The Showman: Volodymyr Zelensky and the War in Ukraine 2024

Description

A monumental account of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine & the forging of a leader, The Showman provides an insider’s perspective on the war reshaping our world, based on unprecedented access to Volodymyr Zelensky & the high command in Kyiv.

Time correspondent Simon Shuster chronicles the life & leadership of Volodymyr Zelensky from the dressing rooms of his variety shows to the muddy trenches of Ukraine’s war with Russia. Based on 4 years of reporting; extensive travels with President Zelensky to the front; & dozens of interviews with him, his wife, his friends & enemies, his advisers, ministers & military commanders, Shuster tells the intimate & revealing story of the president’s evolution from a slapstick actor to a symbol of resilience.

In their most candid accounts of the war so far, members of Zelensky’s inner circle show how the president’s character changed under the strains of leadership & the horrors he witnessed each day. His wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska, describes her escape from Kyiv with their children, her life on the run, & the tensions that emerged in her marriage as she struggled to return to a meaningful role in the administration. Ukraine’s top military commander, General Valery Zaluzhny, shares the untold story of his fraught relationship with the president & the subsequent consequences.

Reflecting on their own regrets & critical decisions, Zelensky & his senior aides open up about the causes of the Russian invasion & how it may have been avoided. They describe with astonishing frankness how their peace talks with Vladimir Putin fell apart & how their faith in the U.S. faltered, both under Donald Trump & Joe Biden.

The Showman provides the first inside account of Zelensky’s life amid the invasion, offering a clear-eyed view of his failures to prepare for it & his willingness to silence dissent under martial law.