Michael Lewis On Musk, Trump, DOGE, And The Deep State

Michael Lewis is coming to the Assembly Rooms on Monday 16 November, for a talk on Elon Musk, Donald Trump, DOGE and the deep state. If you've read Liar's Poker or The Big Short, you'll know his thing: he takes the complicated, high-stakes world of money and power and breaks it down into a story you can actually follow. He's spent more than thirty years doing exactly that, from the trading floors of Wall Street to the inner workings of presidential campaigns.

This particular talk draws on his book Blockers, which he describes as a thriller about the unsung heroes he calls 'Blockers' — the people who fought back against Elon Musk's DOGE and the forces behind it. From there, he widens the lens to the broader disorder of Trump's second term. It's a look at how the machinery of government is being pushed and pulled, and the people trying to hold the line in the middle. He's also written about the chaos of Trump's first term and witnessed the rise and fall of crypto tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried, so he's coming to this with a fair bit of ground already covered.

It's a talk for anyone who's been following the headlines and wondering what's actually happening behind the scenes. If you're into the intersection of politics, big money, and the people who end up in the crossfire, this is right up that alley. The session is recommended for ages 14 and over, and under-16s need to be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or more.

It's at the Assembly Rooms on George Street, starting at 7:30pm. Tickets are £54.50 for PL1, £44.50 for PL2 and £39.00 for PL3.