That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back

Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum argue that America faces four large challenges: globalization, the revolution in information technology, chronic budget deficits, and rising energy consumption. Their claim is that the country once met comparable tests, such as the Cold War, with strong public education, investment in infrastructure, open immigration, and support for research. They say it stopped doing so, and that partisan politics now blocks a response. Chapters compare the American approach with that of competitors like China and Germany, and they propose a national effort to renew those strengths.

This book speaks to readers who follow American politics and economic policy and want a centrist diagnosis with specific remedies. Expect an argumentative, anecdote-rich case rather than a data-heavy study, and a clear list of what the authors think should change.

Outward-looking, growth-minded and clear-cut; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Practical Optimizer. Which reader are you?