One of the most clear-eyed and unflinching looks at the presidency of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the predicament of Ukraine I have read yet. Yes, Iuliia Mendel was press secretary to the Ukrainian president for two years, but she is willing to admit when he got things *and* the incredible learning curve he and his team experienced trying to bring the country out of post-post-Soviet oligarchic corruption and into democracy. Her close access to Zelenskyy and his government gave her a ringside seat to both his challenges and the skills and philosophy he brought to the task. She emphasizes his clear vision, his high standards for himself and those around him, his persistence, and, most importantly, his humanity. She relates European and American skepticism, but fiercely defends Ukraine as a bulwark against Putin’s expansion. It’s a heartbreaking story that everyone should read: how can a president and a people work so hard to join the community of nations that believes in the rule of law, human rights, a free media, and legitimate democracy, yet find themselves standing almost alone against Russian aggression? Incidentally, the chapter on language and nationalism alone is work the price of the book.