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

I haven't read this, but my son really enjoyed it. I picked it up at Square Books in Oxford; when I described my son's reading preferences they instantly reached for this book. This is the true story of how the Leningrad Symphony played a surprising role on the path to allied victory. From 1941-1944, Hitler's Wermacht surrounded Leningrad, laying siege to the city and preventing supplies from getting in or out. Those three years saw utter destruction, over a million deaths, and horrifying poverty. Trapped yet inspired by his countrymen, Dmitri Shostakovich wrote the Leningrad Symphony. Audiobook listeners: this one includes snippets of the music as you listen, providing a layered experience.