Overview

'Extraordinary.' Philippe Sands 'We are touched by the courage and dignity of Andrew Harding's characters - qualities that the author must surely possess in equal measure.' - Andrey Kurkov 'A story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people. - James Meek 'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' - Lindsey Hilsum The Russians are invading. But the locals have a plan. 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. '[Andrew Harding is] one of our most gifted and sensitive journalists' - Jon Snow

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9781804185025

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Reviews

"'A short, brilliant book... Its characters could have walked out of a novel' * Financial Times * 'A cracking story ... that never loses sight of the ""murderous absurdity"" of Russia's war' -- Justin Marozzi * The Spectator * '[A] remarkable story ... propulsive' * The Irish Times * 'Riveting and vividly written ... this gripping story is the literary equivalent of a superb miniature painting' * The Observer * 'A short, brilliant book on the battle for Voznesensk. Harding captures the mixture of courage, bewilderment and mania of Ukrainians who decide to fight the invasion' -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times * 'Harding has told a mesmerising story of how in the face of a mighty army, ordinary people can sometimes turn and simply say, ""No.""' -- Sinclair McKay * Mail on Sunday * 'Elegantly told ... a deceptively simple narrative that explains a great deal about the dynamics of this war and many others' -- Roger Boyes * The Times * 'Harding recreates the fighting blow by-blow ... [and] the personalities of his interviewees come to life' * The Telegraph * 'Extraordinary; filled with a deep sense of enduring humanity. Immensely powerful, timely and real.' -- Philippe Sands, author of East West Street '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. Andrew Harding's characters invite the reader into their daily struggle which we witness with awe and empathy. 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 'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' -- Lindsey Hilsum 'A piercing book: the story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people, and an accessible, limpid account of what battle is actually like. -- James Meek 'Fascinating, vivid, often harrowing, and deeply moving. A must-read for anyone trying to grasp both the human dimension and larger dynamics of this brutal contemporary war.' -- Fiona Hill, author of There Is Nothing for You Here 'A captivating tale of one Ukrainian town and a heartening story of people's defiance, ingenuity and spirit. Originally reported and beautifully written.' -- Arkady Ostrovsky, author of The Invention of Russia 'Reads like a daring tale from WW2' -- Will Brown * Tortoise Media *"

"'A cracking story ... that never loses sight of the ""murderous absurdity"" of Russia's war' -- Justin Marozzi * The Spectator * '[A] remarkable story ... propulsive' * The Irish Times * 'Riveting and vividly written ... this gripping story is the literary equivalent of a superb miniature painting' * The Observer * 'Harding has told a mesmerising story of how in the face of a mighty army, ordinary people can sometimes turn and simply say, ""No.""' -- Sinclair McKay * Mail on Sunday * 'Elegantly told ... a deceptively simple narrative that explains a great deal about the dynamics of this war and many others' -- Roger Boyes * The Times * 'Harding recreates the fighting blow by-blow ... [and] the personalities of his interviewees come to life' * The Telegraph * 'Extraordinary; filled with a deep sense of enduring humanity. Immensely powerful, timely and real.' -- Philippe Sands, author of East West Street '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. Andrew Harding's characters invite the reader into their daily struggle which we witness with awe and empathy. 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 'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' -- Lindsey Hilsum 'A piercing book: the story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people, and an accessible, limpid account of what battle is actually like. -- James Meek 'Fascinating, vivid, often harrowing, and deeply moving. A must-read for anyone trying to grasp both the human dimension and larger dynamics of this brutal contemporary war.' -- Fiona Hill, author of There Is Nothing for You Here 'A captivating tale of one Ukrainian town and a heartening story of people's defiance, ingenuity and spirit. Originally reported and beautifully written.' -- Arkady Ostrovsky, author of The Invention of Russia"

"'Riveting and vividly written ... this gripping story is the literary equivalent of a superb miniature painting' * The Observer * 'Harding has told a mesmerising story of how in the face of a mighty army, ordinary people can sometimes turn and simply say, ""No.""' -- Sinclair McKay * Mail on Sunday * 'Elegantly told ... a deceptively simple narrative that explains a great deal about the dynamics of this war and many others' -- Roger Boyes * The Times * 'Harding recreates the fighting blow by-blow ... [and] the personalities of his interviewees come to life' * The Telegraph * 'Extraordinary; filled with a deep sense of enduring humanity. Immensely powerful, timely and real.' -- Philippe Sands, author of East West Street '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. Andrew Harding's characters invite the reader into their daily struggle which we witness with awe and empathy. 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 'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' -- Lindsey Hilsum 'A piercing book: the story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people, and an accessible, limpid account of what battle is actually like. -- James Meek 'Fascinating, vivid, often harrowing, and deeply moving. A must-read for anyone trying to grasp both the human dimension and larger dynamics of this brutal contemporary war.' -- Fiona Hill, author of There Is Nothing for You Here 'A captivating tale of one Ukrainian town and a heartening story of people's defiance, ingenuity and spirit. Originally reported and beautifully written.' -- Arkady Ostrovsky, author of The Invention of Russia"

"'A cracking story ... that never loses sight of the ""murderous absurdity"" of Russia's war' -- Justin Marozzi * The Spectator * 'Riveting and vividly written ... this gripping story is the literary equivalent of a superb miniature painting' * The Observer * 'Harding has told a mesmerising story of how in the face of a mighty army, ordinary people can sometimes turn and simply say, ""No.""' -- Sinclair McKay * Mail on Sunday * 'Elegantly told ... a deceptively simple narrative that explains a great deal about the dynamics of this war and many others' -- Roger Boyes * The Times * 'Harding recreates the fighting blow by-blow ... [and] the personalities of his interviewees come to life' * The Telegraph * 'Extraordinary; filled with a deep sense of enduring humanity. Immensely powerful, timely and real.' -- Philippe Sands, author of East West Street '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. Andrew Harding's characters invite the reader into their daily struggle which we witness with awe and empathy. 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 'This gripping account is the Russian invasion of Ukraine in microcosm.' -- Lindsey Hilsum 'A piercing book: the story of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people, and an accessible, limpid account of what battle is actually like. -- James Meek 'Fascinating, vivid, often harrowing, and deeply moving. A must-read for anyone trying to grasp both the human dimension and larger dynamics of this brutal contemporary war.' -- Fiona Hill, author of There Is Nothing for You Here 'A captivating tale of one Ukrainian town and a heartening story of people's defiance, ingenuity and spirit. Originally reported and beautifully written.' -- Arkady Ostrovsky, author of The Invention of Russia"

Author Information

Andrew Harding is a British journalist and author of two internationally acclaimed non-fiction books, The Mayor of Mogadishu, and These Are Not Gentle People, which won South Africa's top literary prize. Andrew has been a foreign correspondent for BBC News for three decades, reporting from the former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa. He has covered many of the world's conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, and has won numerous awards, including an Emmy.

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