Who is government?
Seven writers go in search of the essential public servant
The role of the federal government is at the center of the national conversation. But who really is our government? What is it made of? And what is at stake when politicians say they want to expand or dismantle it? To find out, we set seven stellar writers loose on the federal bureaucracy. Their only brief was to go where they wanted, talk with whomever they wanted, and return with a story from deep within the vast, complex system Americans pay for, rebel against, rely upon, dismiss and celebrate.
Profiles
The Canary
The Sentinel
The Searchers
The Number
The Cyber Sleuth
The Equalizer
The Rookie
The Free-Living Bureaucrat
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Coming soon: 'Who Is Government', the book
Publishing March 18, 2025
(Penguin Random House)
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Upcoming events
Washington, D.C. | Politics & Prose @ Sidwell, March 18 Michael Lewis and Casey Cep with David Shipley
| Politics & Prose @ Sidwell, March 18 San Francisco | City Arts & Lectures, March 19 Michael Lewis, Sarah Vowell, Kamau Bell, Dave Eggers
| City Arts & Lectures, March 19 New Orleans | New Orleans Book Festival, Michael Lewis and Sarah Vowell
The Backstory
Michael Lewis talks to the authors about their subjects
Casey Cep on 'The Sentinel'
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13 min
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Listen to Michael Lewis talk to Casey Cep about The Sentinel
Dave Egger on 'The Searchers'
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11 min
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Michael Lewis in conversation with Dave Eggers for The Searchers
John Lanchester on 'The Numbers'
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9 min
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John Lanchester in conversation with Michael Lewis about The Number
Geraldine Brooks on 'The Cyber Sleuth'
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12 min
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Michael Lewis and Geraldine Brooks in conversation about the IRS
Sarah Vowell on 'The Equalizer'
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12 min
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Listen to Michael Lewis in conversation with Sarah Vowell about the National Archives
W. Kamau Bell on 'The Rookie'
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9 min
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Michael Lewis and Kamau Bell in conversation
Washington Post-Live conversation
With W. Kamau Bell, Geraldine Brooks, Michael Lewis and David Shipley, Opinions editor
Honoring Public Service: The Untold Stories
51:07
Michael Lewis, W. Kamau Bell and Geraldine Brooks join Washington Post Live on Tuesday, Sept. 10. (The Washington Post)
Full transcript
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