Symphony for the City of the Dead (2015) by M. T. Anderson is a historical non-fiction book that tells the harrowing story of the Siege of Leningrad during World War II, highlighting the resilience of the city’s inhabitants and the music of Dmitri Shostakovich. The book delves into Shostakovich’s life before the war, his struggles under Stalin's repressive regime, and the composition of his 7th Symphony, the Leningrad Symphony, which became a symbol of defiance and hope during the siege. Anderson intertwines the grim realities of war, starvation, and repression with the emotional power of Shostakovich's music, illustrating how art can both reflect and transcend the horrors of its time.
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