The Premonition: A Pandemic Story

A Must Read!

In this compelling non-fiction account of the run up and beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Lewis skillfully weaves a story without an ending ... yet. His writing is exquisite: fast paced, suspenseful, and pungent. It is the story of a band of medical, scientific, and public health patriots nicknamed “The Wolverines”, who tried to first stop the pandemic and then slow it when it could not be stopped. Reading it made me feel like I was in the movie, “Casablanca”, another powerful story with an unsure ending. Lewis draws rich profiles of these heroes as they struggle, fail, and often succeed against entrenched state and federal bureaucracies. He also explains the technical complexities of viruses and pandemic exponential growth clearly and with mind searing memorable analogies for the lay reader. Yet he also does what amounts to a forensic autopsy of the failure of governments to respond to a rapidly changing existential national and global threat. It is a bit like a half time analysis of a lethal football game. What will happen in the second half? This book gives hope of victory over the COVID-19 virus, but shows our vulnerability for future, possibly even more lethal pandemics. Those in Washington and State capitols who should read this book probably won’t, but for the rest of us in the front lines or just behind them, this book is must reading! Read more