Zelensky

The audiobook Zelensky offers an intimate portrait of a president who has transformed himself from actor and comedian into a symbol of resilience. Its author, Simon Shuster, a Time magazine correspondent, chronicles the life of Volodymyr Zelensky from his days on entertainment programmes to the muddy trenches of war with Russia. Shuster spent four years with the Ukrainian president, making extensive joint trips to the front and dozens of conversations with his wife, friends and foes, advisers, ministers and military commanders. At the same time, the author presented how Zelensky managed to unite various democratic leaders in the fight for a common cause.

The audiobook is a detailed account of Zelensky's days, life in the nuclear bunker in the first weeks of the invasion, and the circumstances of his wife and children's escape to safety. Later, as the Russians retreat from Kiev, we watch Zelensky and his team emerge from the bunker and lead Ukraine to key victories. The result is a grippingly detailed portrayal of the invasion and the war as experienced by Russia's number one target and a hero who didn't even want the title.

But Shuster doesn't just create a glorifying image of the president. In the audiobook, he clearly names Zelensky's mistakes and failures, such as his willingness to silence political dissent from his opponents and many others. The audiobook Zelensky thus presents a complex portrait of a man trying to break the historical yoke of Russian oppression that began long before his birth, as well as the story of a man whose courage and determination will go down in history.

They said about the title

"Shuster creates an intimate account of the Russian invasion that vividly captures Zelensky's transformation from a thoroughbred comedian to a war hero in a starring role. "

New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice Selection