In this excerpt from the audiobook version of Blockers, Michael Lewis tells the dramatic story of a showdown at the United States Institute of Peace. Although the institute was created by Congress and run as a private corporation, President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) targeted it for takeover. In the early months of 2025, the institute’s head of security decided to fight back.

You can save 25% on the audiobook when you use the code BLOCKERSBOOK at blockers.fm.

In this excerpt from the audiobook version of Blockers, Michael Lewis tells the dramatic story of a showdown at the United States Institute of Peace. Although the institute was created by Congress and run as a private corporation, President Trump&rsquo;s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) targeted it for takeover. In the early months of 2025, the institute&rsquo;s head of security decided to fight back.
You can save 25% on the audiobook when you use the code BLOCKERSBOOK at&nbsp;<a href="http://blockers.fm/">blockers.fm</a>.

A Bad Week at the US Institute of Peace

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3c64de35-e8b8-483b-9236-b4f301158975/transcript

Exciting news! I have an all new book coming out on October 6th: BLOCKERS. You can pre-order your copy of the audiobook exclusively at blockers.fm. The hardcover is available at michaellewiswrites.com.

A blocker is the worst thing you could be during President Trump's second term—especially if you worked in the federal government and wanted to keep your job. A blocker was a holdover, an impediment, and, most of all, someone who didn’t belong. BLOCKERS tells the story of six people who believed they had a calling, who were convinced they were doing something the country couldn’t do without, and then discovered they were no longer wanted. One kept Americans’ most sensitive tax data out of the wrong hands and another made sure that politicians and civil servants played by the rules. One figured out how to stop wildfires from destroying suburban neighborhoods, another helped uncover the mysteries of cystic fibrosis.

BLOCKERS is an inside look at the early days of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as told by the public servants it targeted and asks the question: If public servants can’t survive in government today, then what does that say about our country?

Pre-order your copy of the audiobook exclusively at blockers.fm. We'll send you a code for 25% off all Pushkin titles, including mine like Liar’s Poker and The Big Short, through the end of the year. 

Exciting news! I have an all new book coming out on October 6th: BLOCKERS. You can pre-order your copy of the audiobook exclusively at&nbsp;<a href="http://blockers.fm/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://blockers.fm/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1780604741523000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2J4r3Nk0NlFAfzLqgafUBU">blockers.fm</a>. The hardcover is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://michaellewiswrites.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://michaellewiswrites.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1780604741523000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Qc9ucG5NSeLLTcvo1D4_-">michaellewiswrites.com</a>.
A blocker is the worst thing you could be during President Trump's second term&mdash;especially if you worked in the federal government and wanted to keep your job. A blocker was a holdover, an impediment, and, most of all, someone who didn&rsquo;t belong. BLOCKERS tells the story of six people who believed they had a calling, who were convinced they were doing something the country couldn&rsquo;t do without, and then discovered they were no longer wanted. One kept Americans&rsquo; most sensitive tax data out of the wrong hands and another made sure that politicians and civil servants played by the rules. One figured out how to stop wildfires from destroying suburban neighborhoods, another helped uncover the mysteries of cystic fibrosis.
BLOCKERS is an inside look at the early days of Trump&rsquo;s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as told by the public servants it targeted and asks the question: If public servants can&rsquo;t survive in government today, then what does that say about our country?
Pre-order your copy of the audiobook exclusively at <a href="http://blockers.fm/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://blockers.fm/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1780604741523000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2J4r3Nk0NlFAfzLqgafUBU">blockers.fm</a>. We'll send you a code for 25% off all Pushkin titles, including mine like Liar&rsquo;s Poker and The Big Short, through the end of the year.&nbsp;

Blockers: A New Audiobook from Michael Lewis 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f38a23ff-c87f-4eb2-ad92-b45e015976ec/transcript

Recently, Michael Lewis spoke with Nicolle Wallace, host of the podcast The Best People, at Symphony Space in New York. They discussed what it was like re-visiting the Big Short 15 years on. And we hear the actor Zach Grenier dramatize a portion of The Big Short.

Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on Audible, Spotify, pushkin.fm/bigshort or wherever you get audiobooks.

Recently, Michael Lewis spoke with Nicolle Wallace, host of the podcast&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/49PEWS3aD9f6M2urhGdf6d">The Best People</a>, at Symphony Space in New York. They discussed what it was like re-visiting the Big Short 15 years on. And we hear the actor Zach Grenier dramatize a portion of The Big Short.
Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Big-Short-Inside-the-Doomsday-Machine-Audiobook/B0FJTH21JS?qid=1758041668&amp;sr=1-1&amp;ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&amp;pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&amp;pf_rd_r=W8EJYNFBTNKENZERAF3F&amp;plink=MffxLjWat1SZzQ9C&amp;pageLoadId=8twGCD6I2yKFLwtS&amp;creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&amp;ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1">Audible</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4jMnkmyFmZT7j7R72nlNXz?si=b627a059b2e644cc">Spotify</a>, <a href="http://pushkin.fm/bigshort">pushkin.fm/bigshort</a> or wherever you get audiobooks.

Live with Nicolle Wallace 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1d7f280a-9675-4a5d-aef3-b3b001645c45/transcript

Of all the characters in The Big Short, fund manager Michael Burry (depicted by Christian Bale in the movie version) seemed the least likely to grant Michael Lewis a follow-up interview. Burry was one of the first to see the subprime housing market crisis coming, and he actually helped Wall Street banks develop the credit-default swap, the instrument that allowed short sellers to make their bets against the market. Lately, Burry has been in the news again because his fund has taken short positions against tech giants Nvidia and Palantir. Now he finally sits down with Lewis as part of this series.

Burry recently launched a newsletter called Cassandra Unchained.

Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on Audible, Spotify, pushkin.fm/bigshort or wherever you get audiobooks.

Of all the characters in The Big Short, fund manager Michael Burry (depicted by Christian Bale in the movie version) seemed the least likely to grant Michael Lewis a follow-up interview. Burry was one of the first to see the subprime housing market crisis coming, and he actually helped Wall Street banks develop the credit-default swap, the instrument that allowed short sellers to make their bets against the market. Lately, Burry has been in the news again because his fund has taken short positions against tech giants Nvidia and Palantir. Now he finally sits down with Lewis as part of this series.
Burry recently launched a newsletter called <a href="https://michaeljburry.substack.com/">Cassandra Unchained</a>.
Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Big-Short-Inside-the-Doomsday-Machine-Audiobook/B0FJTH21JS?qid=1758041668&amp;sr=1-1&amp;ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&amp;pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&amp;pf_rd_r=W8EJYNFBTNKENZERAF3F&amp;plink=MffxLjWat1SZzQ9C&amp;pageLoadId=8twGCD6I2yKFLwtS&amp;creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&amp;ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1">Audible</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4jMnkmyFmZT7j7R72nlNXz?si=b627a059b2e644cc">Spotify</a>, <a href="http://pushkin.fm/bigshort">pushkin.fm/bigshort</a> or wherever you get audiobooks.

Michael Burry Speaks

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2086bbbc-fc68-4bda-af2a-b3a60167db56/transcript

To wrap up our series on The Big Short, Michael Lewis speaks with two people who represent two very different responses to the financial crisis of 2008: US Senator Elizabeth Warren, an expert in bankruptcy law who became an advisor to the Obama White House before running for higher office in Massachusetts. And Michael interviews former Trump White House advisor and right-wing podcaster Steve Bannon, who talks about how the financial crisis radicalized him.

Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on Audible, Spotify, pushkin.fm/bigshort or wherever you get audiobooks.

To wrap up our series on The Big Short, Michael Lewis speaks with two people who represent two very different responses to the financial crisis of 2008: US Senator <a href="https://www.warren.senate.gov/">Elizabeth Warren</a>, an expert in bankruptcy law who became an advisor to the Obama White House before running for higher office in Massachusetts. And Michael interviews former Trump White House advisor and right-wing podcaster <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bannon-s-war-room/id1485351658">Steve Bannon</a>, who talks about how the financial crisis radicalized him.
Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Big-Short-Inside-the-Doomsday-Machine-Audiobook/B0FJTH21JS?qid=1758041668&amp;sr=1-1&amp;ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&amp;pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&amp;pf_rd_r=W8EJYNFBTNKENZERAF3F&amp;plink=MffxLjWat1SZzQ9C&amp;pageLoadId=8twGCD6I2yKFLwtS&amp;creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&amp;ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1">Audible</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4jMnkmyFmZT7j7R72nlNXz?si=b627a059b2e644cc">Spotify</a>, <a href="http://pushkin.fm/bigshort">pushkin.fm/bigshort</a> or wherever you get audiobooks.

How the Financial Crisis Broke Politics

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5459484a-03f8-4093-8ca1-b395017397ba/transcript

To make sense of Wall Street’s hangover from the crash described in The Big Short, Michael Lewis calls up Matt Levine. Levine is author of the Money Stuff newsletter for Bloomberg Opinion and co-host of a podcast by the same name. He’s also a former investment banker who was working at Goldman Sachs during the market crisis of 2008. He and Lewis talk about Bitcoin, bank regulation, and new forms of risk-taking — all ways Wall Street has changed since the crisis.

Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on Audible, Spotify, pushkin.fm/bigshort or wherever you get audiobooks.

To make sense of Wall Street&rsquo;s hangover from the crash described in The Big Short, Michael Lewis calls up Matt Levine. Levine is author of the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/money-stuff">Money Stuff</a> newsletter for Bloomberg Opinion and co-host of a podcast by the same name. He&rsquo;s also a former investment banker who was working at Goldman Sachs during the market crisis of 2008. He and Lewis talk about Bitcoin, bank regulation, and new forms of risk-taking &mdash;&nbsp;all ways Wall Street has changed since the crisis.
Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Big-Short-Inside-the-Doomsday-Machine-Audiobook/B0FJTH21JS?qid=1758041668&amp;sr=1-1&amp;ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&amp;pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&amp;pf_rd_r=W8EJYNFBTNKENZERAF3F&amp;plink=MffxLjWat1SZzQ9C&amp;pageLoadId=8twGCD6I2yKFLwtS&amp;creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&amp;ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1">Audible</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4jMnkmyFmZT7j7R72nlNXz?si=b627a059b2e644cc">Spotify</a>, <a href="http://pushkin.fm/bigshort">pushkin.fm/bigshort</a> or wherever you get audiobooks.

How the Financial Crisis Broke Wall Street

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/cc86ce09-08fb-492f-a2af-b3950109cc74/transcript

Andrew Ross Sorkin writes the business and policy newsletter DealBook for the New York Times and is co-anchor of Squawk Box on CNBC. He also has a historical bent, and has a new book out about the causes and consequences of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Sorkin speaks with Michael Lewis about how that crisis differed from the financial crash of 2008, and what we can learn by comparing the two eras.

For more, check out Sorkin’s book 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History, and How it Shattered a Nation.

Andrew Ross Sorkin writes the business and policy newsletter <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/andrew-ross-sorkin">DealBook</a> for the New York Times and is co-anchor of <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/squawk-box-us/">Squawk Box</a> on CNBC. He also has a historical bent, and has a new book out about the causes and consequences of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Sorkin speaks with Michael Lewis about how that crisis differed from the financial crash of 2008, and what we can learn by comparing the two eras.
For more, check out Sorkin&rsquo;s book&nbsp;<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/665634/1929-by-andrew-ross-sorkin/">1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History, and How it Shattered a Nation</a>.

Lessons of the Great Depression

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b7950d38-e4d7-41b9-a7af-b38e016bfa0a/transcript

When Michael Lewis wrote The Big Short, there was an extra character in the story: The Federal Reserve System, the central bank of the US, which bought up bad debt on the balance sheets of big Wall Street banks and trading firms. To better understand the Fed’s role in the financial crisis of 2008, Michael turns to UC Berkeley economics professor Emi Nakamura. And in the process, we get a master class in how currency works, and why there’s still some gold in the vaults of the Fed.

For more, check out Emi Nakamura’s Macro Policy Lab.

Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on Audible, Spotify, pushkin.fm/bigshort or wherever you get audiobooks.

When Michael Lewis wrote The Big Short, there was an extra character in the story: The Federal Reserve System, the central bank of the US, which bought up bad debt on the balance sheets of big Wall Street banks and trading firms. To better understand the Fed&rsquo;s role in the financial crisis of 2008, Michael turns to UC Berkeley economics professor <a href="https://econ.berkeley.edu/profile/emi-nakamura">Emi Nakamura</a>. And in the process, we get a master class in how currency works, and why there&rsquo;s still some gold in the vaults of the Fed.
For more, check out Emi Nakamura&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.macropolicylab.org/what-we-do">Macro Policy Lab</a>.
Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Big-Short-Inside-the-Doomsday-Machine-Audiobook/B0FJTH21JS?qid=1758041668&amp;sr=1-1&amp;ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&amp;pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&amp;pf_rd_r=W8EJYNFBTNKENZERAF3F&amp;plink=MffxLjWat1SZzQ9C&amp;pageLoadId=8twGCD6I2yKFLwtS&amp;creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&amp;ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1">Audible</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4jMnkmyFmZT7j7R72nlNXz?si=b627a059b2e644cc">Spotify</a>, <a href="http://pushkin.fm/bigshort">pushkin.fm/bigshort</a> or wherever you get audiobooks.

Lender of Last Resort

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ed6d4d89-432d-41a7-a721-b38600eeb29a/transcript

The Big Short is centered around the story of investment advisors who noticed something was seriously wrong with the subprime housing market starting in the early 2000s. Why did the traders at FrontPoint Partners and others bet against the herd, at great risk to their reputations and their own careers? And what happened after those bets paid off — because the market crashed? Michael Lewis catches up with some of the most memorable characters in his book to find out what being right has done to their lives.

For more, check out a newsletter by Danny Moses, Vincent Daniel, and Porter Collins called WHAT ARE WE DOING? (WAWD).

Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on Audible, Spotify, pushkin.fm/bigshort or wherever you get audiobooks. 

The Big Short is centered around the story of investment advisors who noticed something was seriously wrong with the subprime housing market starting in the early 2000s. Why did the traders at FrontPoint Partners and others bet against the herd, at great risk to their reputations and their own careers? And what happened after those bets paid off &mdash; because the market crashed? Michael Lewis catches up with some of the most memorable characters in his book to find out what being right has done to their lives.
For more, check out a newsletter by Danny Moses, Vincent Daniel, and Porter Collins called <a href="https://whatarewedoingonthedesk.substack.com/about">WHAT ARE WE DOING? (WAWD</a>).
Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Big-Short-Inside-the-Doomsday-Machine-Audiobook/B0FJTH21JS?qid=1758041668&amp;sr=1-1&amp;ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&amp;pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&amp;pf_rd_r=W8EJYNFBTNKENZERAF3F&amp;plink=MffxLjWat1SZzQ9C&amp;pageLoadId=8twGCD6I2yKFLwtS&amp;creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&amp;ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1">Audible</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4jMnkmyFmZT7j7R72nlNXz?si=b627a059b2e644cc">Spotify</a>, <a href="http://pushkin.fm/bigshort">pushkin.fm/bigshort</a> or wherever you get audiobooks.&nbsp;

The FrontPoint Boys

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/41ab045a-b356-477d-89fe-b3830122e086/transcript

Michael Lewis speaks with Greg Lippmann, formerly a bond trader at Deutsche Bank, made famous when he was portrayed by Ryan Gosling in the movie version of The Big Short. And Lewis catches up with Steve Eisman, the Wall Street investor who was played by actor Steve Carell. When did they each start to suspect the subprime mortgage market was rotten, and why? And how did they perceive each other in the wary days and months before the market crashed?

For more, check out Steve Eisman’s podcast, The Real Eisman Playbook.

Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on Audible, Spotify, pushkin.fm/bigshort or wherever you get audiobooks.

Michael Lewis speaks with Greg Lippmann, formerly a bond trader at Deutsche Bank, made famous when he was portrayed by Ryan Gosling in the movie version of The Big Short. And Lewis catches up with Steve Eisman, the Wall Street investor who was played by actor Steve Carell. When did they each start to suspect the subprime mortgage market was rotten, and why? And how did they perceive each other in the wary days and months before the market crashed?
For more, check out Steve Eisman&rsquo;s podcast, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/12Z1fRNhtOLLRCAtjCOPsx">The Real Eisman Playbook.</a>
Order The Big Short audiobook, now narrated by Michael Lewis, on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Big-Short-Inside-the-Doomsday-Machine-Audiobook/B0FJTH21JS?qid=1758041668&amp;sr=1-1&amp;ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&amp;pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&amp;pf_rd_r=W8EJYNFBTNKENZERAF3F&amp;plink=MffxLjWat1SZzQ9C&amp;pageLoadId=8twGCD6I2yKFLwtS&amp;creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&amp;ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1">Audible</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4jMnkmyFmZT7j7R72nlNXz?si=b627a059b2e644cc">Spotify</a>, <a href="http://pushkin.fm/bigshort">pushkin.fm/bigshort</a> or wherever you get audiobooks.

The Short Sellers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a0ab9987-fc7b-46e6-b7f5-b379013d5c07/transcript

Michael Lewis’s latest book Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State tells the story of federal civil servants who risked — and in most cases, lost — their jobs in the early days of the second Trump administration. In this companion series, we hear about how Lewis reported the book and what kind of government we’re left with after the ravages of DOGE. 

Get Blockers now at blockersbook.com or wherever books are sold.

Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the figures in American life who rely on the public's trust, whether in sports, in business, in the courtroom, or on TV. What happens when that trust erodes and we can no longer agree on what's fair and what's not?

Michael Lewis&rsquo;s latest book Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State tells the story of federal civil servants who risked &mdash;&nbsp;and in most cases, lost &mdash; their jobs in the early days of the second Trump administration. In this companion series, we hear about how Lewis reported the book and what kind of government we&rsquo;re left with after the ravages of DOGE.&nbsp;
Get Blockers now at&nbsp;<a href="http://blockersbook.com/">blockersbook.com</a> or wherever books are sold.
<hr>
Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the figures in American life who rely on the public's trust, whether in sports, in business, in the courtroom, or on TV. What happens when that trust erodes and we can no longer agree on what's fair and what's not?

Against the Rules: Blockers Companion Podcast

Michael Lewis’s latest book Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State tells the story of federal civil servants who risked — and in most cases, lost — their jobs in the early days of the second Trump administration. In this companion series, we hear about how Lewis reported the book and what kind of government we’re left with after the ravages of DOGE. 

Get Blockers now at blockersbook.com or wherever books are sold.

Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the figures in American life who rely on the public's trust, whether in sports, in business, in the courtroom, or on TV. What happens when that trust erodes and we can no longer agree on what's fair and what's not?

 

Michael Lewis&rsquo;s latest book Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State tells the story of federal civil servants who risked &mdash;&nbsp;and in most cases, lost &mdash; their jobs in the early days of the second Trump administration. In this companion series, we hear about how Lewis reported the book and what kind of government we&rsquo;re left with after the ravages of DOGE.&nbsp;
Get Blockers now at&nbsp;<a href="http://blockersbook.com/">blockersbook.com</a> or wherever books are sold.
<hr>
Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the figures in American life who rely on the public's trust, whether in sports, in business, in the courtroom, or on TV. What happens when that trust erodes and we can no longer agree on what's fair and what's not?
&nbsp;

Against the Rules: Blockers Companion Podcast

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