Freethinkers Book Club: The Premonition by Michael Lewis

Freethinkers Book Club

The Premonition: A Pandemic Story

By Michael Lewis

Wednesday, August 23, 2023, 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Hosted by: Karen C.

This 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. However, Michael Lewis chooses to stay away from a heavy political analysis, and instead, focuses on people behind the scenes, some who can be thought of as heroes.

The Premonition has three primary characters: the science, the government organizations, and the characters in this account who are as fascinating as they are unexpected. Lewis takes us through the years leading up to the pandemic, and as the pandemic spreads, he brings to light those who refused to follow directives they knew to be based on misinformation and bad science. Even the internet, as crucial as it was to their exchange of ideas, posed a risk to them. They never knew for sure who else might be listening in. 

Feel free to join if you have not read the book, but if so, please take a look at one or more of these resources.

“The Premonition” Is A Sweeping Indictment Of The CDC. https://www.npr.org/2021/05/03/991570372/michael-lewis-the-premonition-is-a-sweeping-indictment-of-the-cdc

The Premonition by Michael Lewis review – a pandemic story. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/05/the-premonition-by-michael-lewis-review-a-pandemic-story

Politics and Prose. Michael Lewis, “The Premonition”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOgTZjoZqps

CBS Morning News. Michael Lewis on why America’s public health institutions struggled to respond to COVID-19 pandemic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_DFJOyoBlM

Please join us!

Participants are encouraged to join the Pittsburgh Freethought Community if not already a member.
https://pghfreethought.org/Become-a-member