How the World Ran Out of Everything: Inside the Fragile Global Supply Chain

Written by the New York Times Global Economics Correspondent,
How the World Ran Out of Everything is an extraordinary journey
into the hidden systems that move goods across the planet. The book
exposes both the remarkable pathways of modern manufacturing and
transportation, and the ruthless business logic that has left communities
vulnerable to shortages of basic necessities.

A tale that will change how you look at the world.

Mark Leibovich

The book was named a Best Book of the Year by Foreign Policy and
The Aspen Institute, and was longlisted for the Porchlight Business Book Award.

Questions the Pandemic Made Impossible to Ignore

How does the wealthiest country in the world run out of protective equipment
during a public health emergency? Why are parents unable to find infant
formula when they need it most? How can automakers spend billions building
cars that cannot be driven because they lack computer chips?

The last several years exposed the true complexity and fragility of the
global supply chain. Cargo ships stalled offshore, warehouses overflowed,
delivery trucks sat idle, and shortages rippled across nearly every sector
of daily life.

A System Under Constant Strain

From breakfast cereal to medical devices, from everyday conveniences to
lifesaving supplies, scarcity became widespread. While the pandemic shock
was unprecedented, it revealed a deeper truth. The global supply chain was
already vulnerable long before the crisis began.

Sabotaged by short-term financial incentives, reduced market transparency,
and deteriorating working conditions, the system now operates in a state
of perpetual risk. Those responsible for keeping goods moving often do so
under immense pressure, while resilience has been sacrificed for efficiency
and profit.

Inside the Machinery of Global Trade

In How the World Ran Out of Everything, award-winning journalist
Peter S. Goodman takes readers deep inside the inner workings of the global
supply chain. His reporting highlights both the technical sophistication of
the system and its human cost.

Goodman follows the people who make global commerce possible. He visits
factories in Asia, spends time with an almond grower in Northern California,
joins striking railroad workers in Texas, and rides alongside a truck driver
across hundreds of miles of the Great Plains.

The Human Cost and the Case for Reform

Through these stories, Goodman builds a compelling argument for reform.
A truly reliable supply chain, he contends, requires a fundamental
rebalancing of priorities. Labor conditions must improve, long-term
resilience must be valued, and the relationship between workers and
shareholders must be reconsidered.

The book calls for deeper public awareness of how goods are produced and
delivered, and for policies that recognize supply chains as critical
infrastructure rather than invisible background systems.

Why This Book Matters

Clear-eyed, deeply reported, and urgent, How the World Ran Out of Everything
explains not only how our supply chains function, but why their reform is
essential. The stakes go far beyond convenience.

Without meaningful change, the dysfunction exposed in recent years will
continue to threaten daily life and global prosperity alike. Goodman’s
work is a vital guide to understanding what went wrong, and what must
happen next.