Simon Shuster

This books looks at Volodymyr Zelensky as president of Ukraine during the first year of the Russian invasion. It is not a biography, but an analysis of Mr. Zelensky's leadership. This book is written to provide a deeper understanding to what is happening right now. That sense of immediacy is important and a good reason to read this book now. I believe that the book will also stand the test of time as people look back on the war in the future.

Reading this book has deepened my admiration for Mr. Zelensky. I was impressed by how much his work as a TV performer and writer prepared him for the presidency. No, I'm not saying we should all elect more actors! What I'm say is that Mr. Zelensky has a strong ability to learn from past experience and to distill lessons from various experiences. This helped him communicate to Ukrainians and to understand where he could do the most to help his country.

The book is well researched and written in an accessible style. Along with a profile of the president, it takes us to several battle sites and gives us a picture of the war itself. Recommended.… (más)

This is an objective description not only of Zelensky, whom the author met as early as 2019 before Zelensky was elected president, but also of the first year of the Russian invasion - at that time nobody could imagine that the war would continue this long.

Mr. Shuster, himself, was born in Ukraine, having immigrated to US with his parents when a child, so he knows the language, and it was easier for him that way as well.

He shadowed Zelensky and talked to many of his associates (and opposition too) throughout the first year of the war. I was touched by the description of my native Kyiv, as well as Shuster's general assessment of the war, of the political scenery in Kyiv and all over the world, regarding the invasion. He shows that Zelensky never pretended to be a great military leader - he didn't have the training for that. But what he is good at is getting the attention of the world in describing the terrible tragedy that has befallen Ukraine. Thanks to him, and of course thanks to the western alliance (without them there would have been no hope), there is still help getting in to fight off the Russians. Shuster also noticed and portrayed how the war has changed Zelensky as a person. A very engrossing read, certainly deserving attention.… (más)