Nonfiction

The Fifth Risk

The Fifth Risk

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-08-21 06:56:57
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Michael Lewis
  • ISBN：0241373549
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Summary

The morning after Trump was elected president， the people who ran the US Department of Energy - an agency that deals with some of the most powerful risks facing humanity - waited to welcome the incoming administration's transition team。 Nobody appeared。 Across the US government， the same thing happened: nothing。

People don't notice when stuff goes right。 That is the stuff government does。 It manages everything that underpins our lives from funding free school meals， to policing rogue nuclear activity， to predicting extreme weather events。 It steps in where private investment fears to tread， innovates and creates knowledge， assesses extreme long-term risk。

And now， government is under attack。 By its own leaders。

In The Fifth Risk， Michael Lewis reveals the combustible cocktail of wilful ignorance and venality that is fuelling the destruction of a country's fabric。 All of this， Lewis shows， exposes America and the world to the biggest risk of all。 It is what you never learned that might have saved you。

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Reviews

Dina Kravets ，

Michael Lewis's writing is always great。 This book felt like 3 long essays stapled together。 The essays are each individually great， but not much of a "book"。 Michael Lewis's writing is always great。 This book felt like 3 long essays stapled together。 The essays are each individually great， but not much of a "book"。 。。。more

Jolene Walker ，

Should be required reading for all high school students

Wladiana Lendengues ，

O livro é basicamente sobre o que acontece quando as pessoas que odeiam o Estado+não entendem sua função e/ou tem interesse em piorar o setor público chegam ao poder。 Leia-se， administração Trump e Bolsonaro。 Também aborda os riscos que existem no setor público， especialmente sobre as falhas que podem acontecer em decorrência das trocas de chefia com cada mandato eletivo。Gostaria que fosse mais longo， mas não era o foco do livro。

Carolyn ，

Although the focus of this book was the miserable choices of Trump and his camp in filling government （and also not filling） departmental positions， I found the detailed information about the multiple activities and responsibilities of the three -- the Federal Aviation Administration， the Commerce Department， and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration --very enlightening。 I， probably like many others， did not know the breadth and depth of these departments。 A fascinating read and le Although the focus of this book was the miserable choices of Trump and his camp in filling government （and also not filling） departmental positions， I found the detailed information about the multiple activities and responsibilities of the three -- the Federal Aviation Administration， the Commerce Department， and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration --very enlightening。 I， probably like many others， did not know the breadth and depth of these departments。 A fascinating read and learning experience。 And I still abhor the lingering effects of all that Trump did to democracy and government。 。。。more

Agnès Denie ，

Fascinerend boekje over het belang van overheid， goed bestuur， en een stevige dosis voorstellingsvermogen en nieuwsgierigheid。

Mark ，

Michael Lewis gives context to the importance of government by telling employee stories。 “I didn’t know that about my government，” was a near-mantra every five minutes。 I was prepared not to be enthralled but this was a page turner。

Brett Van Gaasbeek ，

Literally a guidebook as to how NOT to transition into the most important job in the United States （or， quite possibly， the world）。 Lewis is equally a journalist and a social commentator in this entertaining and eye-opening account of the 2017 transition of Trump and his team into a position they were all not prepared to do。 This explains the need for all the executive orders and the fake pomp and circumstance that went along with them。。。they were covering up all the poor management they were fa Literally a guidebook as to how NOT to transition into the most important job in the United States （or， quite possibly， the world）。 Lewis is equally a journalist and a social commentator in this entertaining and eye-opening account of the 2017 transition of Trump and his team into a position they were all not prepared to do。 This explains the need for all the executive orders and the fake pomp and circumstance that went along with them。。。they were covering up all the poor management they were failing at behind the scenes。 Don the Con in office is probably the best way to explain the premise。 。。。more

Paul ，

Geweldig boek over het belang van een functionerende overheid， het werk van ambtenaren， big data， infrastructuur， gedragspsychologie， communicatie， politiek， risico-management， Trump。。 Ik ben enorm fan van Michael Lewis en ook hier weet hij complexe en ‘saaie’ onderwerpen boeiend te maken。 Aanrader！

Neil ，

Well-written and fast-paced， as all of Lewis’s books tend to be， and filled with horrifying examples of how incompetence and greed are corrupting the administrative foundations of our government。 The risk mentioned in the title is “Project Management。” I would have given this book a higher rating if it didn’t seem to stop so abruptly。

Patti ，

Fascinating information。 However， I felt the book was rushed and content somewhat disconnected。 Lewis tried to cover too much is this slim volume。 I count at least three books budding from The Fifth Risk: 1） what happens when federal data collection becomes politicized or the domain of capitalists， 2） what do our federal agencies do and what happens when they don't function properly （could be a series。。。） and 3） what happens where there is not an orderly transfer of power。The Fifth Risk dips its Fascinating information。 However， I felt the book was rushed and content somewhat disconnected。 Lewis tried to cover too much is this slim volume。 I count at least three books budding from The Fifth Risk: 1） what happens when federal data collection becomes politicized or the domain of capitalists， 2） what do our federal agencies do and what happens when they don't function properly （could be a series。。。） and 3） what happens where there is not an orderly transfer of power。The Fifth Risk dips its toe into each of these， but I want more， please。 。。。more

Deanna ，

Important book。

Suzanne ，

Every American should read this book。 As is so often the case， we don't value something until it's gone。 Every American should read this book。 As is so often the case， we don't value something until it's gone。 。。。more

Evelyn Wong 18 ，

Entertaining and informative look into some of the brilliant， unconventional and attention-shy bureaucrats and scientists who make up the maligned US federal agencies， such as the National Weather Service， the Coast Guard， the Department of Commerce， and the US Department of Agriculture。 It also touched on the threat from the American people's disdain for government and the politicians installed as appointees that do not understand anything these agencies are doing。 An ode to public servants。 Entertaining and informative look into some of the brilliant， unconventional and attention-shy bureaucrats and scientists who make up the maligned US federal agencies， such as the National Weather Service， the Coast Guard， the Department of Commerce， and the US Department of Agriculture。 It also touched on the threat from the American people's disdain for government and the politicians installed as appointees that do not understand anything these agencies are doing。 An ode to public servants。 。。。more

Elise ，

This was a really interesting read。 I learned so much about the Department of Commerce and Agriculture。 I know this sounds dull， but trust me， you'll be in awe at what these people do。 Did you know the Dept。 of Commerce includes NOAA and that all weather forcasting originates from their data？ Oh， it also reveals the disinterest of the Trump administration in either of these departments。 This book made me proud of our federal employees， many of whom are astronauts， scholars， etc。， who dedicate th This was a really interesting read。 I learned so much about the Department of Commerce and Agriculture。 I know this sounds dull， but trust me， you'll be in awe at what these people do。 Did you know the Dept。 of Commerce includes NOAA and that all weather forcasting originates from their data？ Oh， it also reveals the disinterest of the Trump administration in either of these departments。 This book made me proud of our federal employees， many of whom are astronauts， scholars， etc。， who dedicate their work to helping to make our country better。 。。。more

Suneet Bhatt ，

Another Great ReadThere is no writer who does as marvelous a job as Lewis at bringing together facts and important moments with narratives and rich characters。 Everything he writes I fall into and fly through。 Having learned。 I’ve always had a healthy admiration for public service and public servants。 This book edifies that belief。

Nancy ，

Interesting information。 Wished author would have featured stories of more government workers than endlessly focusing on just a few with stories that went on forever。

Logan Valentino ，

Read this book in February 2020， and about 40 pages of it is devoted to Trump gutting the US Pandemic Response team。 Lewis is of course excellent at his retelling and analysis of contemporary events， but also warns of Pandemic risk months before Covid was ever heard of。

Liam Polkinghorne ，

Challenges a lot of the misconceptions or stereotypes I had of the public service。 Although there are inefficiencies， and some people that may be overpaid， Lewis interviews countless people who were shocked at the calibre of those willing to work for the government: "there were physicists everywhere"。 A lot of them have migrated to where they are out of desire: they believe in what they are doing， and are willing to forgo the lucrative contracts they could demand in the private sector。 Book also Challenges a lot of the misconceptions or stereotypes I had of the public service。 Although there are inefficiencies， and some people that may be overpaid， Lewis interviews countless people who were shocked at the calibre of those willing to work for the government: "there were physicists everywhere"。 A lot of them have migrated to where they are out of desire: they believe in what they are doing， and are willing to forgo the lucrative contracts they could demand in the private sector。 Book also focused on the worries that scientific research departments run by the US Department of Energy and Department of Agriculure have had funding withdrawn， or otherwise de-emphasised or politicised by the Trump administration， that historically remained largely bipartisan。 Role of government and the funds and programs they provide are largely misunderstood: they fund important projects the private sector won't fund， and are critical to long-term competitiveness。 Spoke about the botched transition when Trump took power， and some puzzling appointments to senior positions with obvious commercial incentives。 The fifth risk: it's the risk you fail to imagine that kills you。 。。。more

Sherri ，

A love letter to the U。S。 government and its civil servants。

Jeffrey Sacks ，

Excellent story about transition government

Amit ，

Sharp and thought provoking。 This book is about apathy and incompetence of the Trump regime。 It is also a deeper take on the faceless heroes in the departments of the US government who are rarely celebrated but run the risk of being maligned at the first opportunity。 It presents an argument of the vitality of government programs and missions against everything being reduced to a free market farce。 The book though set in Trump’s America can be equally true for any part of the world where mission Sharp and thought provoking。 This book is about apathy and incompetence of the Trump regime。 It is also a deeper take on the faceless heroes in the departments of the US government who are rarely celebrated but run the risk of being maligned at the first opportunity。 It presents an argument of the vitality of government programs and missions against everything being reduced to a free market farce。 The book though set in Trump’s America can be equally true for any part of the world where mission isn’t forgotten over money。 。。。more

Bella ，

okay i had to read this book for school AND IT WAS SM BETTER THAN I EXPECTED LIKE I LEARNED SO MUCH AND IT WAS SO INTERESTING

Jasmine K ，

This isn’t just another book critiquing Trump - I actually really love it for the depth it goes into with government agencies and the real people that are part of them。 The stories he tells of these agencies and public servants， as well as their mission-driven work for low pay are truly inspiring。

Kartik Kohli ，

A rivetting account of the post 2016 election government transition that happened。 Mind blowing storytelling by Michael Lewis。

Christina ，

Really eye opening but not Lewis's best IMO Really eye opening but not Lewis's best IMO 。。。more

Jeff Beresini ，

With this book coming out during the Trump presidency， I thought for sure it would be a hack on what the administration did to cause issues。 I wasn't wrong， but not in the way I thought it would be。 Instead， consider the tale of the hard working bureaucrats laboring away in the many administrative cubes that make our society work， in secret， unpublicized， and far from the reaches of our social media nightmares。 This book addresses just what kind of important work these various agencies do for us With this book coming out during the Trump presidency， I thought for sure it would be a hack on what the administration did to cause issues。 I wasn't wrong， but not in the way I thought it would be。 Instead， consider the tale of the hard working bureaucrats laboring away in the many administrative cubes that make our society work， in secret， unpublicized， and far from the reaches of our social media nightmares。 This book addresses just what kind of important work these various agencies do for us， day in and day out， and at the mercy and whim of politicos who seldom understand the relevance or importance of the work they do。 。。。more

Martin Wood ，

Imagine an iceberg。 What you see above the surface of the water is what you know about the federal government and its service departments。 What you don’t see are the ton of things that those departments do that keep our country and democracy going behind the scenes， underneath the surface。 Now imagine those things broke down。 That’s what this book does， and it’s such an important read。 Strong 4 stars。

Paul Xanders ，

Concise and info-taining。 Makes roasting Trump interesting again by focusing on the obscure departments his appointees disrupted or outright looted。

Peter Håkansson ，

Some interesting vignettes about the usefulness of the us government and what they do; also very readable as all Michael's books。 Howevever， the hypocricy and wanking over credentials is a bit much; almost an entire chapter is spent fawning over someone（immigrant， harvard grad， loves the government） who got a lot of responsibility in his 20s and in the very same chapter there is outrage that the trump team sent white men in their 20s to agencies。 Some interesting vignettes about the usefulness of the us government and what they do; also very readable as all Michael's books。 Howevever， the hypocricy and wanking over credentials is a bit much; almost an entire chapter is spent fawning over someone（immigrant， harvard grad， loves the government） who got a lot of responsibility in his 20s and in the very same chapter there is outrage that the trump team sent white men in their 20s to agencies。 。。。more

Katie Boland ，

The government is important。 What they do is important。 Blowing off its importance can be catastrophic and take a long time to recover from。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Fifth Risk

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Fifth Risk&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Fifth Risk&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0