524 reviews for:

Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service

Michael Lewis

4.32 AVERAGE

sarasmiles33's review against another edition

5.0

informative inspiring medium-paced

phillipg50's review

4.5

hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

hannah_reads_sometimes's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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Really enjoyed this collection of essays. Probably finds more meaning to me in this moment than it would have in the past, but still overall pretty informative while still being entertaining as well. Would highly recommend. Can be read out of order. 

readorperish's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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This is a terrific collection of essays about unsung government employees. The subjects are people most of us have never heard of, but who are doing important work with great impact. They work in the public sector for less than they could make in the private sector and do so without the public preening and moronic talking of so many of our politicians. After reading the essays in April 2025, I wondered how many of these intelligent, selfless folks have survived the Trump/Musk purges. Our country is in a free fall of authoritarianism. We need more people in our government like the people highlighted in these essays, and fewer bombastic, ignorant, corrupt, and dangerous people like Trump, Vance, Musk, Mike Johnson, and every other Trump bootlicking Republican. Hopefully, some of the honest, hardworking people in this book can survive the corruption and maybe save the US from Trumpism.

scoey1988's review against another edition

4.0

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I realistically would give this book a 3.5, but I had to pick one side or the other. This book is several short stories it seems about specific people within the federal bureaucracy, but it puts names and stories to the many people who make government work.

People who make our lives better, safer, and more manageable every day without us ever realizing it as they promote the general welfare.

It’s a worthy read I feel, and can be a good source if you need qualitative information.

anj_t's review against another edition

4.75

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

nfesta09's review against another edition

5.0

fast-paced

poliscimonica's review against another edition

4.0

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

winston_j's review against another edition

3.5

informative inspiring fast-paced

trishwils's review against another edition

5.0

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced