That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back
Sep 2011 · Farrar, Straus and Giroux
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About this ebook
A Wake-Up Call for America: Overcoming the Four Challenges Threatening Our Future
In That Used to Be Us, renowned columnist Thomas L. Friedman and foreign policy expert Michael Mandelbaum deliver a powerful message: America faces four critical challenges that, if left unaddressed, will jeopardize the nation's future and the American Dream. Globalization, the information technology revolution, chronic deficits, and excessive energy consumption pose urgent threats that demand immediate action.
Friedman and Mandelbaum argue that the end of the Cold War blinded America to these growing issues, while China's rise serves as a stark reminder of "that used to be us." They expose how political paralysis and eroding values have hindered the implementation of crucial policies. Yet, the authors believe in America's resilience.
By rediscovering vital traditions and fostering a new third-party movement, they offer a five-part formula for prosperity based on America's history. Vivid profiles showcase individuals who embody the bold thought and dramatic action needed for renewal. That Used to Be Us is both an incisive exploration of America's current condition and an inspiring call for reclaiming its greatness.
In That Used to Be Us, renowned columnist Thomas L. Friedman and foreign policy expert Michael Mandelbaum deliver a powerful message: America faces four critical challenges that, if left unaddressed, will jeopardize the nation's future and the American Dream. Globalization, the information technology revolution, chronic deficits, and excessive energy consumption pose urgent threats that demand immediate action.
Friedman and Mandelbaum argue that the end of the Cold War blinded America to these growing issues, while China's rise serves as a stark reminder of "that used to be us." They expose how political paralysis and eroding values have hindered the implementation of crucial policies. Yet, the authors believe in America's resilience.
By rediscovering vital traditions and fostering a new third-party movement, they offer a five-part formula for prosperity based on America's history. Vivid profiles showcase individuals who embody the bold thought and dramatic action needed for renewal. That Used to Be Us is both an incisive exploration of America's current condition and an inspiring call for reclaiming its greatness.
Ratings and reviews
4.0
42 reviews
A Google user
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February 6, 2012
Excellent book. All our politicians should read this. It's time to take action on our national debt. It's not going to be without pain, but the longer we wait the more painful it's going to be for all of us.
DLM DLM
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April 11, 2013
I thought the author did a great job in bringing clarity and some since of understand to America's current fiscal standing as well as academically. He also showed how 19th century solutions are no longer working for this new age.
1 person found this review helpful
A Google user
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April 2, 2013
A must read for anyone interested in current affairs, imoortantly by our policy makers should they really wish to fix America!
2 people found this review helpful
About the author
Thomas L. Friedman is an internationally renowned author, reporter, and columnist—the recipient of three Pulitzer Prizes and the author of several bestselling and award winning books, among them From Beirut to Jerusalem, The World Is Flat, Thank You for Being Late and Hot, Flat, and Crowded.
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