The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky

A comedian becomes president. The bald statement refers, of course, to Volodymyr Zelensky who became President of Ukraine, destined to lead his country in their ongoing war against Russia. The Showman, aptly titled, is an unambiguous biography of President Zelensky, paralleled alongside a close, sometimes first-hand account of the war. Author Simon Shuster, a Ukraine and Russia specialist, spent years as an international correspondent for Time magazine.

He writes about how Zelensky did not simply step off the stage as an entertainer and change his identity to become a politician. Rather, he developed, wrote, and produced a number of popular shows, heading media companies for both Ukrainian and Russian audiences. Latterly, he was urged to switch careers, and did so with more than equal success.

Setting the scene as he exchanged one stage to another, Zelensky displayed resilience, courage and loyalty to former colleagues. Some have since achieved important governmental positions.

With painful descriptions of the war’s escalation, the president and his staff perform an almost David and Goliath scenario, staving off the far larger army than their own. If reading of war can be enjoyable, then this is an appropriate description of The Showman.