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The Premonition: A Pandemic Story

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The Premonition: A Pandemic Story First Edition

by Michael Lewis (Author)

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New York Times Bestseller
An American Scientist Science Book of 2021
A Bloomberg Best Book of 2021
A Fortune Best Books of 2021
A Guardian Best Book of 2021
A Mother Jones Best Book of 2021
A Next Big Idea Club Best Nonfiction of 2021
One of Smithsonian's 10 Best Science Books of 2021

For those who could read between the lines, the censored news out of China was terrifying. But the president insisted there was nothing to worry about.

Fortunately, we are still a nation of skeptics. Fortunately, there are those among us who study pandemics and are willing to look unflinchingly at worst-case scenarios. Michael Lewis’s taut and brilliant nonfiction thriller pits a band of medical visionaries against the wall of ignorance that was the official response of the Trump administration to the outbreak of COVID-19.

The characters you will meet in these pages are as fascinating as they are unexpected. A thirteen-year-old girl’s science project on transmission of an airborne pathogen develops into a very grown-up model of disease control. A local public-health officer uses her worm’s-eye view to see what the CDC misses, and reveals great truths about American society. A secret team of dissenting doctors, nicknamed the Wolverines, has everything necessary to fight the pandemic: brilliant backgrounds, world-class labs, prior experience with the pandemic scares of bird flu and swine flu…everything, that is, except official permission to implement their work.

Michael Lewis is not shy about calling these people heroes for their refusal to follow directives that they know to be based on misinformation and bad science. Even the internet, as crucial as it is to their exchange of ideas, poses a risk to them. They never know for sure who else might be listening in.

ISBN-10

0393881555
ISBN-13

978-0393881554
Edition

First Edition
Publisher

W. W. Norton & Company
Publication date

May 4, 2021
Language

English
Dimensions

6.5 x 1.2 x 9.6 inches
Print length

320 pages
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Popular Highlights in this book

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“Experience is making the same mistake over and over again, only with greater confidence,”
Highlighted by 4,653 Kindle readers
The root of the CDC’s behavior was simple: fear. They didn’t want to take any action for which they might later be blamed.
Highlighted by 2,775 Kindle readers
I think this particular story is about the curious talents of a society, and how those talents are wasted if not led.
Highlighted by 1,502 Kindle readers

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lewis brings a welcome gimlet eye to the Trump era… the lessons of the “The Premonition” apply to more than just the C.D.C. ― they tell us why government bureaucracies fail."
― Nick Confessore, New York Times Book Review

"Lewis finds ways not just to showcase the brokenness of the system writ large but to zoom in on the sand in the gears.... [S]pellbinding."
― Jennifer Szalai, New York Times

"Much has been written about how the pandemic came to be, but not so well known are the details about how it was able to spread so quickly in the United States…Michael Lewis has written a new book…that fills in those blanks. And it is a sweeping indictment of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
― Rachel Martin, NPR

"[T]he narrative of The Premonition makes for compelling reading...Lewis writes of the quest for an improved public health response to such devastating crises as an extended set piece in fearless and iconoclastic scientific inquiry, calling to mind the tense, high-stakes storyline of a Michael Crichton thriller or an episode of House."
― Chris Lehman, The New Republic

"In his new book...Michael Lewis does what Michael Lewis does better than anyone: He makes a problem of apparently ungodly complexity not only comprehensible but also a pleasure to be around. He does this by finding someone who sees the problem more clearly than others do (and invariably more clearly than the people in charge do), and then makes the problem as alive to the reader as the individual."
― Karl Vick, Time

"This is a book about some brave, curious people who tried hard to swim against the tide. As always in a Lewis book they are brought vividly alive. The descriptions are punchy, the dialogue snappy. Lewis is a master of his form. He’s an expert, in fact."
― Christina Patterson, The Sunday Times (UK)

"Replete with unforgettable characters, taut pacing and the stakes of life or death…. [A] page-turner."
― Elizabeth Greenwood, San Francisco Chronicle

"An urgent, highly readable contribution to the literature of what might be called the politics of disease."
― Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

From the Back Cover

Praise for Michael Lewis

"I would read an 800-page history of the stapler if he wrote it."
― John Williams, New York Times Book Review

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; First Edition (May 4, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0393881555
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393881554
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.2 x 9.6 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #49,173 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #19 in Viral Diseases (Books)
- #26 in Communicable Diseases (Books)
- #57 in History of Medicine (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 18,290 ratings

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Michael Lewis

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Michael Lewis, the best-selling author of The Undoing Project, Liar's Poker, Flash Boys, Moneyball, The Blind Side, Home Game and The Big Short, among other works, lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife, Tabitha Soren, and their three children.

Customer reviews

18,290 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the book great, compelling, and essential reading. They describe the pacing as well-written and say it reads like a novel. Readers find the insight amazing, informative, and fascinating. They appreciate the stories and real-life characters involved in the US. In addition, they describe the scariness level as terrifying and heartbreaking. However, some customers feel the book shows the incompetence in the government.

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Readability Pacing Insight Storytelling Scariness level Character development Difficulty to put down Incompetence

296 customers mention "Readability"281 positive15 negative

Customers find the book great, compelling, and essential reading. They say it's non-technical and informative.

"...Well worth a read.Most of the people mentioned in this book are not the ones that fill the news about the pandemic...." Read more

"...: a focus upon public health issues that is both informative and entertaining." Read more

"...figures in this story which makes the book more relevant and compelling...." Read more

"...quite up to Undoing Project, Big Short and Blind Side, but definitely worth reading...." Read more

290 customers mention "Pacing"257 positive33 negative

Customers find the book well-written, spellbinding, and easy to read. They say it provides a detailed view into the ineptitude of our politicians.

"...It’s a great book by a very well known and established author – I have read maybe half of his 10+ books, starting with Liar’s Poker, and they have..." Read more

"...Not the most exciting of Lewis’s work, but a worthwhile read as Lewis walks one through the covid story through the eyes of a few folks who work in..." Read more

"...It is a well written book that captures the zeitgeist of the past year...." Read more

"Amazingly detailed critique of the covid19 pandemic crisis in this country. Excellent reader!" Read more

236 customers mention "Insight"230 positive6 negative

Customers find the book amazing, informative, and well-researched. They say it's fascinating in almost every way. Readers also mention the US government employs intelligent, creative, and dedicated people. In addition, they say it's one of the most important works written about the pandemic.

"...It’s a great book by a very well known and established author – I have read maybe half of his 10+ books, starting with Liar’s Poker, and they have..." Read more

"...book is a rarity: a focus upon public health issues that is both informative and entertaining." Read more

"This book provides some good insight into America’s public health system...." Read more

"...It is a well written book that captures the zeitgeist of the past year...." Read more

195 customers mention "Storytelling"164 positive31 negative

Customers find the storytelling well-researched, fascinating, and infuriating. They say the multiple storylines dovetail nicely and the book is an exciting page-turner full of moments of epiphany. Readers also mention the book is readable almost like a novel.

"...Poker, and they have all be well-researched and rich with both personal stories and wide perspective. Well worth a read...." Read more

"...In the end, with such relatable characters and a good story to tell, and about such a recent polarizing event in the public conscious, this book is..." Read more

"As always, Michael Lewis tells a great story with compelling narrative...." Read more

"...It’s not. It’s a far more interesting and compelling story of the inner workings of a public health system and bureaucracy and why it failed in its..." Read more

40 customers mention "Scariness level"37 positive3 negative

Customers find the book terrifying, disturbing, and valuable. They say it tells of the fear, loss, and sorrow felt by everyone in the United States. Readers also mention the topic is haunting, damning, and inspirational.

"...His writing is exquisite: fast paced, suspenseful, and pungent...." Read more

"...What is presented in the book is accurate, readable and terrifying but is clearly not the whole story...." Read more

"...The behind the scene information is both fascinating and scary...." Read more

"...It's really scary to read this information." Read more

39 customers mention "Character development"39 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters in the book gripping, humanized, and relatable. They describe the book as an entertaining personality-driven read.

"...It does so through really compelling character profiles and exceptional storytelling...." Read more

"...The characters come alive on the pages. I wish I could meet several of them, including Mr. Lewis...." Read more

"This is my first Michael Lewis book, I may be hooked!Lively characters and a story that flows supported by a blend of facts and the..." Read more

"...This is a book with real heroes, the kind you never hear about, who matter the most when disaster strikes...." Read more

14 customers mention "Difficulty to put down"9 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book. Some mention it's easy to read and hard to put down, while others say it's difficult to follow at times.

"Prompt delivery and book is hard to put down." Read more

"Good read, a bit difficult to follow at times, but a sound description of the way the pandemic developed and the faulty reactions we encounter from..." Read more

"...I found it to be a page-turner, a book hard to put down. Michael Lewis is a great writer. He made the story come alive...." Read more

"This is really well written, at times hard to put down, with characters you can't help but like...." Read more

41 customers mention "Incompetence"8 positive33 negative

Customers find the book shocking, saying it shows the incompetence of the government. They also say the public health system is dysfunctional and unprepared. Readers mention the response is completely incompetent and politicized.

"...Most still believe this even despite the dismal, tragic failure in handling COVID. Add denial to the superlatives...." Read more

"...because we're still the midst of the pandemic, it lacks the benefit of some hindsight and there are still many things open to question...." Read more

"...they encountered a wall of ignorance, apathy, and incompetence to a degree shocking in one of the world's most advanced countries...." Read more

"...And the institution has been politicized...." Read more

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VT

Read verified purchase reviews - excellent research and entertaining story by a well-known author

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2021

Verified Purchase

Please do look for “verified purchase” reviews – do not trust the 1-star reviews that have come out on May 4-5 and contain no real substance or commentary on the actual content.
It’s a great book by a very well known and established author – I have read maybe half of his 10+ books, starting with Liar’s Poker, and they have all be well-researched and rich with both personal stories and wide perspective. Well worth a read.
Most of the people mentioned in this book are not the ones that fill the news about the pandemic. Yes, Toni Fauci and Robert Redfield are mentioned, there are a few references to Trump’s administration – but it’s mostly about scientists and public health officials and their role in the pandemic and valiant attempts to break through the layers of bureaucracy and politics. I would say the book is striking a balanced view, as it also goes into examples of where Obama’s administration took unwise decisions but got lucky.
It’s a new angle on the pandemic question – and this says something after a year of constant news-stream. The abysmal state of state public health data and decision-making, the inability of decision makers to get the right data and advice, the loss of institutional knowledge with each administration change. The book will leave you better informed and much more scared about getting out of this pandemic and facing the next one.

19 people found this helpful

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M. D. ROY EARLE

Excellent, detailed discussion of the pandemic and the inept response to it

Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2024

Verified Purchase

Best retrospective look at the Covid pandemic and our government's inept response to it. Lewis handles public health and epidemiology, subjects that could be boring to the average reader, with an eye for both detail and the human side of the story.
While Trump is inevitably identified as a key failure, Lewis offers accurate, documented criticism of the CDC and the entire political structure of our public health "system."
The clear discussion of how a disease can spread exponentially is of particular value, as is the discussion of current data as a "snapshot of the past" and a predictor of the immediate future.
This book is a rarity: a focus upon public health issues that is both informative and entertaining.

2 people found this helpful

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Todd M. from Los Angeles

Lewis is a good storyteller

Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2023

Verified Purchase

This book provides some good insight into America’s public health system. Not the most exciting of Lewis’s work, but a worthwhile read as Lewis walks one through the covid story through the eyes of a few folks who work in the area of public health.

3 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Provides Coherent Backstory to World Changing Event

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

With this last year so fresh in my mind, and the myriad of questions buzzing around in my head, I was so glad I was able to read this book. It provided coherent background to all the bits and pieces I coddled together from watching the news or reading science articles about the coronavirus. It is a well written book that captures the zeitgeist of the past year. I don't like to come to a book looking for validation, but in some ways it is hard not to because it was published so close to 2020 amidst a pandemic that greatly affected this country and that continues much more severely in other parts of the world.

The story of Charity Dean is compelling if not only because her questions are my questions. Her knowledge of politics and the health care system puts things in a perspective that at times made me mad, made me frustrated, and made me sad. It doesn't seem that being a public health official should be such a struggle, but when one throws in the whims of politics and a lack of support for people who make the real hard decisions, it ends up that way.

The other main characters: Joe DeRisi, Richard Hatchett, and Carter Mecher are the main technologists of the story who keep hope alive: Joe with his work with ViroChip and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, and Richard and Carter with their emergency pandemic response plan. I know guys like them. We too have a guy similar to Carter who everyone asks questions of and who is always happy to give answers. I work in a tech field, so I know what it is like to bring one's knowledge and reason to bear so hard down upon an intractable problem. However, their problem was to save the country in a pandemic, a magnitude of a problem I have never had to face.

In the end, with such relatable characters and a good story to tell, and about such a recent polarizing event in the public conscious, this book is a winner. More cold and academic tracts will be written about the 2020 pandemic year five or ten years down the line, but this one came at the proper time and with proper humanization of an event of mind-blowing magnitude. I heartily recommend this book.

10 people found this helpful

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walking gently

OUTSTANDING and ABSORBING Storyof a real-life battle

Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2024

Verified Purchase

Amazingly detailed critique of the covid19 pandemic crisis in this country. Excellent reader!

Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2024

Verified Purchase

This book should be required reading for those mask and vaccine deniers. Tracks the rationale behind the public health response, some reasons why it fell short of what could have been, and a warning for the future if we continue to deny science and best available evidence. Michael Lewis is fast becoming my favorite author, easy to read and explains complex issues in a way anyone could understand.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

POLANA

Now you know there are people out there who care!

Reviewed in Canada on January 21, 2024

Verified Purchase

Answers a lot of questions swirling around COVID. Well written and thoughtful!

Lusi Steiner

Loved everything about it!

Reviewed in Germany on June 20, 2024

Verified Purchase

Loved everything about it!

Amazon Customer

The book everyone needs to read

Reviewed in India on April 13, 2024

Verified Purchase

While the author tries to bring out the outstanding individuals who try their best despite the system to bring out positive outcomes, what comes across is the sad reality that our institutions aren't ready to deal with the challenges of the future..

A book that will shed light on possibly how every aspect of government works and probably always will work because of the incentives built in that almost always are against the interests of the general public.

Vijay Thapa Luhan

People respect your local public health officials!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book left me with a newfound respect for our local public health officials who even outside of pandemics are literally out there detecting and diagnosing those illnesses that can do humans the most harm. They are officials who put up with the greatest level of BS from the federal govt, both Democrat and Republican, and do so at miserable pay. This book is a captivating study of just a handful of public health officials who since the early 2000s had "A Premonition" of a sign of things to come and I had no idea the number of viruses and "close calls" we have had in our lifetime since 1918. The CDC come out absolutely terribly in this book, and, like the WHO, have a lot to answer for on what the hell they were upto in the decades prior to COVID-19, continuously ignoring research and findings Brought upon them by local health officials. It was eye opening and Michael Lewis does it once again with his Motley Crue of characters who "saw what no one else saw" in line with his characters from all of his great books.

Loren

Full of insights, and surprisingly easy to read

Reviewed in France on June 10, 2021

Verified Purchase

Although this a book about the Covid pandemic, it reads like a well-written novel. Definitely. Worth reading.Lots of insights, from medicine to computer science to politics.

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