if you like war books you will like this.this book is good. this book come out i will buy this book.

I was granted a copy of this book from Net Galley, but this hasn't influenced the rating of this book. The thoughts of this review are my own.

I have found Prit Buttar one of the few military authors I can read without getting lost and frustrated. The layout of his books help me concentrate on the subject and I learn more on bits of information only sprinkled in the usual history books I read. When I realised that a new one by this author was coming out, and that I could successfully get an early copy from Net Galley, I immediately asked for it.

His books take me longer than other history books that I read. This isn't due to the author, as he explains everything clear enough that I can follow, but because it's military history. It's not my favourite side of history. I wanted to read this before I started Antony Beevor's 'Stalingrad', or, Jonathan Dimbleby 'Barbarossa'. I felt that if I had a strong picture of the battles, I would enjoy those two more.

Unfortunately, this one was that I had more difficulty than I usually did with this author. I'm not sure if it's because I am in the middle of a chaotic part of the year, but I had to put the book down every now and then. Normally I read a bit every day, to make sure that the information (army groups, military equipment etc.) are fresh in my head, but days would go by before I would pick it up again. And this inevitably made it harder for me to get back into the book.

I understand that this is more a fault of mine, and not the author's. I am glad that I read this, and will be buying the physical copy when it does come out. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about military tactics, but doesn't want to be bogged down by the facts.

Prit Buttar's book on Leningrad is incredibly dense and thorough, meant for lovers of history, military history, and those specifically interested in WW2. It goes in-depth into the location of Leningrad/St. Petersburg for the first few chapters, talking about its history as a location created by Peter the Great as a window to the West.

Buttar has a number of books on WW2 on the Eastern Front, so he has a specific style. He starts off with looking at the location, going in-depth into the military history on both sides of the conflict leading up the battle, as well as the intricacies of both sides' strategies, equipment, leadership, and overall morale. He provides maps to help visualize the conflict, and I really appreciated how he brought in how the outlying countries were affected during this conflict, such as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. There are numerous personnel on each side, but Buttar does a great job of introducing and reintroducing them throughout.

He provides a large number of primary sources: dispatches from both sides, letters of commanders, diaries from the soldiers, giving a holistic view of the conflict from the highest commanders to the ground troops. This is a great example of how to write enthralling military history, and if you are a WW2 enthusiast or an amateur military historian, Prit Buttar and his works are essential!

To Besiege a City is just another example of what author Prit Buttar does so well. He has written a history of the siege of Leningrad which will satisfy both military history buffs and people looking for a great story. Both sets of people will feel more enlightened by the end of the narrative and will have enjoyed the journey Buttar takes them on.

I almost feel like my praise sounds rather ho hum, but this kind of history is exceedingly difficult to keep interesting and informative. I love military history but understand how some people's eyes might glaze over reading about the movements of an army. Buttar knows this and intersperses the story with the actual words of people who were there and gives much needed perspective.

The other piece, which I thought was exceptional in To Besiege a City, is Buttar's analysis of the German and Red Army. There is very often a general view that the German Army was nearly unstoppable and Stalingrad was where hubris became their undoing. Buttar doesn't go for simplistic interpretations and takes a deep dive into the resources, strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, the decisions which decided the fate of Leningrad. If you are a World War II buff, you need to read this.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Osprey Publishing.)

There are plenty of volumes devoted to the siege and defense of Leningrad during the Second World War. I've read many of them and these days I'm quite selective of what I read that's devoted to this specific event because it's usually a time commitment and emotionally draining to read about the depths human beings devolved to in order to survive Leningrad's siege conditions. Prit Buttar has published numerous volumes on the Eastern Front of both WWI and WWII and that in and of itself can be a double-edged sword. Someone who has published so much in such a short period of time raises questions in terms of the depth of their research. In this case, my suspicions that this would most likely be a mix of superficial summary narrative with some first-hand accounts from soldiers and commanders proved true. As such, there's no real need to read this volume unless you enjoy the author's prose or are new to the topic. He covers both sides of the front, even if with limited source material, devotes some time to the human element of the story and dives into aspects of the Holocaust as well. But be warned that the book takes about 150+ pages to actually get to the siege of Leningrad. For those familiar with the topic, this will not alter your understanding of the Eastern Front, WWII, or the siege of Leningrad.

A great historical look at the siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg) during WW2. The hardships endured by the civilians and military during the siege was heartbreaking. This book was informative and the use of first hand accounts really added to the enjoyment of the story. A great read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.