From School Library Journal Gr 9 Up—This ambitious and gripping work is narrative nonfiction at its best. Anderson expertly sets the scene of the tumultuous world into which Dmitri Shostakovich was born in 1906 and traces his development as an artist and a public figure. He also tells the story of the composer's beloved Leningrad, focusing on the creation and legacy of the symphony written in its honor at the height of World War II. In his author's note, Anderson poses an intriguing question: "How do we reconstruct the story of someone who lived in a period in which everyone had an excuse to lie, evade, accuse, or keep silent?" The compelling, well-researched narrative relates what is known of Shostakovich's story, what is speculation, what is revisionist history, and what new sources have revealed. The chilling details of the Stalin regime and the plight of the Russian people even before the Germans arrived will be eye-opening to many teen readers. The book has all the intrigue of a spy thriller, recounts the horrors of living during the three year siege, and delineates the physical oppression and daunting foes within and outside of the city. This is also the story of survival against almost impossible odds. Through it all, Anderson weaves the thread of the composer's music and the role it played in this larger-than-life drama. VERDICT A must-have title with broad crossover appeal—Luann Toth, School Library Journal The storytelling is captivating, describing how Shostakovich began composing the symphony under relentless bombardment in Leningrad and later finished it in Moscow, its triumphant performance in Leningrad during the siege, and how it rallied worldwide sympathy for Russia's plight. Music is at the heart of the story. As Anderson writes in the prologue, "it is a story about the power of music and its meanings," and he communicates them with seeming effortlessness in this brilliantly written, impeccably researched tour de force. A triumphant story of bravery and defiance that will shock and inspire.—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)In a gripping narrative, helped along by ample photos and shockingly accurate historical details, Anderson offers readers a captivating account of a genius composer and the brutally stormy period in which he lived. Though easily accessible to teens, this fascinating, eye- opening, and arresting book will be just as appealing for adults.—Booklist (starred review)This ambitious and gripping work is narrative nonfiction at its best...The book has all the intrigue of a spy thriller, recounts the horrors of living during the three year siege, and delineates the physical oppression and daunting foes within and outside of the city. This is also the story of survival against almost impossible odds. Through it all, Anderson weaves the thread of the composer’s music and the role it played in this larger-than-life drama. A must-have title with broad crossover appeal—School Library Journal (starred review)Anderson brings his narrative A-game to this dense work of nonfiction, blending the complex strands of the story into a satisfying whole. Embellished with scores of photographs and peppered with the author’s own commentary on the symphony, the text and supporting materials supply historical background for music enthusiasts and musical interpretation for history buffs. Source notes, index, and bibliography will aid report writers, but the most appreciative audience is likely to be engaged readers who settle into the tragic yet uplifting story of a suffering nation and its musical documentarian.—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)A fascinating...examination of an important musical figure living in a time of extraordinary political and social turmoil.—Publishers WeeklyIt culminates in a rich and moving understanding of the intersection of culture and history, and of the power of the arts to save a nation.—Shelf Awareness Symphony for the City of the Dead is an intense historical account that is highly recommended reading for anyone studying World War II or readers with an interest in history or music.—VOYAM.T. Anderson presents a thrilling history of music and the terrible events of World War II. Extensively researched and passionately told, Symphony for the City of the Dead exposes the strengths and weaknesses of humanity through an engrossing tale of war, art and undying creativity.—BookPageAn ambitious work of nonfiction ... sweeping and emotionally charged.—The Horn Book...a sweeping work of narrative nonfiction for adolescent readers.—The Wall Street JournalA must-have for high-school classrooms and libraries. It’s the work of an author who has never jumped onto any trend-wagon, but has instead followed his own keen intelligence toward a big, essential story.—New York Journal of Books[Anderson's] not just parading the events of Shostakovich’s life before the reader; he’s by the reader’s side, helping them to make sense of what they see...It’s been a while since a book about Shostakovich impressed me this much. Symphony for the City of the Dead is worth reading whatever your age.—DSCH JournalFans of M.T. Anderson’s National Book Award-winning YA novel, “The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation Volume 1” and acclaimed dystopian novel “Feed,” will not be surprised at the brilliance of the writing and the meticulous research on display in this marvelous, compulsively readable biography of composer Dmitri Shostakovich and the great city that inspired his Seventh Symphony.—The Buffalo News M. T. Anderson is the author of Feed, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, as well as The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation Volume I: The Pox Party, winner of the National Book Award and a New York Times bestseller, and its sequel, The Kingdom on the Waves, which was also a New York Times bestseller. Both volumes were also named Michael L. Printz Honor Books. M. T. Anderson lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Read more
Features & Highlights
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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Most Helpful Reviews
★★★★★
4.0
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Extreme Situations
Extreme Situations
Symphony for the City of the Dead. Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad
I can recommend this very readable book with some reservations about the reader-level promoted for it--and with urgent references to reviews of other books on the subject, given below.
This story goes far beyond what its title promises, providing pretty much a complete biography of Shostakovich and a history of Russia and the Soviet Union from before the 1905 Revolution and the Thaw following the death of Stalin.
Anderson gives us a harrowing tale of extreme cruelty on the part of both Stalin and Hitler, as well as manipulation of Stalin by Hitler. Stalin brought the invasion and near defeat of his country on himself by his extreme purges of his own military and his party in the late 1930’s, killing off his own best generals, who believed in the effectiveness of tanks rather than horses; and Hitler cooperated in framing the best general of all.
After breaking the nonaggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, Hitler’s army penetrated far into Russia and the northern city of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and that city experienced the longest siege in military history: nine hundred days. Hitler hoped to starve the inhabitants rather than conquer them—and nearly succeeded. Huge numbers did starve, and starvation was followed by widespread cannibalism.
Harrowing accounts of cannibalismand graphic accounts of torture by the Soviet secret police are matters calculated to give one nightmares, and I have strong doubts about the suitability of this book for teenagers. In any case, I would not recommend it for anyone under seventeen.
As for Shostakovich, one of the great Russian composers, Anderson gives an account of the official disfavor he experienced at the time of the Great Purges, on account of his opera Lady MacBeth of Mtensk and again in 1948. He was fortunate to have his life spared, but he lived in fear of arrest at times. In its favor, Anderson’s book gives a balanced account of Shostakovich’s career, leading one to find it strange that some believe he was a lifelong convinced communist, rather than someone acting in the spirit of self-preservation.
Shostakovich stayed in Leningrad for most of the long siege and wrote three out of four movements of the big symphony celebrating that city, beginning with a long, repetitious march meant to represent the advance of the German army (but which has been otherwise interpreted by some). Anderson gives the reader a description of each of the symphonic movements.
My review is based on a pre-publication text of the book, including a bibliography and some notes; however the notes had not yet been assigned page numbers, so were of limited use for me as documentation of the author’s statements.
Anderson’s book appears less than a year from the publication of Brian Moynahan’s Leningrad Siege and Symphony; the Story of the Great City Terrorized by Stalin, Starved by Hitler, Immortalized by Shostakovich. Anyone interested in Anderson’s account should look at the reviews of Moynahan’s somewhat longer book, and those seriously interested in Shostakovich should look at Shostakovich Reconsidered, written and edited by Allan B. Ho and Dmitry Feofanov, with “an overture” by the musician Vladimir Ashkenazy, which defends the authenticity of the controversial book Testimony, published as by Shostakovich as told to Solomon Volkov.
Moynahan was a foreign correspondent for the London Times and has written previous books on Russian history. Anderson is a novelist writing his first nonfiction book, and for some reason this is being pitched as a young adult’s book; some of his writing reflects that aim, but the book might just as well be considered for the general reader.
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5.0
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Orpheus in Hell
Ostensibly this is a book for younger readers, perhaps for High School Advanced Placement English, Music or History students. This unassuming book however can hold its own in terms of pure scholarship. I am a subscriber to DSCH, and own every book I've been able to get my hands on on the life and music of Dmitri Shostakovitch, beginning with "Testimony", as told by Shostakovitch to Solomon Volkov and and New York Times journalist Harrison E. Salisbury's "The 900 Days:The Siege of Leningrad." A superb story teller, M.T. Anderson has created the most fully integrated book on Shostakovitch life & times thus far. There are those who consider Shostakovitch to be Gustav Mahler's heir apparent as master of the Symphonic form. We can only wish that someday a writer will come to the fore such as Henri-Louie de LaGrange did for the life & music of Mahler, & will write the definitive book(s) on Shostakovitch. For readers young AND old, Anderson's book will breath life into the story of this tormented soul who was the 20th Centuries most versatile composer.
11 people found this helpful
★★★★★
3.0
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strong 3, over-long and a little uneven, but quite strong in its most compelling moments
Symphony for the City of the Dead
In Symphony for the City of the Dead, M.T. Anderson explores the bleakly grim siege of Leningrad through the prism of music, specifically Dmitri Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony, composed while much of the city burned and starved around him. It’s a bit of a mixed bag: sometimes compelling, sometimes not; sometimes intimately connected to its people, other times oddly distanced from them. And I’d say it’s more than a little over-long, perhaps especially so for its targeted YA audience, its length robbing it somewhat of its emotional impact. But overall its strengths outweigh its weaknesses, though I wish that had been more obviously so.
It begins with a fascinating tracing of the symphony’s circuitous journey via microfilm from the Soviet Union to the United States, part of the motivation for that journey being a hope that the music would stir the US population to further and deepen its support of the Russian people against Hitler.
From that gripping start, filled with some of those quirks of history where a seemingly trivial event (or non-event) could have wholly derailed the path we’ve all been placed on, Anderson jumps back to pre-war Leningrad, introducing us in some detail to young Shostakovich and placing him soundly in the context of the city’s social and artistic culture.
At first, all seems well for the young composer working in a cosmopolitan, Western-leaning, liberal city, but it doesn’t take long for things to go downhill once the Bolshevik’s take over, and soon Shostakovich is being denounced from the State’s mouthpieces for not hewing closely enough to party thinking. Charges that were not only injurious to his music career, but which, in the era of Lenin, could lead to his becoming one of the many imprisoned, executed, or “disappeared.” Anderson does a nice job of relaying the sense of fear and paranoia Shostakovich lived under, as well as showing how the political atmosphere is, perhaps, displayed in Shostakovich’s musical creations (“perhaps” because any interpretation of art lacks a sense of certainty).
After Lenin’s purges come WWII, Hitler’s invasion, and eventually the infamous siege. Despite being aimed at a youthful audience, Anderson does not shy away from the grim state of things in the city throughout, painting an emotionally exhausting picture of bleak survival for some, death for others, and the dark choices people made to be one of the former rather than the latter, including cannibalism. Shostakovich suffered privations as well, but continued to work on his symphony, which became a beacon of hope and a symbol of survival for the city’s inhabitants, even after Shostakovich and his family were transported out of the city. Despite the composer’s escape, in a wise authorial choice, Anderson keeps the reader returning to the city under siege. When the symphony is finally to be performed in his home city (after it’s been played across the world), it’s a devastating yet inspiring read as Anderson details those members of the orchestra who have died or are too weak to play (barely a dozen are able to make the first rehearsal).
Anderson continues the story beyond the siege and takes us to the end of Shostakovich’s life. As mentioned, it’s mostly a successful story of a life, a musical creation, and a fortitude in the face of incomprehensible horror and suffering. Anderson does a good job with the siege story in particular, doing justice to a reality so compelling by its own nature. He has a harder task with Shostakovich’s bio, thanks to how little is known for sure of the man’s true beliefs and thoughts. Anderson is always quick to point to how unreliable much of what we know is, and does an excellent job of tying much of that to the systematic fear and terror of the Soviet system under Lenin and Stalin—how can we trust what anyone says in that time period when what you said could lead directly to your death (and your family’s)? As well, we have a “memoir” whose very authorship is called into question and stories from an aunt of whom Anderson writes, “we should be cautious of believing absolutely the testimony of a natural storyteller who clamed that in her infancy she was nursed by a bear.” As for Shostakovich’s own words, again, whose to say what was truth, what was meant to placate the authorities, what was meant to bolster his own reputation, or what was just the fog of memory? Anderson’s honesty is welcome throughout and a good lesson for his YA audience, which might regard the stories of history as they’ve learned them with a bit too much certainty.
Symphony for the City of the Dead might be a mixed bag in its elements, and as mentioned, shaving some of its length would I think have allowed it to have greater emotional impact and intensity, but it’s well worth a read, YA or not.
11 people found this helpful
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3.0
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Hang in there
This book starts out slow and clumsy. I was in agony and almost put it down. When the book finally gets into World War II, it becomes riveting--a real can't-put-it-down book. So hang in there and stay with it. You will be rewarded. Definitely a terrific book for anyone interested in WWII. I learned a great deal about Stalin and Hitler. Fascinating.
9 people found this helpful
★★★★★
3.0
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This is a book for young readers
I was attracted to this book because of the subject. Once I began reading it, however, I noticed that sentences were short, explanations and contextualization were skimpy. I had not looked up this book on amazon, and so did not realize that this book is for young adult readers. the only indications of that I could find were mention on the dust jacket that this book is a Junior Literary guild selection, and the dedication at the front of the book: "To all young musicians". Although I'm still interested in the subject - Shostakovich and the Leningrad siege - I'd rather read a book written for adult readers on this subject. So if you are like me, and you found the book interesting at first glance, but you aren't a young adult reader, just be forewarned that this book is written for a junior reading audience.
6 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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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.
6 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Unique Russian History Book
This book is very enjoyable to read - albeit, some say and I agree, the detail tends to be somewhat gruesome at times for minors, reminding me of "A People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn. Although I am not familiar with the author, M. T. Anderson, and that this is his first non-fiction book to write, I find contents to be very informative. I remembered that I took Russian history class during my college days which ended with the last Czar, Peter the Great. After that, I read many liner notes of Shostakovich Later Symphonies recordings (8th Symphony and thereon) and appended my knowledge, knowing they are sporadic in nature. Perhaps, this book began to rekindle my interest in Russian history once again.
Being an ESL (originally from Japan), I found the way it's written made easier to read / understand like I mentioned above (for minors), but contents appear to be well detailed, with dates and places well documented, and is from a unique standpoint that the time Shostakovich living in the city of Leningrad. I doubt if there will be a book like this in the future. Despite the fact that history book reading isn't really my forte (yet), I highly recommend this book to anyone whoever has interest in learning Semi-Modern Russian History, not just classical music lovers who happen to have interest in history.
Things I found particularly interesting were:
1. Posters of war propagandas with mechanical appearance of humans that we might have seen decades ago, might have originated in the "new" Soviet Union in the early 1920s (Mayakovsky).
2. The weight of music in people's daily lives are vastly different for Russia than that of the U.S.
3. Regardless of the governmental system setup, if the leaders have too much power, it will create more problems than benefits.
While I was still in the middle of reading the book, I noticed that the author questioned the authenticity of Volkov's Testimony which I happened to have read 20 some years ago. I commented originally about the testimony at length, but agreed with the author that many more new accounts of history (probably with more accuracy) have been released to the public, therefore, there is less point to comment on the Testimony alone.
I will look forward to read M. T. Anderson's further installments of non-fiction history books.
6 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Shostakovich's music unites and raises spirits of the besieged
I am a classical music lover and I thought this book was outstanding. The author provides the background of what is going on in Russia as it impacts on composer, Dmitri Shostakovich. I had no idea of the torments the Russian people went through as things in the country went from imperial rule to that of Lenin and then Stalin. In America, we hear much about the persecution of the Jews by Germany, but not about the thousands of Russians who were starved, sent to labor camps, tortured, shot, etc. The City of Leningrad was under siege for over a year while bombed and blockaded by the Germans. Shostakovich's 7th symphony (the Leningrad) was played all over the world and even by an orchestra of starving musicians within the city. It brought feelings of solidarity and hope to those who heard it.
5 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Fascinating
Easily the best book I've ever read on the siege of Leningrad (and I've read many) with Shostakovich's experience added in. I never really felt the fear of living under Stalin before; the numbers were numbing, but here you can feel it as an individual. Labeled as a Young Adult book, but I didn't feel as if the author was talking down to me. Amazing stories, one after another, right through the death of Stalin, as well written as I've ever read it.
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Gripping history, could not put it down ... despite slightly simplified text
I admit I wouldn't have bought this book had I known it was written in (I suppose) high school English. That doesn't mean it is "little kiddie" English, it's just not generally put together with difficult words and complex sentences that make reading, for reading's sake alone, fun and challenging.
So the interest here lies solely in the content, not the delivery.
And boy, does it give the content. What an amazing story! I could hardly put the book down. The chapters on the Great Terror, the purges and summary executions were so intense, I didn't see how it could get any better (or worse). Then the war started, the Nazi invasion and the Siege of Leningrad, which made all the other horrors look like mere prelude. Well, I read the 383 pages in three evenings, and sorry when it was over.
Therefore I'm glad I DIDN'T know about the relative simplicity of the text. Yes, it was a slight annoyance at the beginning, but quickly faded out of consciousness.
Of course one cannot read or write about Shostakovich without dealing with 'Testimonies', the controversial book which claims to be the authentic memoirs of Shostakovich but many consider to be a fraud. Unfortunately 'Testimonies' has become part of the standard discussion of Shostakovich, almost as much as or maybe even more than the (few) undisputed aspects of his life and output. Thankfully however, the author here is not a 'true believer' and while he or she (the author seems to have taken pains not to reveal gender) ... does quote from 'Testimony', it is with a preface such as 'the purported memoirs of Shostakovich, which however some believe to be a forgery', etc. I think this is a pretty well-balanced approach and as good as we can expect considering the circumstances. The author also makes plain that basically no one can tell exactly what was happening during those years in undisputed detail. Not only was it 80 years ago, it was during a time when everyone was a little crazy due to politics and persecution, prone to exaggerate some things and minimize others, literally in order to survive one day to the next.
Anyway I highly recommend this book .......... got it for my adult son also ...
