THAT USED TO BE US
Longlisted for the 2011 Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business
Book of the Year Award
A St. Louis Post-Dispatch Best Book of 2011
A Sunday Telegraph Best Book of 2011
“Masterful … This book should elicit a significant national response—an outcry even—from the American people who understand that moments like these in history demand action and leadership … Very important and timely.”
—Peter Sims, Reuters
“Tom Friedman [and Michael Mandelbaum] nailed it … If you care about where we are as a country and how we can do better, read this book!”
—Matt Blumberg, Business Insider
“Before we accept some inevitability of our decline, before we determine we are powerless in the face of it all—let’s exhaust all the tools we have available, tap all the brightest minds, and arm ourselves with the enlightenment that comes from educating ourselves … [The authors do] not underestimate our challenges nor [do they] think it will be easy, but [they do] offer plans and ideas. And as always, [they are] engaging [and] practical.”
—Roxanne Coady, The Daily Beast
“Outstanding … Significant … This book is aimed at all Americans … Friedman has a well-earned reputation for taking what is complex and abstract and explaining it simply—not simplistically—to make it comprehensible without writing down to the reader. The result is a blessing.”
—Robert M. Knight, The Washington Independent Review of Books
“Friedman and Mandelbaum … caution, in calm, moderate language, that haggling over exceptionalism in political debate does nothing to move the political process toward the goals that would re-establish America’s unique role in the world … [They] have done a commendable
job of framing the issues confronting America and suggesting how we can lower our voices and restore reason and sanity to public debate.”
—Repps Hudson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“The erudite authors offer straightforward plans of action for preserving the American Dream and keeping our country’s status as the world’s No. 1 power.”
—Sacramento Bee
“Provides an excellent analysis of four major challenges for America today … Every citizen should read this book … At stake is the future of our children and grandchildren.”
—John Hennigan, Athens (Georgia) Banner-Herald
“[Friedman and Mandelbaum are] neither doomsters nor declinists … Vigorously argued and vividly written, the book is both a blast of anger and an action programme.”
—George Walden, London Evening Standard
“Keenly relevant … A searing view of the condition of America today and the need for evolution in order to survive and excel in the global community … That Used to Be Us has much to add to a national discussion; and calls on policymakers to wake up to the new reality and Americans to pull together and work as one.”
—The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Va.)
“Demonstrates that rekindling America’s role as beacon to the world is a matter of reawakening key values important to past generations … An important ‘how-to’ book for our nation’s political elite and its vast middle-of-the-road electorate eager to see their priorities and vision return to the political agendas of their representatives and government.”
—Bob Kustra and the Reader’s Corner team,
The Idaho Statesman (Boise)
“A book that is being widely read by senior politicians on both sides of the Atlantic … [That Used to Be Us] offers [reassurance] that governments are not powerless in the face of a gathering storm.”
—Matthew d’Ancona, The Daily Telegraph
“[Friedman] and Mandelbaum, two of the few adults in the room, create, first, a realistic portrait of today’s global economy and then a workable
plan by which Americans might thrive in this new world they’ve helped invent.”
—Alan Moores, Booklist (starred review)
“This is a book of exceptional importance, written on a sweeping scale with remarkable clarity by two of our most gifted thinkers … It should be read by policymakers and every American concerned about our country’s future.”
—Elizabeth L. Winter, Library Journal (starred review)