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Candlewick Press

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

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Description

“This ambitious and gripping work is narrative nonfiction at its best. . . . The book has all the intrigue of a spy thriller. . . . A must-have title with broad crossover appeal.” — School Library Journal (starred review) 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. Trapped between the Nazi invading force and the Soviet government itself was composer Dmitri Shostakovich, writing a symphony to rouse, rally, eulogize, and commemorate his fellow citizens: the Leningrad Symphony. 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. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick; Reprint edition (February 7, 2017)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 4


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 04


Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 17 years


Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 990L


Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.34 pounds


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Much more interesting than I anticipated
I was not really familiar with the works of Shostakovich, but having been to Saint Petersburg several times and speaking with people about the siege of Leningrad, I thought the book would provide an interesting read. It more than delivered on this and I found it hard to put down. The photographs contained in this book are truly fantastic and not just a bunch of blurry indistinguishable ones. The story was both fascinating and moving, while at the same time giving me a new level of respect and appreciation for the residents of Leningrad, while showing how despicable the communist leaders truly were. It was also eye opening to learn about how this seventh symphony was played all over the world and universally understood. Even the Nazi soldiers (some of them) when they heard this symphony being played on loud speakers throughout the city understood that they would never be able to win this city, while also understanding that rather than the subhuman Slavs that they had been told lived there by Hitler that only the strongest and most human of humans could produce such music after such a prolonged siege and period of starvation. I had a SPB resident tell me this past summer about her father as a child and his evacuation from Leningrad during the siege. She spoke to me about the dangerous trip across the lake in the middle of winter. To then read about this "Road of Life" within the book in great detail, brought the earlier story I heard into much sharper detail. It was a good book that I hated to see end, although it is not a short one. After reading this book I bought the symphony to listen to and found the whole experience very enlightening after understanding the circumstances that surrounded its birth. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2015 by podcastmark
    • Superb narrative history for young adults and adults
Absolutely magnificent book! I am a fan of M.T. Anderson's always intelligent young adult literature, but he outdoes himself with his history of the Stalinist pre-WWII era, WWII Leningrad, and Shostokovich's writing of the Leningrad symphony. I have read many histories of WWII for adults, and I would consider Anderson to be an excellent introduction not only for young adults but for adults who are unfamiliar with the subject. The YA genre works to Anderson's advantage, as he blends Shostokovich's biography with the horrific stories of Stalinist purges and Nazi atrocities. He allows many Russians who lived through the period to speak for themselves, so we hear the history first-hand. His historical information is always clear and precise, and he is careful not to speculate. What I love about this book is that Anderson asks important, essential questions about what it means to be human and about the relationships between art and suffering and survival. He isn't afraid to tackle the big, existential issues that other academic, "adult" histories, don't. I listened to Shostokovich's symphony after completing the novel, and felt that I understood it. Anderson's novel helped me hear it. I can't recommend this history highly enough. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2016 by Georgiapoet
    • Intersection of history and music. Bravo!
Although I have read many books that described Russian life before and during WWII, this book conveyed the experience of that life better than any or all of the others. By focusing on one family, but also bringing in others' stories (e,g., composers, poets, oridinary people on the street) I really felt like I was there. It was powerful. The author also explains the composer's work and how it was reflective of the politics and events in the war of that time period. In this regard, the book might appeal slightly more to readers who already know some of the music being descrbed, along with how and why a particular symphony was different from Shostakovich's other work, as an example. Particularly significant to history lovers is the way this author evaluates the credibility of information in the book. Just because something is included in a previous author's article or full biography, or is a commonly held belief, does not make it true. Info must be cross-checked, and original documents and other strong evidence are the gold standard towards which this author apparently aspires whenever possible. I liked the book very much, but would have liked it even more if I cared for the specific music Shostakovich produced. He isn't my favorite composer, but I like him more now that I've read this book, ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017 by Twiggy
    • Strongly recommended.
I heard a brief reference to this book on an Australian classical music station, and since I'm interested in history and Shostakovich, it was an natural purchase. It's very good - once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down, finishing it in less than a day. There's actually very little I hadn't read before. However, the author has arranged the information in a very accessible manner. The illustrations and images are very good. I listened to the Leningrad Symphony several times whilst reading the book, and it certainly increased my already high appreciation of it. The author makes a very valid point - the interpretation of the meaning of music is very subjective. Western orchestras, for example, play Shostakovich symphonies as a warning. Soviet era orchestras as a triumph. As shown in his later symphonies '1905' and '1917', both strongly programmatic, as was the Leningrad symphony. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2015 by Wayne Robinson
    • Ghastly, Horrifying, Eye-Opening, Inspiring
I have loved Shostakovich's music for years, but I had no idea the nightmare life that he endured for many decades. I will certainly never listen to his fourth, fifth, and seventh symphonies the same way again! I found this book very difficult to put down. Other negative reviewers found it clumsy and laborious in detail. But I rather think of the pacing to be like one of Shostakovich's longer symphonies--dense, complex, and often grotesque. But the narrative is just "lyrical" enough that it kept me fully engrossed. It has been a long time since I could not put a book down. This was one! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2019 by Christopher Branstetter

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