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The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy
The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy | Michael Lewis
What are the consequences if the people given control over our government have no idea how it works? "The election happened," remembers Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, then deputy secretary of the Department of Energy. "And then there was radio silence." Across all departments, similar stories were playing out: Trump appointees were few and far between; those that did show up were shockingly uninformed about the functions of their new workplace. Some even threw away the briefing books that had been prepared for them. Michael Lewiss brilliant narrative takes us into the engine rooms of a government under attack by its own leaders. In Agriculture the funding of vital programs like food stamps and school lunches is being slashed. The Commerce Department may not have enough staff to conduct the 2020 Census properly. Over at Energy, where international nuclear risk is managed, its not clear there will be enough inspectors to track and locate black market uranium before terrorists do. Willful ignorance plays a role in these looming disasters. If your ambition is to maximize short-term gains without regard to the long-term cost, you are better off not knowing those costs. If you want to preserve your personal immunity to the hard problems, its better never to really understand those problems. There is upside to ignorance, and downside to knowledge. Knowledge makes life messier. It makes it a bit more difficult for a person who wishes to shrink the world to a worldview. If there are dangerous fools in this book, there are also heroes, unsung, of course. They are the linchpins of the systemthose public servants whose knowledge, dedication, and proactivity keep the machinery running. Michael Lewis finds them, and he asks them what keeps them up at night.
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TheStoriedLife

“[M]anaging risks was an act of the imagination. And the human imagination is a poor tool for judging risk. “People are really good at responding to the crisis that just happened, as they naturally imagine that whatever just happened is most likely to happen again. They are less good at imagining a crisis before it happens, and taking action to prevent it.”

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iread2much
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Pickpick

This book is amazing; the trump part is SUPER scary but that nightmare almost being over, what is fascinating are the inner workings of non-security government agencies. EVERYONE who lives in the USA should read this, it opened my eyes to the role that government plays in everyday life and the amazing things that have been accomplished by our government and the dedicated and talents people who have helped make the world better. 5/5 stars

kspenmoll Agree with all you are saying. My book club read this right when it came out- what a discussion ensued! 3y
iread2much @kspenmoll ooo, that would be a really good book club book! It‘s fascinating. I am so glad I read it. 3y
17 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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RamsFan1963
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Pickpick

Despite all their talk of infrastructure, its truly terrifying to read how ill prepared the Trump administration was for taking over the duties of government. His team was more interested in finding out who was loyal to Trump (aka voted for him) than they were about how various departments worked or retaining qualified people to run them. 4 years later, it's still a collection of corrupt cronies and campaign donors running/ruining the country ⬇️

RamsFan1963 It makes me sad. Hopefully, people will finally have had enough of the incompetence and corruption of the Trump administration to vote him out in 2020. 4y
Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 4y
See All 6 Comments
kspenmoll This was a bookclub choice when it was published. As you can imagine, the book generated lots of discussion. Very somber mood. 4y
kspenmoll @RamsFan1963 I am worried about the election. People have to vote. 4y
RamsFan1963 @kspenmoll I know there will BE an election, even Trump's most devout sycophants know what would happen if he tried to postpone or delay the election, but I am worried about the form and legitimacy of the voting process. I know the president will push for whatever method favors him and the GOP most. 4y
41 likes6 comments
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RamsFan1963
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Christ Christie noticed a piece in the New York Times - that's how it all got started.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

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AlexGeorge
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Pickpick

Gripping and appalling in roughly equal measures. Oh yes, terrifying, too. But you all should totally read it.

Aimeesue Well, that sounds thoroughly horrifying. But probably a necessary, important read. 5y
16 likes1 comment
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rsteve388
Pickpick

I think this book is vital to anyone currently working in the US Federal Government. It gives a clearn understanding of the work that some of the most important agencies do and why it is scary as hell that Trump is in charge.

He doesnt understand Govt, what it is why it is important, what services it provides etc.
I found the ending to be a bit blah, and no real lasting message.

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rsteve388

End of week 6 #BFC19 Miles walkes 29!!
Miles walked in 6 weeks: 115 miles wooo!
# Of Books Read: 11 see profile for titles
I'll probabky finish The Fifth Risk tonight hopefully

Great six weeks y'all!!!! #BookFitnessChallenge

BookwormAHN Great job 👏🏻 5y
7 likes1 comment
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rsteve388

Today was good!

Walked 3.13 miles
Read uo to chapter 25 of How Not to Get Shot.
Read up to page 152 of The Fifth Risk where i learned about the history of NOAA amd NASA.

Exicted for part 2! @wanderinglynn. How do we find out who are groups are?

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rsteve388

I am finding this book.to be a very interesting, frightening, real life telling of how the Trump Administration took over the Fedreal Gov't.

Walked 4.3 miles
Read up to page 100 of The Fifth Risk and up to chapter 12 of How Not To Get Shot and other advixe from.white people.

Good day overall.
#BFC19 #BookFitnessChallenge

Also i bought a Fitbit!!

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 5y
BookwormAHN Great job 👏🏻 5y
5 likes2 comments
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rsteve388

I am gonna start this book tomorrow.

Here is my belated weekly Check in:

Books Finished: The Water Knife and United
Books read so far: 9 books.
Miles walked: 32 miles for week 5

#BFC #BookFitnessChallenge

alisiakae Way to go! 5y
6 likes1 comment
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SW-T
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Pickpick

If you think you know what the Departments of Energy, Commerce, and Agriculture do, think again. Lewis looks inside these agencies and provides information on how much the US infrastructure depends on them, but also pens a love letter to the civil servants who keep these agencies running. An informative and engaging read.

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ralexist
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Pickpick

There isn't a separate entry for this on Litsy but this short free Audible book (about 2.5 hours) is actually an essay that got folded into Lewis' The Fifth Risk so here it gets posted. A great look at data analysis, governmental research and the weather. My biggest take away was just how much we might be able to do if more people were less about the money and more about making the world better.

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AlizaApp
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Pickpick

Starts out being about how the Trump team was unprepared for the transition and does not understand the US federal government, but ends up being more of a love letter to civil servants and the great work they do, and how amazing public servants are especially during difficult times.

44 likes1 stack add
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TheBookStacker
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Onto the next sick day book. Also watching Life In Pieces which I absolutely love it‘s one of my favorite shows.

43 likes1 stack add
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Chelsie_shot
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kspenmoll
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#bookclub #Januarypick #nonfiction
Reading this today. Disturbing, harrowing, eye-opening. Lewis writes of Trump‘s transition or lack there of & his ignorance, lack of curiosity, destructiveness towards science, project management- just plain interest/understanding of how major government departments work to keep us safe.(Dept if Energy, USDA so far)All he has defunded, dismantled. 😱😡😲

saresmoore Isn‘t it terrifying?! My husband is reading it and sharing the high(low)lights with me. That‘s about all I can stomach... 5y
ColleenIsReading I‘ve seen that book mentioned in so many places, often with illustrations of the cover, but I just now realised that it‘s a Jenga game! Appropriate metaphor... 5y
See All 7 Comments
kspenmoll @saresmoore It‘s really really hard to stomach. I can only read in spurts. If not for book club I may have not heard the stomach or forage to read it. 5y
My_novel_obsession I read this one - it was terrifying and infuriating at the same time! 5y
kspenmoll @Anovelobsession I am not halfway in yet, but it does make me want to work on the upcoming election already. Totally infuriating & terrifying! 5y
Suet624 Ugh. 5y
71 likes4 stack adds7 comments
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Pedrocamacho
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Pickpick

This book is based on an article the Lewis wrote for Vanity Fair about the Trump transition (the lack of one) and the Department of Energy. The idea was the Trump presidency is magnifying various risks by ignoring them or hampering those who ameliorate them. The book covers the same topic, but is much more comprehensive - also, covering the Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, and Interior. It is a must-read.

(2019)

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kspenmoll
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#nonfiction #bookclub #January2019 #booksandcoffee #traderjoes
Coffee, Trader Joe‘s seasonal apple-cranberry tart & a book. Perfect start to the day.
Jason I promise not to tag you in every non-fiction book I read...❤️📚
My son is hiding behind the bookworm & his tea.

MrBook 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Tag me! Tag me! 5y
kspenmoll @MrBook ❤️❤️ 5y
76 likes2 comments
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kristamleigh
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Pickpick

A great overview about how our government is designed and some of its critical functions. Also a cautionary tale, ignoring these aspects of our bureaucracy could have unintended and dire consequences.

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kspenmoll
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#HumpDay #nonfiction #Januarybookclub
🐫View from my bed.What does that say that the first thing I did today before coffee was checking Litsy?!!
🐪Hope to read lots-no plans except a WWI documentary Thursday in theatre
🐪tan fuzzy slippers
🐪two dressers, two side tables, one bed, bookcase
🐪stuffed Rib roast, cheesy scallop potatoes, Brussel sprouts, Cabernet, apple tart for dessert. Hubby cooked; I help chop. Son pairs the wine. All delicious!

julesG 1⃣ You're just as addicted as the rest of us. I check Litsy every morning before I get out of bed. Just a quick check, only five minutes, which normally turn into half an hour. 😉 5y
JacqMac I checked before I got out of bed, too. Lol 5y
kspenmoll @julesG @JacqMac Litsy & it‘s people have become an integral part of my life; live this community. 💕💕 5y
53 likes3 comments
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wtimblin
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Pickpick

My knowledge of the various arms of the federal government is quite poor (to be fair I am a Brit) but this book was a very insightful look at the more misunderstood branches of the US government, and how important they are to the everyday lives of not just the American people, but the wider world. And also how the Trump government has ridden roughshod over them during the ‘transition‘. Great read

36 likes1 stack add
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Decalino
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Pickpick

This brief book is a must read for anyone who cares about good governance or seeks to understand the vital yet unappreciated ways that government agencies positively impact our everyday lives. So much is at stake. "There was a rift in American life that was now coursing through American politics. It wasn't between Democrats and Republicans. It was between the people who were in it for the mission, and the people who were in it for the money."

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akfreeborn
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This book explains so much about what‘s going on in Washington in the parts of the government we need to work for us. This book is full of hard facts and will scare you. This is what happens when those working and occupying DC are in it for their profit and not the greater good. Wish more in Florida read this prior to the election.

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Mitch
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AmyG Oh wow. Their daughter, Malia, is studying film in college and did an internship for a film company. Maybe ahe had something to do with this. I shall definitely watch this! 5y
Mitch @AmyG me too! 😄 5y
70 likes2 comments
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UrsulaMonarch
Fifth Risk | Michael Lewis
Pickpick

This book is amazing and terrifying. It served as one of the best civics lessons I've had about what parts of the government do, and I wish I had been taught this information earlier. That makes the current administration the perfect foil for the book, which would be a great writing device if only it were not our reality.

29 likes1 stack add
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Chelsea
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Book 2 of the #Deweys #readathon it‘s really good so far!

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My_novel_obsession
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I didn‘t get to participate in the #readathon today as I had to work and had a million errands to run, but I‘m enjoying a relaxing Saturday night with Munchie 😍. The tagged book is very interesting, scary, and maddening 😡🤬

LauraJ 🖤🖤🖤 5y
Linsy Awww, dog nose! 🐶 5y
34 likes2 comments
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BestDogDad
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Pickpick

The Coming Storm is a short Audible production (and free this month!) which will be a part of Michael Lewis‘s upcoming book The Fifth Risk. I liked it but it left me wanting more; to me felt more like three short stories.

The book follows the careers of two scientists famous for their work with weather predictions and also addresses the impending privatization of weather data, spurred on by the current administration in the White House.

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BarbaraTheBibliophage
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Pickpick

Short and not-so-sweet essay (in GR and Audible but not Litsy). It's a day in the life of the author. He visits the White House press room, talks ethics, visits Trump International Hotel in DC, and watches the State of the Union address with Steve Bannon. Lewis has a much more interesting life than most of us!

Read by author. Just under an hour long.

#thebibliophage2018

ReadZenRites Oh, I REALLY want to read this!! I‘ll be interested to find out if it gets printed on its own. I was a Public Service (non-political) Intern in the G.W. Bush White House, and I‘ve been living in alternating states of incredulity & terror since Jan 20, as all the folks who know how govt runs are purged for fear of being pro-Obama “deep state.” This article seems to address that total lack of understanding and knowledge of governance, finally. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @ReadZenRites I can always send you the Audible audiobook, if you‘d like. They allow that as basically a membership teaser. 6y
ReadZenRites @BarbaraTheBibliophage that is a really kind offer. I‘ve already used my one-time free trial from Audible, but if it‘s free for you to send, I will give it a try. It‘ll either work or ask me to pay, and I can choose if it‘s worth the price. Thanks, Barbara.😁 6y
ReadZenRites Sorry, my email will probably help: Danielle.email@comcast.net 6y
97 likes1 stack add4 comments
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KimHM
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The tagged book is not released yet, but The Coming Storm is likely a preview of sorts. It‘s free for Audible members and under five dollars for non-members and it‘s one of the most important pieces you‘ll ever listen to if you‘re likely to be affected by weather or by data. And let‘s face it, most of us are. As with all Lewis‘s brilliant analyses, the essence of this one is the system and what it‘s doing to you. 📚💚📚💙

KimHM Full disclosure: Lewis hangs this analysis on the 2011 Joplin Tornado which I experienced. I hadn‘t the least idea he‘d done it until I plugged in. 6y
12 likes1 comment