That Used to Be Us - Thomas L. Friedman & Michael Mandelbaum

That Used to Be Us

By Thomas L. Friedman & Michael Mandelbaum

  • Release Date: 2011-09-05
  • Genre: Political Science
Score: 3.5
3.5
From 362 Ratings

Description

America is in trouble. We face four major challenges on which our future depends, and we are failing to meet them—and if we delay any longer, soon it will be too late for us to pass along the American dream to future generations.
In That Used to Be Us, Thomas L. Friedman, one of our most influential columnists, and Michael Mandelbaum, one of our leading foreign policy thinkers, offer both a wake-up call and a call to collective action. They analyze the four challenges we face—globalization, the revolution in information technology, the nation's chronic deficits, and our pattern of excessive energy consumption—and spell out what we need to do now to sustain the American dream and preserve American power in the world. They explain how the end of the Cold War blinded the nation to the need to address these issues seriously, and how China's educational successes, industrial might, and technological prowess remind us of the ways in which "that used to be us." They explain how the paralysis of our political system and the erosion of key American values have made it impossible for us to carry out the policies the country urgently needs.
And yet Friedman and Mandelbaum believe that the recovery of American greatness is within reach. They show how America's history, when properly understood, offers a five-part formula for prosperity that will enable us to cope successfully with the challenges we face. They offer vivid profiles of individuals who have not lost sight of the American habits of bold thought and dramatic action. They propose a clear way out of the trap into which the country has fallen, a way that includes the rediscovery of some of our most vital traditions and the creation of a new thirdparty movement to galvanize the country.
That Used to Be Us is both a searching exploration of the American condition today and a rousing manifesto for American renewal.

Reviews

  • That used to be Us

    5
    By Current and Future
    This is a very good book to read about where we as a country are currently and some suggestions about the future. It is a clear summary of four challenges we face and suggestions for remaining exceptional. It is well written (as usual by these authors), thought provoking, informative, causes some worry, and hope for the future
  • Unreadable

    2
    By Cyclby
    ZZZZZZZZZZZ Still sits on my shelf, bookmark has not advanced in 5 months!
  • Good ideas, mediocre writing

    3
    By Dr Baseball
    I doubt the ideas and the articulations are interesting and thought provoking, but there are many repetitions instead of more elaborations and examples. Hastily-put together, it seems. I enjoyed reading it nonetheless.
  • Great Lesson in American History

    5
    By Maizen Gray
    This book does an exceptional job outlining and explaining in a very understandable way the aspects the caused America to rise from a small agrarian country, the greatest and most influential nation in human history. I liked the non partisan perspective, praising and criticizing Democrats and Republicans alike, which made me feel more like I was getting an honest analyses and not a political agenda. This book is an easy read and will go a long way in educating the "average Joe" on the complexities of how America arrived in its current state, and offers ideas on how to emerge, as we've routinely done throughout our history, the greatest nation on Earth.
  • The best book since From Beirut to Jerusalem

    5
    By chvolk
    Everyone should read this. The book is well researched and written and does as good a job of explaining our situation in the US and how we arrived at this point as any book I have read.
  • That Used to Be Us

    5
    By arowe53
    This is a must-read for people of all political persuasions and should be shared widely in schools, book clubs and with family and friends. The authors do an excellent job of diagnosing our nation's ills and offering a recovery plan that is believable. We need to build a movement to turn their recommendations into action!
  • That Used To Be Us

    5
    By Illinois Bob
    This book is an emotional roller coaster ride, providing many incites and possible solutions for the United States. I am left with a feeling of hopefulness after reading the book. I bought a copy for my school teacher son. The more people that read the book the greater the chance of getting our country back to the cutting edge of who we used to be.
  • That Used to Be Us

    5
    By Al Rykus
    If you want answers to America's current problems it is all in this book. An analysis of our current situation can be traced to our current political parties inability to move beyond petty bickering. The political center must becoming radical. Enter a third party candidate to shock the political system. I vote for Tom Friedman.