Leningrad

The Epic Siege of World War II, 1941-1944

By: Anna Reid

Narrated by: Peter Drew

Length: 15 hrs

Publisher's summary

On September 8, 1941, 11 weeks after Hitler's brutal surprise attack on the Soviet Union, Leningrad was surrounded. The German siege was not lifted for two and a half years, by which time some three quarters of a million Leningraders had died of starvation. Stripping away decades of Soviet propaganda, and drawing on newly available diaries and government records, Anna Reid chronicles the Nazis' deliberate decision to starve Leningrad into surrender, the incompetence and cruelty of the Soviet war leadership, the horrors experienced by soldiers on the front lines, and, above all, the ordeal of life in the blockaded city.

Leningrad tackles a raft of unanswered questions: Was the size of the death toll as much the fault of Stalin as of Hitler? Why didn't the Germans capture the city? Why didn't it collapse into anarchy? What decided who lived and who died? Impressive in its originality and literary style, Leningrad gives voice to the dead and throws new light on one of the twentieth century's greatest calamities.

©2011 Anna Reid (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Horrible narration

Informative book ruined by narrator apparently unfamiliar with pronunciation of either Russian or English words.

loved it.

This book went into a ton of detail that you may not of heard any where else. Sure we all know the siege was terrible but through this book you get a tiny glimpse into what that actually means. You also get a feel for how terrible the Soviet government actually was. I also really enjoyed the narrator.

A truth at last revealed.

What did you love best about Leningrad?

The eye-witness accounts.

What did you like best about this story?

The whole idea. Not much is known about the siege in the West.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Peter Drew?

I might.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Battle between Darkness and Light.

Any additional comments?

None.

Tremendous production of gripping history

I only learned about the siege of Leningrad when I visited there about ten years ago. It was shocking to visit the memorial and learn that so many people perished from German rapacity and Soviet incompetence. Anna Reid has written this book with a master storyteller’s great sense of pacing and a historian’s respect for research. Peter Drew’s voice talent is superbly well matched to her great skills.

Good book, Horrible Performance

I've had to stop listening to this book because the performance is so monotone. The performer just drags on and on. They should take this off the market and record it. Just horrible.

great book, bad narration

a great glimpse inside the siege. narrator sounded robotic and unemotional. highly recommended for content.

Great story, poor narration.

Blatant disregard for proper pronunciation of Russian names. Interesting pronunciation of words like ‘ration’. Am I the only one that was annoyed by it?

Heart wrenching

This is Item #1 in the indictment of the human race, focusing on the misery that results from struggles regarding greed, power, lunacy, and the gullibility of the powerless. Sad. So sad. I continually overlapped already heard sections because I didn't want to miss a breath.

Not in depth

If you don’t know much about the siege of Leningrad but are curious this audio book is for you. I’ve listened / read other material on this subject. Not in depth or professional. I didn’t learn anything new from this book that I didn’t know from a couple pod casts and a lecture or two. Overall this book gives a great look into real human experiences we should all be glad we don’t have to experience first hand.

Very Good Look at the History We Were Not Taught

I am convinced from reading several history books about Russia lately that without the Soviet Union, Hitler may have been more successful. He would not have won, but had Hitler maintained the alliance rather than violate it, the world would be a different place today.

The siege of Leningrad was a horribly grim piece of history. The Soviet Union gave the city virtually no support. The city was on its own. Food ran out. Hundreds of thousands died. No wonder the Russian people are so tough. They had nearly a century of oppressive rule after their centuries of oppressive rule. They beat Napoleon and Hitler but not their own leaders and system.

The book is a little choppy to follow. But, unlike the Rape of Nanking, it is not so grossly graphic that you cannot bear to listen to it.

I highly recommend this book. Well done on all fronts.