Legacy of the Siege of Leningrad, 1941-1995, The

Fantastic. An accomplished exploration into the “Leningrad epic” and the myth of the “heroic defenders” during the Siege of Leningrad in WWII. Discusses what “memory” and commemoration means through the local example of Leningrad and details how the myth has been constructed, co-opted, and entirely vital to different eras of Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia. Kirschenbaum makes sense of all the contradictions and ironies. I've come away with a much better understanding not only of the specific example of trauma in Leningrad, but also how important memory is to both the individual and society.