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  • The Showman

  • The Inside Story That Made a War Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky
  • By: Simon Shuster
  • Narrated by: Daniel Gamburg
  • Length: 14 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (81 ratings)

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The Showman

By: Simon Shuster
Narrated by: Daniel Gamburg
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Summary

TIMES: A BEST BOOK OF 2024 – NEXT YEAR’S TOP READS

GUARDIAN: BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2024

INDEPENDENT: A BOOK OF THE MONTH

WATERSTONES: JANUARY’S BEST BOOKS

WRITTEN WITH UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS, THIS IS THE FIRST INSIDE, INTIMATE ACCOUNT OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKY AND HIS TEAM.

Based on four years of reporting; extensive travels with President Zelensky to the front; and dozens of interviews with him, his wife, his friends and enemies, his advisers, ministers and military commanders, The Showman tells an intimate and eye-opening story of the President’s evolution from a slapstick actor to a symbol of resilience, revealing how he managed to rally the world’s democracies behind his cause.

Clear-eyed about the President’s early failures as a peacemaker and his willingness to silence political dissent, the book offers a complex picture of a man struggling to break what he sees as a historical cycle of oppression that began generations before he was born. Even as the war drags on, Zelensky lays out his vision for its future course and, through his actions, demonstrates his strategy for countering the Russians and keeping the West on his side. The result is a riveting, up-close picture of the invasion as experienced by its number one target and improbable hero.

The Showman, as a work of eyewitness journalism, provides an essential perspective on the war defining our age. As a study in leadership and human resolve, its appeal is timeless and universal.

©2024 Simon Shuster (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
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Critic reviews

‘An intense, evocative portrait of one of the most remarkable figures of our era. This book offers a front row seat to history as it is being made’ Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer-Prize winning author of Twilight of Democracy

‘Intimate but unflinchingly objective, this biography gives you a seat at Zelensky's war cabinet and penetrates his mind as he battles to save Ukraine's freedom—and ours’ Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible

‘The most intimate portrait of Zelensky, the man at the center of the world drama, painted by one of the best writers in the field, Simon Shuster. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand what Ukrainians are fighting for and why they will prevail’ Serhii Plokhy, author of The Russo-Ukrainian War

What listeners say about The Showman

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

An exceptional book

Such a dramatic story and so well told, I’m so glad that I listened to it and will revisit it before long.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Insightful

Perspective creating and critical in a balanced way this book should bevmandatory for anybody who cares about Ukraine

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Making history accessible

This book is brilliant. The depth of knowledge of the author sets him apart. He is able to talk about historic events as a story, bring each character to life and helping us to understand the story behind the headlines.

Through the book we are treated to first hand comments on the power of narrative and information. SACEUR recently said,”If the other guy turns up with a tank… you better have a tank”. Ukraine got their tanks because of Zelensky and his unerring message that Ukraine will not be beaten.

The book ends on 2023. I would like to read the sequel…

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Worth the read

Very motivational, good observation of a leader
. great short story of modern history included for those who are not aware

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Brilliant

I have a feeling historians will reference this book in the future as an important insight into a critical moment in human history - Slava Ukraini

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Very moving

This hits home the tragedy of the situation Ukraine finds itself in . The unfairness of it all.

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Insight to a great leader

Glory to Ukraine takes on a whole new and deeper meaning have listened to this book.

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Fascinating insight

Another book I feel everyone could read/listen to. So important that we know the true source of our information in this digital age.

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The author brings you into every room and every space and every thought. A must read. Evocative.

Loved it all if I have any comments it is simple that for me I was impatient to get to the Zelenskyy at war period.

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The heroism of Zelenskyy and his people

I love the honest and detailed account of the recent tragedy of Ukraine and the defiance of the Ukrainian people and their unexpected leader.

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