We talk to Michael Lewis about his new book The Premonition, which tells the story of the people who saw the pandemic coming and asks why they couldn't get a hearing. It's a tale of short-term failures and long-term trends in US government and it follows on from his previous book about the risks America has been running in hollowing out the administrative state. A sobering account with glimmers of hope for the future.
Talking Points:
Old timers at the CDC say that things began to change after the 1976 swine flu outbreak.
Doing a public health job well carries a high risk of getting fired.
Why was it so hard to learn from the experiences of other cities in the heart of the crisis?
Mentioned in this Episode:
Further Learning:
And as ever, recommended reading curated by our friends at the LRB can be found here: lrb.co.uk/talking
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Twilight of Democracy
Helen's History of Ideas
James Meek on Healthcare: from WHO to NHS
Brexit in the Age of Covid
Burma's Hidden History
Britain Wrestles with its Past
American Fascism: Then and Now
Police State USA
What Just Happened at the New York Times?
Matt Forde
Facts vs Opinions
Dan Snow on Covid History (and Cummings)
Bread, Cement, Cactus
Europe Blows Up
Labour and Brexit: Beyond the Crisis
Ebola, COVID and the WHO
David Miliband on the Crisis
History of Ideas: Wollstonecraft on Sexual Politics
History of Ideas: Hobbes on the State
What's Happening in Italy Now?
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