Seldom does a book appear that provides as comprehensive and well organized a treatment of its subject matter as does Portraits of Ukraine by Gregory W. Slayton & Sergei Ivashenko. The authors present an excellent overview of Ukraine in a highly readable volume complemented with photos and descriptions that serve to strengthen the overall narrative.
The 280-page book is packed with 310 beautiful and often dramatic images. At a time when Ukraine is viewed solely through the prism of the horrors and tragedies of the Russian invasion, it is good to see a book that presents Ukraine’s long history, its struggles and victories, the resolve and determination of its people, and the fabulous beauty and cultural heritage of the country. As such, it is an important contribution to fully understanding Ukraine’s current struggle for freedom and what motivates her people, a theme that runs throughout the book.
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Throughout the centuries, Ukraine has experienced the scourge of invading armies and has been subjugated by a variety of empires, most notably Russia, first in the guise of the tsarist empire and then under the Soviet regime.
Russian control was particularly destructive in that the intermix of history, religion and culture between the two peoples was used by Russia to deny the existence of a separate Ukrainian nation and led to efforts to obliterate Ukraine’s language and culture. The extreme of the oppression was the Soviet launched famine against Ukraine in the early 1930s, which the authors recount. This was a deliberate campaign to break the spirit of Ukraine in a genocidal effort that claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainians.
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The current war is a continuation of this effort, as is clear from Putin’s claim that Ukraine as a people and as a nation never existed.
The authors, Gregory Slayton and Sergei Ivashenko, recount the Ukrainian efforts to build their nation free of Russian influence with the climax coming in 2013 with the Euromaidan protests, a popular uprising against the pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych who sought to stop Ukraine’s move towards Europe and, instead, sought to tie the nation closer to Russia. That uprising led to Yanukovych’s overthrow in 2014 and set the stage for Russia’s seizure of Crimea and invasion of eastern Ukraine that year and, eventually, the current war.
Slayton has a long history of dealing with international issues. He served as a senior US diplomat, Fulbright scholar, McKinsey & Co partner, and international philanthropist. In the case of Ukraine, his Family First Global Foundation has joined with a variety of Christian charities to provide 15 million pounds of food and medical supplies since the Russian invasion. They have focused their humanitarian efforts on the eastern and southern war zones of Ukraine. Through his humanitarian work in Ukraine, he has gained a deep appreciation of the culture and history of the country, which strengthens his credentials as an observer and interpreter of events.
His co-author, Ivashenko, is an expert on Ukraine and East European history. Their research and writing teams were based in Ukraine, Poland and the US. They employed research teams in Ukraine, Poland and the US to ensure the book is deep, accurate and well referenced.
Overall, Portraits of Ukraine is a tour de force.
This excellent work captures the history and spirit of the country and will help the outside world better appreciate and understand their current struggles against naked Russian aggression.
The book blends the historical narrative with an abundance of relevant images and maps that bring to life key chapters in Ukrainian history as well as the brutal realities of the Russian invasion. The photography captures the natural beauty of the country, as well as its traditional dress, delicious cuisine and rich culture. The book displays the wonder of Ukrainian architecture and the deep hospitality of its people.
The first chapter gives an excellent overview of the history, geography, demographics, economy and politics of Ukraine. The succeeding chapters delve deeper into these topics.
This approach allows the uninitiated reader to get a quick understanding of Ukraine before proceeding with a more detailed analysis.
What adds to the book’s appeal are the personal vignettes of civilian and military personnel. These short pieces bring to life the human dimension of the suffering and courage of the Ukrainian people during this time of war. A chapter is devoted to an extensive outline of Ukrainian culture covering holidays, customs, art, literature, architecture and even cuisine.
Ukrainian readers and all who love Ukraine will particularly appreciate Portraits of Ukraine a Nation at War. They will be pleased to see that this excellent work captures the history and spirit of the country and will help the outside world better appreciate and understand their current struggles against naked Russian aggression. It is a book that Ukrainians will point to as must reading. The fact that President Zelenskyy himself contributed the opening statement for the book underscores the importance of this work for Ukrainian readers. The fact that dozens of senior US leaders from former Vice-President Mike Pence to General David Petraeus have warmly endorsed the book indicates the importance of the book to global leaders everywhere.
Portraits of Ukraine has a beautiful opening statement by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky focused on thanking all those who have supported Ukraine’s fight for freedom. The powerful forward was written by Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova. Joining them with an eloquent introduction is former US Vice President Mike Pence. Their comments strongly underscore the importance of the subject matter and the need for greater global awareness of Ukraine’s fight for freedom against the Russian invaders. To assist in this struggle the authors will donate all profits from the book sales to a large number of excellent Ukrainian non-profits.
Portraits of Ukraine will be a welcome addition to any library. It serves both as a quick reference guide and a good examination of Ukraine’s history. The authors set the goal of helping the reader to better understand Ukraine. They have successfully done so. Portraits of Ukraine would make an excellent gift. The book serves the dual purpose of educating and enlightening the reader – and helping raise critically needed funds to address the needs of Ukrainians suffering from a brutal war. While the official launch date of the book is Feb. 24, 2025, the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine – copies are available now.
More information about the book can be found at www.portraitsofukraine.org.
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