MACo’s “good government” Book Club will renew in August – with a book called Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service. Join us for the conference and this discussion, with a free advance copy of the book.
At the MACo Summer Conference, county officials and other guests can join a discussion on a book affecting public service and best practices as officials, employees, and colleagues. The selection for August 2025 is Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service, by editor Michael Lewis and multiple contributors.
From the synopsis on the reader-driven website Good Reads:
Who works for the government and what do they do? A timely and absorbing civics lessons from an all-star team of writers and storytellers.
The government is a vast, complex system that Americans pay for, rebel against, rely upon, dismiss, and celebrate. It’s also our shared resource for addressing the biggest problems of society. And it’s made up of people, mostly unrecognized and uncelebrated, doing work that can be deeply consequential and beneficial to everyone.
Michael Lewis invited his favorite writers to find someone doing an interesting job for the government and write about them. The stories they found are unexpected, riveting, and inspiring, including a former coal miner devoted to making mine roofs less likely to collapse, saving thousands of lives; an IRS agent straight out of a crime thriller; and the manager who made the National Cemetery Administration the best-run organization, public or private, in the entire country. Each essay shines a spotlight on the essential behind-the-scenes work of exemplary federal employees.
Whether they’re digitizing archives, chasing down cybercriminals, or discovering new planets, these workers are committed to their work and universally reluctant to take credit. The vivid profiles in On Duty blow up the stereotype of the irrelevant bureaucrat. They show how the essential business of government makes our lives possible, and how much it matters.
Best of all, if you’re coming to the Summer Conference, and would like to take part in this discussion – your copy of the book is free, if you are among the first 20 to respond! (UPDATE – as of 7/16/25, all free copies have been claimed!)
MACo is grateful for the ongoing support and sponsorship from J.P. Morgan, which has made possible the delivery of free advance copies. Their support for, and contributions to, each renewal of the Book Club has greatly advanced this multi-year conference offering.
Not registered yet for the conference? Register now, and make your hotel plans soon!
