Lady Death: The Memoirs of Stalin's Sniper (Greenhill Sniper Library)

I read a ton of military history and this one of the best books I've read. Pavlichenko is a great writer in her own right, but was also an incredible soldier. The book is her life story, so it has more than just her sniper missions, although there are enough of those to keep it interesting. I only wish that the movie they made in 2015 (Battle for Sevastopol) didn't jumble everything up, and gave her more credit for 1) being a superb leader, and 2) an excellent sniper (for her shooting prowess, her field craft, and her disposition.)

The extraordinary Red Army sniper, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, has shared her memoirs with the world, and however humble and modest she was, she lived an extraordinary life in turbulent times.Although her father was associated with the military, Lyudmila had never picked up a gun until she was working in a factory as a teenager. At a co-worker's urging, she attended a sniper school. Upon completion of the course, she put away her diploma and continued her education.When the Nazis invaded Russia, Lyudmila went to enlist in the Army. She outlines her successful years as a soldier and sniper, with 309 confirmed kills. In 1942, she was selected as part of a delegation to travel to the U.S, Canada, and the U.K.Upon her return to Moscow, instead of returning to the front lines, where she longs to be, she becomes a sniper instructor at the behest of Joseph Stalin.You can see in the photos how she was adored and respected by her fellow soldiers.9

An thoroughly enjoyable read about Soviet society during WWII. Less about the horrors of war and more about the social context and patriotism of Soviet citizens during the war. The author has an incredible story to tell and she tells it well. I was a European history major in college. This book adds fascinating context to the Soviet Union during the war years.Highly recommended.

A first hand account by a woman who was educated enough to write it and experienced close combat with the Nazi forces. A remarkable career. Be fore-warned - she is a dyed-in-the wool communist.

The book is a gives good insight into aspects of WWII not normally covered, use of women in the Soviet military especially as snipers. It is also interesting to read her description and impression of the United States when she was toured in this country.

Awesome book. Well written & a first hand account of her actions. Very descriptive, she puts you there with her in those amazing moments she lived. I hated for the book to end

An interesting subject and showing the human-side of a difficult occupation in military and how this woman adapted to it.

This would get 5 stars, but it isn't really well written or at least not well translated.However, it is fascinating a description of her life and job during the war. She seemed to think of it as a job and was the best at it. She was the best female sniper of all time. She gets further into the weeds on technical matters than interests me. I really don't want to know how to field strip a Russian sniper rifle or the actual technical data on the way I need to determine the wind and the distance to lead a car that is traveling about 6 kilometers in 6 seconds.However, on the whole this is an incredible read. I highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in military history or women's history.

Very interesting reading. Even though written from the point of view of a Stalin/Soviet believer, the book allows you to learn a little about sniper training and tactics (the author did not want to disclose much, for national security reasons...) and to see the point of view of a Soviet die-hard, which, regardless, are also part of History and so should deserve study.The author is quite patriotic, to the point of omitting to mention or acknowledge the crimes or faults committed on the side she was battling for ("Poland was completely occupied by the Germans" in 1939...page 16; "(I) did not think 'civilized Europe' would also bring this barbarous custom (rape) to our land" page 57, upon hearing about rapes perpetrated by German soldiers, forgetting the fact that her Soviet comrades raped more than 200 000 women in the Berlin District alone; "Cold-War began thanks to that vicious enemy of the Soviet Union Winston Churchill" page 212).It's well written and readable with the exception of the last couple of chapters which deal with post-war events and political aspects; less interesting to the reader of war testimonies.For the technical and tactical lessons to be learned from this book, plus the historical period it portraits (mainly 1939-1942 East Front) I consider it very much worth having.

This book is not only amazing as a story of a sniper. It is also a great account of whappened during the war. And an empowering story of a woman establishing herself in a purely masculine world. And it ends with meetings with Stalin, Roosevelt and Charlie Chaplin. The surprises kept coming with every page and I was not looking forward to finishing the book.

Nothing to dislike really. If you have an interest in rifles and sniping, its quite informative. An interesting read.

This is one of the most in depth, honest memoirs I have ever read - a significant addition to my WWII library and a most unusual subject I had not previously read about.

10/10