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The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad: A True Story of Science and Sacrifice in a City under Siege

bySimon Parkin

During the siege of Leningrad, the scientists guarding a vast seed collection faced starvation while surrounded by potentially edible specimens. Simon Parkin reconstructs their work at the Plant Institute and the extraordinary choices involved in preserving material they believed could help prevent future famines. Drawing on diaries, letters, and archival evidence, he follows the botanists through bombardment, bitter cold, political danger, and dwindling supplies. Their story connects the global search for crop diversity with the human costs of war, raising difficult questions about scientific duty, sacrifice, and obligations to generations yet to come.

Publisher

Sceptre

Publication date

2024-11-14

Format

Hardback

Pages

384

ISBN

9781399714556