The Showman by Simon Shuster

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Showman:

From improv to war.

Quick synopsis:

The story of how Volodymyr Zelensky became president of Ukraine and what has happened since the invasion by Russia.

Fact for Non-History People:

At the time of the invasion, Russia had at least four times the number of troops, five times as many armored vehicles, ten times as many aircraft, and ten times the national defense budget.

Fact for History Nerds:

The first ballot of the Ukrainian election which Zelensky won had 39 candidates.

My Take on The Showman:

Before reading The Showman by Simon Shuster, I came across various social media posts which portrayed Shuster as a Russian asset. After finishing the book, I can confirm that if he is a Russian asset, then he is terrible at it.

The Showman chronicles the rise of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mostly centered on his time at war with Russia but also on his transition from actor to politician. Shuster makes all of this feel rather personal. He met with nearly everyone in the book for interviews and he is often willing to say what he thinks about what he witnesses. I am not kidding about the Russian asset part. Shuster is willing to examine the good and bad parts of all of his characters with the exception of Putin. Let there be no mistake, Shuster thinks what Russia is doing is criminal and the atrocities all go back to Putin.

However, no one will confuse this as a puff piece praising Zelensky as a saint and fearless warrior. There are numerous places where Shuster points out his mistakes, miscalculations, and a worry about who Zelensky might become when this is all said and done. Zelensky is human after all and is learning to be a politician under the worst of circumstances. This doesn’t mean he gets a free pass from the press, though.

The story tells itself, but Shuster’s voice enhances the book and makes it feel like a conversation. I pictured myself sitting at a bar hearing about all of this from an old friend who just came back from overseas. I highly recommend it.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and William Morrow.)

Verdict:

A fair and riveting deep dive. Buy it here!

If You Liked This Try:

• Mark Galeotti, Putin’s Wars