Pandemic, Inc.

Chasing the Capitalists and Thieves Who Got Rich While We Got Sick

By: J. David McSwane

Narrated by: Matt Godfrey

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

“This startling, vital book deserves our attention.” —San Francisco Chronicle

For fans of War Dogs and Bad Blood, an explosive look inside the rush to profit from the COVID-19 pandemic, from the award-winning ProPublica reporter who saw it firsthand.

The United States federal government spent over $10 billion on medical protective wear and emergency supplies, yet as COVID-19 swept the nation, life-saving equipment such as masks, gloves, and ventilators was nearly impossible to find.

In this brilliant nonfiction thriller, called “revelatory” by The Washington Post, award-winning investigative reporter J. David McSwane takes us behind the scenes to reveal how traders, contractors, and healthcare companies used one of the darkest moments in American history to fill their pockets. Determined to uncover how this was possible, he spent over a year on private jets and in secret warehouses, traveling from California to Chicago to Washington, DC, to interview both the most treacherous of profiteers and the victims of their crimes.

Pandemic, Inc. is the story of the fraudster who signed a multi-million-dollar contract with the government to provide lifesaving PPE, and yet never came up with a single mask. The Navy admiral at the helm of the national hunt for additional medical resources. The Department of Health whistleblower who championed masks early on and was silenced by the government and conservative media. And the politician who callously slashed federal emergency funding and gutted the federal PPE stockpile.

Winner of the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, McSwane connects the dots between backdoor deals and the spoils systems to provide the definitive account of how this pandemic was so catastrophically mishandled. Shocking and monumental, Pandemic, Inc. exposes a system that is both deeply rigged, and singularly American.

©2022 J. David McSwane. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

good but not comprehensive

left me wanting more - there were so many other topics he could have explored!

A must read for all Americans

I hope this book will serve as a cautionary tale for future generations on what *not* to do in a global health crisis. McSwane paints a picture of the US at its worst- guided by greed and profits at the expense of American lives. Listening to this book, it was impossible to not stop and contemplate how many lives could have been saved if not for the failures and ineptitude of catastrophic proportions that McSwane details. The story unfolds a bit like a thriller, with snappy, witty writing that will make you laugh out loud, in spite of the grim tale being told. Some of these stories have already led to legal action, and I hope that there is more to come. Investigative journalism is essential to hold our institutions accountable, and I’m grateful for McSwane and others who have dedicated their lives to bringing truth to power. Can’t recommend this book enough!

A harrowing journey into the Covid-19 Pandemic

As someone currently fighting Covid, I can not recommend this book enough. McSwane does a wonderful job exploring specific people's experience making money in the pandemic, and those in power's failures to properly prepare for Covid. Godfrey is an excellent narrator as well.

one of the best

I like his snarky, condescending tone. It's a real shame how low our country has sunk

Oh My God, is that what was going on!

An investigative diary of one journalist tracking where some of the Covid19 relief money when.

Troubling but important

Lots of info from this investigative reporter. Unfortunately doesn’t speak well to the US as a nation dealing with a pandemic. Hopefully we can learn from our many mistakes to do better when we face the next crisis.

Trumping

What a terrible but true nightmare on lack of accountability within the Trump administration 😙 hope procedures and policies are in place to prevent this from happening again!

Infuriating.

Well researched and well written. David's book kept my interest though it was extremely difficult to hear about all the corruption, greed, deceit and poor government management.

Too partisan

Too partisan…I just want to know the history of the pandemic without the partisan b.s. that divides us. Save that crap for the radio

quite a story

This book provides a reporters view of the pandemic and the many scams and atrocities that occurred during the Pandemic. I choose to read this book because it was featured in an Alumini magazine for CSU, as the author is a Colorado State University alumini. I could of done with out the political bashing. But it is definitely worth listening to.