The Fight of Our Lives: My Time with Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s Battle for Democracy, and What It Means for the World

Journalist and former press secretary to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mendel delivers a clear-eyed portrait of Zelenskyy as a leader and describes how the war with Russia is transforming the world. Mendel traces Zelenskyy’s rise from popular comedian and actor to president. She notes that his journey was not without missteps, but he learned from his mistakes and came into his own when war broke out. Now internationally famous for his leadership during the Russian invasion, Mendel posits that Zelenskyy has drawn upon the lessons learned in television, combined with his working-class origins and innate drive to succeed. Mendel weaves details of her own life and experiences into this chronicle, offering a unique perspective as a member of the first post-Soviet generation, who has come of age with different expectations and goals for the future. Narrator Jennifer Jill Araya, a fluent Ukrainian speaker, makes this compelling story accessible with accurate pronunciations of Ukrainian names and places. The introduction is read by the author. Her accented English perfectly conveys the seriousness of her country’s mission to repel the Russian incursion.