The Showman
Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky
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The Showman
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Narrated by:
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Daniel Gamburg
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Written by:
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Simon Shuster
About this listen
Acclaimed journalist Simon Shuster gives us the first inside account of the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the perspective of President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team, who granted him unprecedented access.
Time correspondent Simon Shuster chronicles the life and wartime leadership of Volodymyr Zelensky from the dressing rooms of his variety show in Ukraine to the muddy trenches of his war with Russia. 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.
The book’s early chapters offer the first detailed account of Zelensky’s life in a nuclear bunker in the opening weeks of the invasion and the circumstances of his wife’s escape to safety with their children. Later, as the Russians retreat from Kyiv, we see Zelensky and his team emerge from the bunker and lead Ukraine in a series of crucial victories. The result is a riveting, up-close picture of the invasion as experienced by its number one target and improbable hero.
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 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.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2023 Simon Shuster (P)2023 HarperCollins PublishersYou may also enjoy...
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What listeners say about The Showman
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mila
- 2024-03-13
Close to home.
Being Ukrainian, I approached this book with apprehension, given the sensitivity of its subject matter. Yet, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in its pages. The author captures the complexities of the ongoing war, leaving many questions still unanswered. However, what truly stood out was the depiction of the president's transformation throughout the narrative. Overall, despite the uncertainties, I found this book interesting and worth reading in lights of the current situation in Ukrainian war against russians.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2024-03-22
Author is biosed
As a Ukrainian, I can tell that author was very selective when came to tell the real story about Zelensky political actions during his first years of presidency. There was no objectivity to actual actions and too much shown to Ermak.
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