The Unwomanly Face of War cover art

The Unwomanly Face of War

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The Unwomanly Face of War

By: Svetlana Alexievich, Richard Pevear - translator, Larissa Volokhonsky - translator
Narrated by: Julia Emelin, Yelena Shmulenson
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexeivich, read by Julia Emelin and Yelena Shmulenson.

Bringing together dozens of voices in her distinctive style, The Unwomanly Face of War is Svetlana Alexievich's collection of stories from Soviet women who lived through the Second World War: on the front lines, on the home front and in occupied territories. As Alexievich gives voice to women who are absent from official narratives - captains, sergeants, nurses, snipers and pilots - she shows us a new version of the war we're so familiar with, creating an extraordinary alternative history from their private stories.

Published in 1985 in Russia and now available in English for the first time, The Unwomanly Face of War was Alexievich's first book and a huge bestseller in the Soviet Union, establishing her as a brilliantly revolutionary writer.

 20th Century Military Modern Russia Women War Soviet Union

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Critic reviews

A must read (Margaret Atwood)
Extraordinary. . . it would be hard to find a book that feels more important or original. . . Alexievich's strength - and a mark of her own courage - is that she is forever on the lookout for the seemingly inconsequential, almost trivial human moments. . . Her achievement is as breathtaking as the experiences of these women are awe-inspiring (Viv Groskop)
A revelation. . . Alexievich's text gives us precious details of the kind that breathe life into history . . . This is a book about emotions as much as it is about facts. It is not a historical document in the accepted sense. . . and yet ultimately, which historical documents are more important than this? (Lyuba Vinogradova)
A profoundly humbling, devastating book, it should be compulsory reading for anyone wishing to understand the experience of the war and its haunting legacy in the former Soviet Union (Daniel Beer)
These stories about the women warriors of Mother Russia are a symphony of feminine suffering and strength. . . Read this book. And then read it again (Gerard DeGroot)
Astonishing. . . Her years of meticulous listening, her unobtrusiveness and her ear for the telling detail and the memorable story have made her an exceptional witness to modern times. . . This is oral history at its finest and it is also an essay on the power of memory, on what is remembered and what is forgotten (Caroline Moorehead)
One of the most heart-breaking books I have ever read. . . I urge you to read it (Julian Evans)
The least well-known wonderful writer I've ever come across (Jenni Murray)
As with her other books, terrifying documentation meets great artfulness of construction (Julian Barnes)
Groundbreaking. . . a mosaic of Russian women's stories - from the home front to the front lines, from foot soldiers to cryptographers to antiaircraft commanders
All stars
Most relevant
Instead of men writing about war the women of Russia have their say about World War 2 and all its tribulations. Their story would be the same the world over throughout history. Some stories can reduce you to tears, others about bravery and fortitude can show what can be done in the face of overwhelming odds and the brutality of war. A book not for the faint hearted but still worth listening too.

Sadness of War

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Often harrowing in the extreme the experiences of these girl soldiers tell of some of the depths that man and mankind can reach - and which remains true in today’s world - as well as sometimes telling of the heights. This reminds me of the book The Dark Continent which describes the aftermath of WWII throughout Europe when, as I recall, more people were killed than during the war, often with unbelievable barbarity. The Russian nation suffered so much both during and after the war and, nowadays, their contribution toward victory tends to shamefully be ignored. So important that these memories have been painstakingly gathered, recorded and published - thank you

What an Undertaking

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Great book, very hard to listen to some parts, shocking to hear what these Russian women went through in the fight against the Nazis! We owe them great gratitude for sharing their stories, and to the author for her work in writing their stories down.

Excellent - shocking!

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The stories of the women are heartwrenching but beautiful. Stories of loss and grief, of women who participated in wwII..

heartwrenching

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This audio was at time very emotional and greatly informative. Would recommend as a much read for everyone.

Greatly informative.

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