as these in Stalin's Russia. 7y
19 likes3 comments
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Ellsbeth
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This book is an amazing read about human endurance. This section is about the Leningrad Public Library during the 872 day siege of their city.

Nebklvr This was a GREAT book! 7y
Ellsbeth @Nebklvr While the topic is tough, it's a great book. 7y
22 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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MGAuthor2013
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One of my favorite books of 2015! Lots of great lines! See all the Chantix tags?

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LindsayReads
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#PROTIP: People don't mind interrupting you if you're *just* reading, so when I want to read while in transit, I put headphones on and stick the cord in my pocket so it looks like I'm tuned out. People think it's attached to something. 😉 #booknerdproblems #photoadaynov16

WordWaller I do this toooooooo!! 7y
LindsayReads @WordWaller Great minds, eh?? 7y
8little_paws You are flying over Chicago! 7y
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LindsayReads @8little_paws HAHAHAHAHA YOU WIN!!!!!! 7y
SuperPunkNinja You are Brilliant! 7y
LindsayReads @McShelfington Haha, thank you thank you. 7y
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thepostman96
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SnowInTheSea
Pickpick

If you love a book about the hard cold times of World War II, where the days in Russia were dark, scary, and life threatening to all...

Then this is a tremendously well made book. The power of music, and how it was beautifully tied together with the plot, was amazing.

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upthecatpunx
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Pickpick

There aren't many books that I listen to and love so much that I want to own a paper copy of.

This is one of those books.

It was a topic I was seriously ignorant of, but Anderson's story telling was so wonderful and it's a great story of not so great times. The audiobook gets bonus points for weaving in bits of Shostakovich's symphonies, and the author's wonderful narration.

#history #wwii #russia #audiobook

SnowInTheSea It was ridiculously well made. How it went from the depressing lives of others, to Shostakovich, to the symphony players. 7y
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youngreadrshelf
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M.T. Anderson was an interesting speaker and then he signed books. (Yes, I bought one! 😉)

StaceyKondla I love his writing! Feed is one of my favourites. Lucky you! 8y
youngreadrshelf @StaceyKondla thanks. I enjoyed Feed also and am looking forward to this after his talk. 8y
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Daisey
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I'm not sure how I managed to finish this many books this month, except that several were quick reads and others were already started before August. The nonfiction audiobook of Symphony for the City of the Dead surprised me by turning out to be not just an interesting listen, but actually one of my favorites.

#MonthlyStats #AugustWrapup

ssravp LOVE Symphony For The City Of The Dead! 8y
Daisey @ssravp It was a wonderful surprise! I don't think I would have ever picked it up except that it was a free #audiobooksync download. I especially enjoyed the bits of music that were included with the narration. 8y
ssravp @Daisey I may check out the audiobook if it has excerpts. I'm a huge classical music fan and Shostakovich is one of my favorites. 8y
27 likes3 comments
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findmeinthelibrary
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The soul-crushing sadness of going back to work after a lovely summer off was somewhat alleviated by finding six boxes of books on my desk. Any suggestions as to which I should read first?

Bette "Tell me three things" was sweet and fun. "Anna and the Swallow Man" was good in the harsh reality of history way. There are so many in your stacks that I have waiting too!! ?? 8y
findmeinthelibrary @Bette Thanks for the recommendations! We will have to compare notes as we make our way through our piles. 8y
Bette I'm in! 😄 8y
BookishMarginalia An embarrassment of riches! Enjoy! 8y
15 likes4 comments
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Daisey
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Pickpick

This was fantastic #audiobook! I really enjoyed the way the story of Shostakovich's life and music was woven together with the explanation of the political and historical events of the Soviet Union and specifically the events of the siege of Leningrad. It is a difficult story to listen to with all of the horrible things that the people suffered, but it was also an incredibly inspiring story of the power of music.

#audiobooksync #nonfiction

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Nebklvr
Pickpick

A wonderful book about the siege of Leningrad and the composer who wrote his masterpiece during that time. I was introduced to some lovely new (to me) music also!

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MCHBurke

We're used to thinking of information as something that drifts through the air invisibly all around us. But in an age before satellite telecommunications, complex information could not simply shoot across the globe through the ether. Information was earthbound and had a solid physical form.

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MCHBurke

[Dmitri Shostakovich] was fond of saying, "There is only good vodka, or very good vodka. There is no such thing as bad vodka."

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Daisey
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I'm enjoying listening to this audiobook read by the author, especially since it includes snippets of some of the music as the pieces are described!

#audiobooksync #audiobook #nonfiction

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MCHBurke
Pickpick

Oh, how I love narrative nonfiction. And audiobooks read by the author. Having been to Russia in college, I'm drawn to stories of this place. Hooked immediately.

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Peddler410
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Bought on a whim.... I enjoy books on the time period and the author is wonderful. Looking forward to this non-fiction read.

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Teenta
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Free audiobooks all summer! There's one pair per week and they download right to OverDrive. You can sign up for text message reminders so you won't forget to download each week. Great program for teens and YA lovers of all ages. 😍

Daisey Just downloaded this one today and think it sounds really interesting! 8y
Teenta @Daisey Same here! I hadn't heard of it before but it sounds good. 8y
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Amypel
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The Leningrad Public Library remained open throughout the siege.

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Iindseyo
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Pickpick

Best book I've read that NO ONE else read. What are you waiting for?? It was amazing! I read the print version but heard that the audiobook incorporates clips of the symphonies talked about so I'm definitely going to try it out in the future.

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Hoopiefoot
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Yes.

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TheGreatKatsby
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I can't make it through much of Anderson's fiction. Let's see how I do with the nonfiction.

Nebklvr Ohhhh...it is sooo good! 8y
3 likes1 comment
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Amypel

Want to read based on a friends glowing review on Goodreads, and the ongoing need for great narrative non-fiction for my school's collection!

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anneofgreentables
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Music feels☺️

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anneofgreentables
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The man England sent to negotiate alliances with the USSR before WWII found his way there alright, but got a bit lost in translation.