The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean

An elderly Russian-American woman prepares to attend her granddaughter’s wedding; suffering from dementia, her mind shuffles between past and present.  In 1941 the German army surrounds Leningrad; Marina and other staff at the Hermitage Museum prepare art work for safekeeping. As they walk through the rooms with empty frames and display cases, an attendant helps Marina construct a “memory palace” so these treasures will remain with her.   Now, at the wedding, each new event recalls a picture and memories of romance, deprivation and survival. For a slide show of the artwork mentioned in the book click here.