Edited by Michael Lewis.
Softcover (5.2×8.0 inches). 270 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: The Untold Story of Public Service
I suspect that 10% of all large organizations, government and private sector, contain employees who could be laid off or fired and efficiency would improve. I also suspect that 33% of said large organizations are staffed with dedicated stellar professionals who are critical to the success of the organization. The rest are competent professionals who do their work, no more, no less, to keep the organization functioning.
This book celebrates eight dedicated federal government employees who embody the smarts and the drive to go above and beyond to improve services. These profiles, all exceptionally well written and tight, explain not only what they did, but how they persevered to accomplish a goal.
What caught my eye was the blurb about digitizing archives. I volunteer at our historical society archive, so the work of National Archives and Records Administration Chief Innovation officer Pamela Wright proved an interesting look into the idea of forming the Citizen Archivist program to help transcribe documents. So far, more than three million pages have been transcribed (p163). She also led the project to create History Hub on the NARA website where anyone can submit a query on any topic and staffers and volunteers will find an answer (p170). NARA also partnered with a variety of other academic and private organizations to digitize select historical papers, such as treaties with Native Americans.
And I should note – this is not in the book — that as of February 13, 2026, History Hub was eliminated, ostensibly to address NARA’s reduced budget and improve efficiency. So far, the e-mail service — inquire@nara.gov — is still operating.
The other seven are just as well written and fascinating, even if you have no interest in the topic. I know nothing about coal mining other than I once visited an abandoned coal mine that became a tourist attraction led by former miners. Yet, here was a fascinating bio about mining engineer Christopher Mark who figured out how to make coal mines safer for miners. The accident rate over the last 100 years make for chilling reading, but his checklist helped make US mines — and those around the world which follow his recommendations — dramatically safer.
The IRS auditor. The Administrator of National Cemeteries. The NASA scientists. The FDA Administrator. Eight career government employees with an eye for improvement and the dedication to make it happen.
The book contains eight black and white photos.
You may or may not agree with the gutting of federal departments by DOGE and executive firings. You may or may not agree that those let go are useless bureaucrats. You may or may not agree that the services provided were unnecessary.
But you owe it to yourself to understand that a significant number of dedicated career public servants exist who make our life here in the US not only safer, but better. Here are eight who do just that. Excellent.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
