Take a photo of a barcode or cover
915 reviews for:
The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II
Svetlana Alexiévich
4.57 AVERAGE
915 reviews for:
The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II
Svetlana Alexiévich
4.57 AVERAGE
sonic_the_hedgehog's review against another edition
5.0
He took Ellochka in his arms, hugged her, kissed her. He emptied out all his pockets, gave her bread crumbs. She downed them with water from the swamp. And following his example, other partisans emptied their pockets and gave her crumbs. When we got out of the encirclement, I was completely sick. I was covered with boils, my skin was peeling off. And I had a child on my hands…We were waiting for a plane from the mainland. They said that if it came, they would send off the most badly wounded, and they could take my Ellochka. And I remember that moment when I was sending her away. The wounded reached out for her: “Ellochka, to me.” “Come to me. There’s enough room…” They all knew her; in the hospital she sang for them: “Ah, if only I live till my wedding bells.” The pilot asked, “Who are you here with, little girl?” “With mama. She stayed outside the cabin…” “Call your mama, so she can fly with you.” “No, my mama can’t leave. She has to fight the fascists.” That’s how they were, our children. And I looked at her face and had spasms—will I see her again someday?
milointhewoods's review against another edition
5.0
“each time the truth is unbearable”
“it was hard for us to understand where their hatred came from”
“there can’t be one heart for hatred and another for love”
this was so profound, and incredibly well written. the translation is very impressive and brilliantly illustrates the clear talent of svetlana alexievich. it is so important to read the testimonies of women and this book is filled with simply awe-inspiring and equally harrowing content.
i have enormous amounts of respect for everyone involved in the production of the book as it is frankly extraordinary. i would recommend to anyone who would like more education on the soviet side of world war two. bear in mind, these are real testimonies from real women, and some of the things that happened in the war are unbearably graphic or upsetting.
this book is worth being read.
it’s just breathtaking and it’s so valuable that alexievich took the time to listen to these women, many of whom had clearly spent time being ignored, belittled or shamed for their involvement in the war.
“it was hard for us to understand where their hatred came from”
“there can’t be one heart for hatred and another for love”
this was so profound, and incredibly well written. the translation is very impressive and brilliantly illustrates the clear talent of svetlana alexievich. it is so important to read the testimonies of women and this book is filled with simply awe-inspiring and equally harrowing content.
i have enormous amounts of respect for everyone involved in the production of the book as it is frankly extraordinary. i would recommend to anyone who would like more education on the soviet side of world war two. bear in mind, these are real testimonies from real women, and some of the things that happened in the war are unbearably graphic or upsetting.
this book is worth being read.
it’s just breathtaking and it’s so valuable that alexievich took the time to listen to these women, many of whom had clearly spent time being ignored, belittled or shamed for their involvement in the war.
tolintook's review against another edition
5.0
The experiences of war described in this book are extremely varied, from harrowing to more hopeful and extraordinary feats of willpower, courage, and tolerance to pain. I did not know about the daily atrocities committed in World War II beyond concentration camps and ghettos (the atrocities there were, of course, horrendous). The daily atrocities described here mostly focus on Germans as perpetrators, but some Russian as well. I found it difficult to read through, but it is important that this is documented and for people to collectively remember what happened in this war, as many of the women who gave their testimonies stated.
I think to understand the many other themes in this book, I’d need to read this again, and I am not against re-reading this. There is much else beyond the atrocities/tortures/humiliations, but this first time I was reading this, it was the atrocities that stood out. Processing such disturbing actions will take some time, before I am ready to return to this. I have not read something before that led to so much physical nausea in myself.
In addition, I appreciated the reflections on the ‘qualitative research process’, although Alexievich uses more artistic ways of describing it than that! This book is also exemplary in how Alexievich did qualitative research that was meaningful for participants and that has broad value for understanding critical aspects of social life, specifically atrocities of war and confronting sexism.
I think to understand the many other themes in this book, I’d need to read this again, and I am not against re-reading this. There is much else beyond the atrocities/tortures/humiliations, but this first time I was reading this, it was the atrocities that stood out. Processing such disturbing actions will take some time, before I am ready to return to this. I have not read something before that led to so much physical nausea in myself.
In addition, I appreciated the reflections on the ‘qualitative research process’, although Alexievich uses more artistic ways of describing it than that! This book is also exemplary in how Alexievich did qualitative research that was meaningful for participants and that has broad value for understanding critical aspects of social life, specifically atrocities of war and confronting sexism.
marta_lalibretaroja's review against another edition
4.0
Tremendo y brutal libro sobre la IIGM a través de las mujeres. Hay pasajes tan duros que a veces hay que tomar distancia. El primer capítulo me costó pero luego adquiere se transforma en una narración más "narrativa". Espeluznante ver cómo la historia se repite.