Fueled by a wandering curiosity and the unparalleled ability to make anything interesting, Michael Lewis has written more than 20 books with numerous #1 New York Times bestsellers among them. Following his interests from sports to finance to the intricacies of the human condition, his books capture and influence culture for decades beyond their publish date.
Lewis’ quests for answers often reveal unassuming figures with captivating stories impacting society in profound ways. His 2025 release, Who Is Government?, is a collection of such essays spotlighting the unknown federal employees whose quiet work behind-the-scenes is essential to the continuity, ease, and safety of everyday life. His earlier book, The Fifth Risk, which remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 14 weeks, tackles this concept from the opposing angle, exploring the consequences faced when a country is run by people who have no idea how government actually works.
Other compelling figures at the center of Lewis’ books include Sam Bankman-Fried, the young billionaire founder of the famously collapsed crypto exchange FTX in Going Infinite; the unsung pandemic heroes who put their careers on the line in the name of public safety in The Premonition; the two psychologists who invented the field of behavioral economics and revolutionized our understanding of decision making and human rationality in The Undoing Project; and Michael Oher, the impoverished child adopted into a wealthy family who worked his way to the NFL in The Blind Side.
With a background on Wall Street, Lewis’ curiosities frequently lead to the stranger-than-fiction stories of the financial industry. The enduring impact of his books centered on the world of finance—such as Liar’s Poker, Flash Boys and The Big Short—keep him in high demand with corporate audiences seeking his often prescient insider-outsider perspective on how current happenings may affect their business.
Adding to Lewis’ cultural cachet, the film adaptations of The Big Short, Moneyball and The Blind Side were all major box offices success that received Oscar nominations. The Hollywood Reporter frequently names him to its Most Powerful Authors lists. In the podcast space, he hosts Against the Rules, a show exploring our evolving understanding of fairness and the erosion of trust in America.
For decades, Lewis held various positions at magazines including The Spectator, New York Times Magazine, Bloomberg, The New Republic and Slate. He rounded out his journalism career as contributing editor at Vanity Fair, earning two Gerald Loeb awards during his tenure. In 2023, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
A New Orleans native who currently lives in Berkeley, California with his wife and children, Michael Lewis holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Princeton and a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics. His central message to audiences everywhere is: “If you learn how to tell a story better, it gives you powers you didn’t have in all sorts of places."