A Small, Stubborn Town
Life, Death and Defiance in Ukraine
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A Small, Stubborn Town
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Narrated by:
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Andrew Harding
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By:
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Andrew Harding
About this listen
A Telegraph Book of the Year, soon to be a BBC Radio 4 dramatisation.
It's March 2022 and Russian tanks are roaring across the vast, snow-dusted fields of Ukraine. Their destination: Voznesensk, a town with a small bridge that could change the course of the war.
The heavily-armed Russians are expecting an easy fight - or no fight at all. After all, Voznesensk is a quiet farming town, full of pensioners. But the locals appear to have other ideas.
Svetlana, a grandmother with arthritis, reacts in fury when Russian troops turn her cottage into their blood-soaked headquarters. Valentin, a quick-talking lawyer, joins the town's 'Dads Army' defenders, crouching in a trench with an AK47. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Sergei grabs a Molotov cocktail and lies in wait for Russian tanks as they push towards Dead Water Bridge.
The odds are terrible. But a plan is emerging, and there's a chance it could save not just Voznesensk, but the rest of southern Ukraine. Meanwhile, inside the tanks, an inner battle rages. As Russian officer Igor Rudenko prepares to invade, he has a secret. He is Ukrainian himself.
A gripping work of reportage that tells the story of a pivotal moment in Ukraine's war, this is a real-life thriller about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances with resilience, humour and ingenuity.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2023 Andrew Harding (P)2023 Bonnier Books UKListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"It would be wonderful if the story told in this beautiful little book were the author's invention. But alas, the story itself is pure truth... We are touched by their courage and dignity - qualities that the author must surely have possessed in equal measure to record these extraordinary events." (Andrey Kurkov)
"A piercing book: the story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people, and an accessible, limpid account of what battle is actually like." (James Meek)
"This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm." (Lindsey Hilsum)
What listeners say about A Small, Stubborn Town
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- James A
- 23-07-23
Excellent listen, eye opening.
Insightful and honest. The author explained why he felt the need to record the event(s). I think neutral listeners will understand.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A John B
- 08-07-23
A gripping read with an immersive edge
A story well told and narrated. Harding provides clarity and insight into how profoundly The Special Military Operation unexpectedly impacted the lives of ordinary folk in the unremarkable town of Voznesensk. This is great reporting far removed from the highly visual bangs, flashes and ensuing destruction we see on screen. Harding's gripping account of how the conflict develops around the town gives an immersive edge as the story unfolds with the various characters. The sense of bewilderment, fear, conflicted emotions and confusion for Ukrainian civilians (as well as for some 'liberating' Russian soldiers) gives added emotional depth. Tragic, and highly topical, but a gripping read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- William
- 06-08-23
Vindication of the value of journalism witness
A brief account of a few days at the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As the volume of events and stories emerging from the country can be overwhelming, it is very useful to have a narrative focussed on a few days in one specific locality. We meet a small group of people and live through the fear, trauma and excitement of facing down an attacking army.
The characters described are not romanticised into idealised heroes and heroines. They are ordinary, normal people dealing with life's problems as best they can. The Russians are not demonised either, and we understand something of their confusion when attacking what they were told is a brother country. Fear and adrenaline leads to many terrible things, on both sides.
There is an encouraging note about the positive effect of the war on Ukrainians' civic identity. This story has an almost happy conclusion but it is by no means the end, as the author points out with a well-chosen quote from Chekhov.
Above all the story is significant for being the polar opposite of fake news and propaganda. The author does us a fantastic service by providing an account based on his experience of working what he has seen and heard. Being a war journalist is a dangerous job and we can only be grateful for the courage and integrity on display.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Maria B.
- 03-09-23
Gripping
The best thing I’ve ever heard on Audible. The text is beautifully written and evocative. The performance is note-perfect.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- MR E WILSON
- 20-02-24
Putin’s war crimes
The Russian people must rise up and depose Putin - he is solely responsible for not only killing innocent Ukrainians but also the dead Russian soldiers. He will never stop until he is removed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- J. Hunter
- 23-02-24
Great narrative reportage
Well narrated and fascinating detail and insight into the early part of the invasion. Would just have liked it to be longer!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- colin mckenzie
- 22-08-23
well worth a listen
a personal story, well written and well read. a glimpse behind the news headlines of the war in Ukraine
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