Who Is Government?

The Untold Story of Public Service

By: Michael Lewis

Narrated by: Michael Lewis, Sarah Vowell, John Lanchester, Geraldine Brooks, Casey Cep, Dave Eggers, W. Kamau Bell

Who works for the government and why does their work matter? An urgent and absorbing civics lesson from an all-star team of writers and storytellers.

The government is a vast, complex system that Americans pay for, rebel against, rely upon, dismiss, and celebrate. It’s also our shared resource for addressing the biggest problems of society. And it’s made up of people, mostly unrecognized and uncelebrated, doing work that can be deeply consequential and beneficial to everyone.

Michael Lewis invited his favorite writers to find someone doing an interesting job for the government and write about them in a special in-depth series for the Washington Post. The stories they found are unexpected, riveting, and inspiring, including a former coal miner devoted to making mine roofs less likely to collapse, saving thousands of lives; an IRS agent straight out of a crime thriller; and the manager who made the National Cemetery Administration the best-run organization, public or private, in the entire country. Each essay shines a spotlight on the essential behind-the-scenes work of exemplary federal employees.

Whether they’re digitizing archives, chasing down cybercriminals, or discovering new planets, these public servants are committed to their work and universally reluctant to take credit. Expanding on the Washington Post series, the vivid profiles in Who Is Government? blow up the stereotype of the irrelevant bureaucrat. They show how the essential business of government makes our lives possible, and how much it matters.

©2025 Michael Lewis (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Great stories of individual contributions

There are some great individual stories about government employees who have done some amazing work behind the scenes.
Some of the narrators are very annoying to listen to. Some are great.

Imagine what we could achieve if we actually understood

Following the Fifth Risk, this collection of stories are beautiful and informative, demonstrating unknown elements of the work of government and the dedicated and talented people who get things done, every day, for us. Thanks for sharing more reasons to seek understanding and to value our public servants.

individual stories

Important collection of stories about untold heroes in the government and especially pertinent today. It was great to hear the stories read by each author, though not all had the best narrating voice.

Incredible stories everyone should know

Please read these stories about individuals performing incredible, touching, groundbreaking, fundamentally critical work for the benefit of all Americans.

Incredible stories every American should know

This is an incredible assortment that emphasizes the importance of public service. I have served our government, both federal and municipal, for almost 40 years and am still amazed at the dedication, innovation, and humble servitude of most of our government employees.

Michael Lewis and Company do an outstanding job highlighting the value that these people provide to our Nation. Now, more than ever, we must emphasize the importance of public service. Such dedication cannot be duplicated in the private sector by employees who have no stake in the game. And yet we are purging the government of the next generation of innovators, leaders, and folks who have, and continue to make our Nation great.

The book focuses on individuals who have honed their skills in their respective fields over an entire career. They had to start somewhere and most could have easily used federal service as a stepping stone to a much more lucrative career in the private sector but chose to stay in the public sector. I attribute such dedication to a prioritizing of job satisfaction and a desire knowing they are serving a noble cause that benefits all. We need to keep harnessing the talents of such individuals instead of disregarding them as a waste of taxpayers dollars. It takes years, decades to measure the positive results of such careers and accomplishments. If we do not nurture the next generation, all of our citizens, and in some cases, civilization loses. The book's many stories/chapters highlight this importance.

May be a bit bias to say that Michael Lewis' chapters are the best. He has a way to tell the story, written and narrative, that makes you want to hear more. Nevertheless, each story is 5 stars in its own but the narration lacked on a couple of the chapters. Overall, one of my favorite Michal Lewis books.