Saint Petersburg

Sacrifice and Redemption in the City that Defied Hitler

Sinclair McKay

The epic story of the "900 days and nights” of the Siege of Leningrad set within an expansive history of the iconic city, from Peter the Great to Vladimir Putin.

In the crucible of World War II, Saint Petersburg—then known as Leningrad—stands as a testament to human endurance. As the Nazis encircle the city, intent on annihilating its 1.5 million inhabitants, the narrative plunges into the harrowing nine hundred days and nights of relentless hardship and unyielding resilience.

Starving residents, horrified by their own gaunt reflections, resort to bulking bread with wood shavings, consuming wallpaper paste, and even turning to their pets. Workers at the mass crematorium numb their horror with extra vodka rations. Yet, amid this suffering, the resilience of culture and hope shines through, with orchestras and theatres defiantly continuing their performances, a flicker of humanity against the backdrop of despair.

This book not only chronicles the Siege of Leningrad but also traces the pivotal importance of Saint Petersburg across the centuries. From Peter the Great’s visionary founding of the city, through its revolutionary rebirth as Petrograd and its Soviet identity as Leningrad, to its renaissance as Saint Petersburg in the post-Soviet era, we explore the layers of history that shape this extraordinary place

Sinclair McKay he is the London-based literary critic for the Telegraph and the Spectator and is the author of The Secret Life of Codebreakers and Bletchley Park Brainteasers. 

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Endorsements & Reviews

Early praise for Saint Petersburg:

"Richly-layered and packed with insight, this riveting account of terrible events tells us as much about the present as it does the past.” Patrick Bishop, author of Paris 1944

"The story of the siege of Leningrad is one of the great epics of modern history. It has been told many times before, but never in such an engrossing, moving, often horrifying but also uplifting way.” Brendan Simms, author of Hitler

"Sinclair McKay has followed up his spellbinding history of Berlin with another tour de force. Saint Petersburg is a riveting account of a beautiful city with a dark soul. Interlaced between descriptions of incredible beauty and decay are such unforgettable tales of cruelty and courage as to make a reader weep or forget to breathe. McKay's magisterial history of Peter the Great’s monumental gift to Russia will become a classic in its own right.” Amanda Foreman, New York Times bestselling author of Georgiana

"McKay is a gifted writer; his prose has the cadence, tone and power of a Shostakovich symphony. Horror is majestically conveyed.” Gerard DeGroot, The Times (London)