Reviews - Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service

494 reviews for:

Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service

Michael Lewis

4.33 AVERAGE

kaybree1's review against another edition

4.25

informative inspiring medium-paced

maddognews's review

3.5

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

peggyd's review

4.0

dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

Maybe, when you think of "government," you think of red tape, bureaucracy, pencil-pushing drones meant to make our lives less efficient, more infuriating. Perhaps you even slightly agree that it's too big and could do with some shrinking. Obviously not the careless cruelty and randomness of DOGE's cuts, but still, government seems bloated, no?

Then you read "Who is Government," which includes a variety of articles by different journalists and writers taking a deep dive into the public service element of government. For me, reading these articles was simultaneously eye-opening and depressing. Eye-opening because to get to know the individuals who work tirelessly and thanklessly on our behalf--who save coal miners, trafficked children, who care for our dead and try to prevent the spread of rare diseases--you can't be anything but humbled. I'm in awe of these government workers. Every single one. Depressing because I couldn't help but think that I was probably reading about folks caught up in the DOGE purge for no reason except the whims of some idiot billionaire and his cadre of tech-bros. The work of the people featured in this book is invisible but necessary and "government" touches every part of our lives. We are already feeling the effects of losing these brilliant, selfless people--in the lag time now in discovering and tracking hurricanes, in wildfire combat techniques, in research into the efficacy of new drugs for off-label uses. It's all so terrible.

I'm glad I read this, but it's a heartbreaker.

(Only four stars because the data/numbers article made my eyes glaze over!)