Lady Death
The Memoirs of Stalin's Sniper
-
-
4.3 • 6 Ratings
-
-
- $15.99
Publisher Description
The memoir of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the Russian woman who was WWII's most accomplished sniper—and a friend of Eleanor Roosevelt.
In June 1941, when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, Lyudmila Pavlichenko left her university studies, ignored the offer of a position as a nurse, and became one of Soviet Russia's two thousand female snipers. Less than a year later, she had 309 recorded kills, including 29 enemy sniper kills. By the time she was withdrawn from active duty due to injury, she was regarded as a key heroic figure for the war effort.
To continue serving the war effort, Pavlichenko spoke at rallies in Canada and the United States. She toured the White House with FDR, and the folk singer Woody Guthrie wrote a song, "Miss Pavlichenko," about her exploits. An advocate for women's rights, she befriended Eleanor Roosevelt and toured England to raise money for the Red Army.
Never returning to combat, Pavlichenko trained other snipers. After the war, she finished her education at Kiev University and began a career as a historian. Today, she remains a revered hero in Russia, where the 2015 film, Battle for Sevastopol, was made about her life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This translation of the memoirs of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the foremost female sniper in the Soviet Red Army in World War II, brings a gimlet-eyed, accomplished, and appealing figure to English-language readers. Pavlichenko fought in the early years of WWII, primarily in Ukraine and Crimea. She was the most proficient of the Red Army's more than 2,000 female snipers, with 309 confirmed kills to her name. She was highly decorated and promoted, led her own combat platoon of male snipers, and, after a tour of the U.S. and Great Britain, served as a sniper instructor during the war's latter years. Pavlichenko was a trained professional historian, which is reflected in the clarity of her prose and the accuracy of her descriptions. She was also an exceptional shooter; her understanding of the technology of weapons and shooting techniques is evident throughout. Finally, Pavlichenko was a young woman leading male soldiers during one of the most brutal wars in history, and her story can inform an understanding of women's performance in combat. This illuminating memoir will interest readers seeking insights into the Soviet soldier experience, the U.S.S.R.'s relationships with its allies, and the role of women in Soviet Russia and its military and even readers uninterested in those topics will enjoy spending time in Pavlichenko's company.
