While it’s true that I read basically anything that Michael Lewis writes, it’s also true that there are some books I just think I won’t like. Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service was one of them. I think I assumed it would be a screed extolling the virtues of government, and I didn’t feel like being on the end of a polemic. But my curiosity and adoration of Lewis prevailed, and I picked it up. Good thing I did.
To begin, it’s not exactly a Michael Lewis book. He wrote the introduction and first chapter, but the rest are articles by other authors, most of whom are well known, like Geraldine Brooks and David Eggers. And yet, the collection holds together, because the authors did a good job of both staying true to the theme (the virtues of public service and government), and (mostly – there was one weak chapter) did a good job of focusing on people and their stories.
Perhaps because I’m Canadian, I have a less cynical read of government in general, even as that has frayed in recent years. And yet, I found most of the stories inspiring and deeply fascinating. One sees very clearly that there really are exceptional people in government service, who want to make the country a better place and have used all of their skills and knowledge to do so. And what they do can only be done from within the government. This may be because the work is unique to government, like the head of the VA’s cemetery division (the National Cemetery Administration) or the investigation of organized crime by the IRS, or because it’s not something that the private sector values enough to spend money on, like how to prevent cave-ins in mines.
Just about each person’s story was fascinating, and made a good case for the value of government. Does this mean each government employee is doing a good or useful job? I think everyone knows that the answer is no. Though, what the book does try to do is help those of us who are not only distant from the government, but often blind to its inner workings (perhaps because the government itself is so bad at publicizing its successes), and should be inspired and grateful, not just cynical, as the prevailing culture would suggest.
I think this is an important, fun, and fascinating read. At the very least, these are stories we should know about as members of this society, and should be very grateful for.
Just Because I Liked It:
- Sometimes it’s hard to be sensible about money. I enjoyed this episode of Halacha Headlines that looks at what is allowed, what is not, and what is a chillul Hashem when it comes to taking government benefits.
- Richie Torres is a sensible and articulate politician – a rarity in todays’ world. He rose from an underprivileged childhood, and will no doubt have a bright future. Take a listen to his incredibly thoughtful interview with Sam Harris.