Who Is Government? audiobook cover - The Untold Story of Public Service

Who Is Government?

The Untold Story of Public Service

Michael Lewis

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Management & LeadershipPoliticsSociety & Culture

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Who Is Government?
Core Premise+
Chris Mark: Bureau of Mines+
Ron Walters: National Cemetery Administration+
Jarod Koopman: IRS Cybercrime+
Pamela Wright: National Archives+
Vanessa Bailey: NASA+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
What is the central premise of Michael Lewis's book regarding the US civil service, as demonstrated by the 2016 presidential transition?
  • A. The civil service is overly bureaucratic and requires immediate downsizing by incoming administrations.
  • B. Incoming political leaders often fundamentally misunderstand the essential functions and hidden value of civil service workers.
  • C. The transition of power requires replacing all civil servants to ensure political alignment with the new president.
  • D. Civil servants primarily focus on high-profile, glamorous tasks to gain public recognition and political favor.
Question 2 of 7
How did Chris Mark ultimately solve the problem of deadly roof collapses in coal mines?
  • A. By organizing miners into a union to strike against unsafe working conditions.
  • B. By inventing a new type of steel roof support that replaced traditional coal pillars.
  • C. By developing a comprehensive roof rating system based on historical data and geological stress.
  • D. By successfully lobbying Congress to pass stricter federal mining regulations.
Question 3 of 7
Why did Ron Walters decline the honor of being buried in a national cemetery when it was offered to him?
  • A. He believed the national cemeteries were already facing a critical shortage of burial space.
  • B. He felt that because he was not a military veteran, he did not belong in a national cemetery.
  • C. He wanted to be buried in his home state of North Carolina instead.
  • D. He felt his contributions to the Cemetery Administration were not significant enough.
Question 4 of 7
What key insight allows Jarod Koopman's IRS cybercrime unit to successfully track illicit cryptocurrency transactions?
  • A. Cryptocurrency networks are inherently unstable and frequently leak private user data to the public.
  • B. Criminals frequently boast about their digital transactions on the dark web, leaving a social trail.
  • C. The IRS has negotiated special backdoor access to all major global cryptocurrency exchanges.
  • D. Cryptocurrency transactions create an immutable, permanent public ledger that can eventually be linked to real identities.
Question 5 of 7
What major paradigm shift did Pamela Wright introduce to the National Archives?
  • A. Moving from a model where archivists act as gatekeepers to one where records are digitally accessible to everyone.
  • B. Transitioning the archives from a publicly funded institution to a private, subscription-based model.
  • C. Focusing exclusively on preserving the documents of high-ranking government officials rather than common citizens.
  • D. Replacing human archivists entirely with artificial intelligence for cataloging and transcribing documents.
Question 6 of 7
What is the primary function of the coronagraph technology that Vanessa Bailey works on for the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope?
  • A. To capture high-resolution images of the surface of Mars to prepare for future rover landings.
  • B. To suppress the light from blazing stars so that hidden exoplanets can be directly observed.
  • C. To measure the exact distance between the Earth and newly discovered galaxies.
  • D. To intercept and analyze radio signals from potential extraterrestrial civilizations.
Question 7 of 7
According to the book's summary, why do civil servants often take on the specific types of work described in these profiles?
  • A. Because these roles offer the highest salaries available in the current job market.
  • B. Because they provide a fast track to prominent political appointments and public fame.
  • C. Because the work involves essential tasks that private companies might find unprofitable or politically risky.
  • D. Because these positions require very little specialized training, making them highly accessible.

Who Is Government? — Full Chapter Overview

Who Is Government? Summary & Overview

Who Is Government? (2025) asks an all-star team of US journalists to consider the questions: Who works for the government? And why is their work important? The answers uncover remarkable stories of the people, from cybersleuths to archivists, whose work keeps the United States running.

Who Should Listen to Who Is Government??

  • Lovers of quirky long-form journalism
  • Anyone who’s ever wondered what the civil service actually does
  • People seeking stories about why good government matters

About the Author: Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis is a best-selling nonfiction author. His titles include Flash Boys, Liar’s Poker, and The Big Short, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning film. 

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