The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad
A True Story of Science and Sacrifice in a City under Siege
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The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad
Narrated by:
Elliot Fitzpatrick
Buy Now for $26.99
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Narrated by:
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Elliot Fitzpatrick
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By:
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Simon Parkin
About this listen
From the winner of the 2023 Wingate Literary Prize comes a fascinating and moving untold story of the Leningrad scientists who risked everything for the future of humanity
*An Economist Book of the Year*
'An astonishing story brilliantly told . . . It is as moving as it is gripping to read'
Jonathan Dimbleby, author of Endgame: 1944
'A richly researched and meticulously observed account of a little-explored corner of 20th-century history'
Guardian
'A fantastically well-researched history of science and sacrifice saturated in drama'
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In the summer of 1941, German troops surrounded the Russian city of Leningrad - now St Petersburg - and began the longest blockade in recorded history. By the most conservative estimates, the siege would claim the lives of three-quarters of a million people. Most died of starvation.
At the centre of the embattled city stood a converted palace that housed the greatest living plant library ever amassed - the world's first seed bank. After attempts to evacuate the collection failed, and as supplies dwindled, the scientists responsible faced a terrible decision: should they distribute the specimens to the starving population, or preserve them in the hope that they held the key to ending global famine?
Drawing on previously unseen sources, The Forbidden Garden tells the remarkable and moving story of the botanists who remained at the Plant Institute during the darkest days of the siege, risking their lives in the name of science.
'A compelling account . . . a remarkable work of literary exhumation. The first full account of the Plant Institute in any language, it's a fitting testimony to an extraordinary project and the bravery of the ordinary individuals who kept it going'
Telegraph
'A beautifully-written account of one of the most extraordinary and little-known episodes of the Second World War -- a scientific feat and act of collective self-sacrifice the consequences of which continue to be felt today'
Adam Higginbotham, author of Challenger
'A gripping, original and important story of courage and science in wartime'
Roland Philipps, author of A Spy Named Orphan©2024 Simon Parkin
Critic Reviews
An astonishing story brilliantly told. With a revelation on almost every page, Parkin reveals how a small group of passionate scientists put their lives on the line to save one the world's most important seed banks. By placing their desperate efforts against the backdrop of the wider horrors endured by the people of Leningrad, the author provides context and meaning for their untold acts of individual heroism. It is as moving as it is gripping to read one of the most remarkable stories of the Second World War (Jonathan Dimbleby, author of Endgame: 1944)
Riveting . . . restores Vavilov and his scientific colleagues to their rightful places in the pantheon of Soviet heroes . . . remarkable (Mark Honigsbaum)
A history book as gripping as a thriller . . . Simon Parkin's account of the seedbank in The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad is extraordinary . . . striking narrative gold, he sets out this remarkable story in admirable detail, drawing upon fresh research sources . . . The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad is as gripping as it is absorbing throughout (Peter Carty)
Vivid . . . [an] engaging read for a general audience (Catriona Kelly)
A gripping, original and important story of courage and science in wartime (Roland Philipps, author of A Spy Named Orphan)
A compelling account. I've read histories of the siege before, but few with such disarming immediacy . . . a remarkable work of literary exhumation. The first full account of the Plant Institute in any language, it's a fitting testimony to an extraordinary project and the bravery of the ordinary individuals who kept it going - the men and women who were prepared to sacrifice all for the sake of a spud (Alex Diggins)
A richly researched and meticulously observed account of a little-explored corner of 20th-century history (Charlie English)
An extraordinary tale. Parkin gives us detailed, immersive scenes and his narrative is rich in dialogue . . . the story raises important issues about the extent to which scientific progress can justify social neglect, about the ethics of collection and curation, and about our responsibilities not only to each other, but also to future generations (Jessie Childs)
A fantastically well-researched history of science and sacrifice saturated in drama (Non-fiction Book of the Month)
Rich . . . [a] gripping, sensitive account (Sinclair McKay)
Thank goodness for Simon Parkin who has unearthed the remarkable story of a clutch of scientists holed up in a converted palace in the city who were running effectively the world's first seed bank . . . an enthralling book
and heard the story. of the siege I was delighted to know this book existed.
It’s certainly gave a huge full picture which I felt was so important to understand the passion that the botanis and of course Vavalov himself had of the threat of starvation which in fact they all experienced
it gave such a graphic insite into the horror of war in an unusual way to extend it to the plants on which we fully depend
Importance of seeds and respecting their power
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