A gripping, superbly written account of Russia’s Great Patriotic War, this vivid memoir follows Red Army sniper Joseph Pilyushin from reluctant recruit to lethal marksman during the Siege of Leningrad. Strong in camaraderie and front-line detail, it captures both the brutal precision of sniping missions and the immense suffering of civilians. Occasionally meandering but never dull, it’s a powerful, deeply human portrait of war, endurance, and loss.