The Unwomanly Face of War cover art

The Unwomanly Face of War

Penguin Modern Classics

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The Unwomanly Face of War

By: Svetlana Alexievich, Larissa Volokhonsky - translator, Richard Pevear - translator
Narrated by: Yelena Shmulenson, Julia Emelin
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexeivich, read by Julia Emelin and Yelena Shmulenson.

Bringing together dozens of voices in her distinctive style, The Unwomanly Face of War is Svetlana Alexievich's collection of stories from Soviet women who lived through the Second World War: on the front lines, on the home front and in occupied territories. As Alexievich gives voice to women who are absent from official narratives - captains, sergeants, nurses, snipers and pilots - she shows us a new version of the war we're so familiar with, creating an extraordinary alternative history from their private stories.

Published in 1985 in Russia and now available in English for the first time, The Unwomanly Face of War was Alexievich's first book and a huge best seller in the Soviet Union, establishing her as a brilliantly revolutionary writer.

©2017 Svetlana Alexievich (P)2017 Penguin Audio Military Women War Soviet Union Russia
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I thought this book was very moving. I very much enjoyed listen to the stories of the women and what they went through in the war. it was and very humble story telling. I thought the start of the book was a bit slow but once you got into it it was good listening.

incredibly moving records of history

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Not an easy listen, but fascinating, heartfelt, and tragic. moments of humour, but mostly of thankless sacrifice, followed by betrayal by the state, and those who stayed home.

A compelling but traumatic experience.

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A harrowing account of the contribution made by Russian Women in WWII. A collection of first hand accounts and experiences from frontline nurses, foot soldiers, snipers, flying aces and others. All heroic, All prepared to make selfless sacrifices during the hardest of times and while maintaining their identity of themselves and their country. Courageous women. They deserve respect. Well produced, well written and easy to follow.

Graphic, Disturbing, Fascinating!

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A great book on its own, but the fact that it is oral history makes the audiobook the best format to experience it.

The perfect format for it

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I loved every minute. It was a really good presentation to use different voices for each interviewee. It appears to explain so much about Russian, or Soviet, fortitude. I was brought up with stories of rationing and the blitz but the hardship of Nazi occupation on the eastern front must have been a living hell.

Amazingly brutal and touching

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An incredibly harrowing yet touching series of stories told by the women of WW2 from Belarus and Ukraine . The brutality and senseless carnage of brothers and sisters hating one another over ideas. War is as is so evidently illustrated here is always brutally conducted on the innocent people who have no power and no choices. Why isn’t war illegal? Why isn’t war simply a crime in itself? These are the questions I ask after listening to the beautiful voices of these women.

Staggering

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This was equally amazing, inspiring, funny, terrible, enlightening and horrifying.
I had no idea that women had served in so many front-line roles in WW2.
Persist through the lengthy introduction, it is worth it.

Wow, I had no idea.

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Self indulgent and philosophical, with no actual stories of what women achieved and endured during war times. Couldn’t take the boredom to persevere to find out if they were ever to eventualise.

Boring

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I was really looking forward to a different perspective of the war but the first half of this book is more about the author and her experience writing the piece than of the actual women themselves. She makes sure she is truly the star. Initially the women she interviews are reduced to one or two sentences and that’s all. By the second half Svetlana finally stops talking about herself so much and you get a flow of individual women and their experiences. It’s gritty and tough and at times, downright heart breaking. And then it just ends. There’s not even a wind down. One woman finishes telling her piece and that’s it.

I wouldn’t say don’t read it as there are some truly compelling stories; but I also won’t buy another of her books. I’d rather stick to authors that don’t insert themselves in their text half so much.

The author is the star

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A common theme running through these reminiscences is the love for Mother Russia. The Russian/German conflict was often barbaric, but it was one of the turning points in the war, and these oral histories from the front line are valuable.

Mother Russia

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