By the Second Spring: Seven Lives and One Year of the War in Ukraine

Leavitt, a Ukrainian American historian, describes the impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion on seven Ukrainian civilians. Away from the frontlines, she delves into the ordeals people have suffered: having to flee, seeing homes and businesses destroyed, enduring psychological trauma, and losing loved ones. She offers an eclectic collection of portraits. A young woman becomes infatuated with a soldier she meets online. A wife and mother loses a leg in a Russian missile strike. Leavitt uses the individual stories to showcase Ukrainian resilience and resistance—themes that appear in many guises, including grassroots relief efforts. She does so with empathy, candor, and a cautious optimism for Ukraine’s future.