A Telegraph Book of the Year, soon to be a BBC Radio 4 dramatisation.
'Extraordinary.' Philippe Sands
'We are touched by the courage and dignity of Andrew Harding's characters - qualities that the author must surely possess in equal measure.' - Andrey Kurkov
'A story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people. - James Meek
'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' - Lindsey Hilsum
It's March 2022 and Russian tanks are roaring across the vast, snow-dusted fields of Ukraine. Their destination: Voznesensk, a town with a small bridge that could change the course of the war.
The heavily-armed Russians are expecting an easy fight - or no fight at all. After all, Voznesensk is a quiet farming town, full of pensioners. But the locals appear to have other ideas.
Svetlana, a grandmother with arthritis, reacts in fury when Russian troops turn her cottage into their blood-soaked headquarters. Valentin, a quick-talking lawyer, joins the town's 'Dads Army' defenders, crouching in a trench with an AK47. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Sergei grabs a Molotov cocktail and lies in wait for Russian tanks as they push towards Dead Water Bridge.
The odds are terrible. But a plan is emerging, and there's a chance it could save not just Voznesensk, but the rest of southern Ukraine. Meanwhile, inside the tanks, an inner battle rages. As Russian officer Igor Rudenko prepares to invade, he has a secret. He is Ukrainian himself.
A gripping work of reportage that tells the story of a pivotal moment in Ukraine's war, this is a real-life thriller about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances with resilience, humour and ingenuity.
'[Andrew Harding is] one of our most gifted and sensitive journalists' - Jon Snow
Rezensionen / Stimmen
'A short, brilliant book... Its characters could have walked out of a novel' * Financial Times * 'A cracking story ... that never loses sight of the "murderous absurdity" of Russia's war' -- Justin Marozzi * The Spectator * '[A] remarkable story ... propulsive' * The Irish Times * 'Riveting and vividly written ... this gripping story is the literary equivalent of a superb miniature painting' * The Observer * 'The story of Ukraine in perfect microcosm - ordinary people doing absolutely extraordinary things - beautifully told' -- Christina Lamb
Sprache
Verlagsort
Maße
Höhe: 219 mm
Breite: 135 mm
Dicke: 21 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-1-80418-379-3 (9781804183793)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Andrew Harding is a British journalist and author of two internationally acclaimed non-fiction books, The Mayor of Mogadishu, and These Are Not Gentle People, which won South Africa's top literary prize. Andrew has been a foreign correspondent for BBC News for three decades, reporting from the former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa. He has covered many of the world's conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, and has won numerous awards, including an Emmy.
