If you like this book...
Readers who enjoyed The Madonnas of Leningrad may also enjoy these titles with common subjects including memory, the ability of art to sustain us, the fate of treasured works of art during WWII, and the city now known as St. Petersburg.
Click on the images of the individual book covers to see what others are saying about these titles on Goodreads or Amazon.com.
Click on the images of the individual book covers to see what others are saying about these titles on Goodreads or Amazon.com.
Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
For a story about memory issues with a totally different feel than The Madonnas of Leningrad, readers may enjoy this chilling, suspenseful tale about a gifted orthopedic surgeon suffering from dementia. Dr. Jennifer White's best friend is dead, and specific aspects of the crime lead investigators to believe that Dr. White may be responsible for her death. Is her failing mind really preventing her from remembering the details of what happened, or allowing her to get away with murder?
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything
by Joshua Foer
Journalist Joshua Foer's bestselling title examines the cultural history and power of human memory. Through study of the type of information most easily retained by the human mind, Foer discusses ways to improve one's ability to remember through the use of a series of fascinating tricks and techniques to commit information to memory. Foer also discusses his experience competing against "mental athletes" in the U.S. Memory Championship.
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
Readers of The Madonnas of Leningrad who marveled at Marina's reliance on the beauty of art to see her through the horrors of war may also enjoy this moving story about a cellist whose music inspires others in war-torn Sarajevo. A cellist risks his life when he vows to play in a dangerous public square for 22 straight days in honor of 22 innocent people killed at that site in a mortar attack. Against the backdrop of his beautiful music, the lives of four individuals struggling to survive the war play out, with each searching to understand the meaning and value of their lives. The novel was inspired by actual events.
The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich
and the Second World War by Lynn H. Nicholas
While Director Orbeli of the Hermitage Museum was able to safely evacuate the majority of the Museum's treasures to protect them from damage or potential theft by the German army during WWII, other museums throughout war-torn Europe were not so fortunate. This title explores the systematic, large-scale looting and destruction of major works of art from museums and personal collections by the Nazis in German-occupied countries, all done at Hitler's direction. Also discussed are the heroic efforts made to hide certain works, the post-war quest to recover as many of the stolen works of art as possible, and the efforts to return those works to their rightful owners that continue to this day.
St. Petersburg by Colin Amery, Brian Curran and Yuri Molodkovets
This title is a beautifully illustrated and photographic tribute to the 300 year-old city of St. Petersburg, which has been deemed a World Heritage Site by the United Nations. The authors document the history of the city's architecture, art, literature, and landscape from its beginnings, including details of post-WWII restoration of the city's many historic buildings that were damaged during WWII.