16. Seven Lives and One Year in Ukraine

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, onlookers across the world have identified with and rallied to the Ukrainian cause. Yet even as updates from the frontlines make front page news, and Volodymyr Zelensky has become one of the most respected politicians on the planet, the lives of ordinary Ukrainians remain mostly opaque. In By the Second Spring, historian Danielle Leavitt shares the experiences of a diverse group of Ukrainians as they react to being brutally overtaken by a more powerful neighbour. From a man whose dreams of opening a coffee shop are shattered, to a young female cadet, Leavitt—who grew up in Ukraine—bears witness to these lives with insight, compassion, and gripping storytelling, while never losing sight of the broader historical context. As the invasion continues in its fourth year, Leavitt shares this urgent new work in conversation with Ukrainian-Canadian author Maria Reva.

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Danielle Leavitt

DANIELLE LEAVITT holds a PhD in history from Harvard University, where she has been a fellow at the Ukrainian Research Institute. She grew up in both Ukraine and the United States, and currently lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. By the Second Spring is her first book.

Maria Reva

MARIA REVA was born in Ukraine and grew up in Canada. Her fiction has appeared in The Atlantic, McSweeney's, The Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere, earning a National Magazine Award. She also works as an opera librettist.