The Fifth Risk
| Author | Michael Lewis |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | W. W. Norton & Company |
Publication date | October 2, 2018 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 256 |
| ISBN | 978-1-324-00264-2 |
The Fifth Risk is a 2018 non-fiction book by Michael Lewis that examines the transition and political appointments of the first Donald Trump presidency, especially with respect to three government agencies: the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Commerce. The "fifth risk" is poor management which eventually results in a dramatic negative outcome.
The book spent fourteen weeks on The New York Times non-fiction best-seller list. A lengthy excerpt from the book was published twice by The Guardian, using a quote from a top adviser to Trump in the title.
Barack and Michelle Obama acquired the rights to the book for a Netflix series about the U.S. government. The 2022 American documentary comedy series The G Word with Adam Conover is "loosely inspired" by the book.