That Used to Be Us

How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back

By: Thomas L. Friedman, Michael Mandelbaum

Narrated by: Jason Culp

Length: 16 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

America has a huge problem. It faces four major challenges, on which its future depends, and it is failing to meet them. 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, analyze those challenges - globalization, the revolution in information technology, the nation's chronic deficits, and its pattern of energy consumption - and spell out what we need to do now to rediscover America and rise to this moment.

They explain how the end of the cold war blinded the nation to the need to address these issues. They show how our history, when properly understood, provides the key to addressing them, and 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 needs. They offer a way out of the trap into which the country has fallen, which includes the rediscovery of some of our most valuable traditions and the creation of a new, third-party movement.

That Used to Be Us is both a searching exploration of the American condition today and a rousing manifesto for American renewal. "As we were writing this book," Friedman and Mandelbaum explain, "we found that when we shared the title with people, they would often nod ruefully and ask: 'But does it have a happy ending?' Our answer is that we can write a happy ending, but it is up to the country - to all of us - to determine whether it is fiction or nonfiction. We need to study harder, save more, spend less, invest wisely, and get back to the formula that made us successful as a country in every previous historical turn. What we need is not novel or foreign, but values, priorities, and practices embedded in our history and culture, applied time and again to propel us forward as a country. That is all part of our past. That used to be us and can be again - if we will it."

©2011 Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

Are we willing to come back

As the world around us changes we’re not changing with it. The same tactics are being used today that were used decades ago with one big difference, ‘No child left behind’ Act! We need to start now reinvigorating our children and young adults to reach for the stars again. Not coddling them by telling them no one can defeat us. Really? Look at the last Iraq War and the War on Terrorism!

We need to do what we did it in the past with education designed to get our children ahead, discipline and removal of laws limiting business. We have people arguing for copyright laws and that every country should obey them. Instead these countries are ignoring them, educating their people which is causing them to beat us at every turn. We need to wake up now and it will take a decade to reverse the trend and one more to get back on top and it’s worth it! Isn’t it?

Ignore the drama, recognize the plight we are in.

If you could sum up That Used to Be Us in three words, what would they be?

Tom and Micheal present an accurate portrayal of the US today. Are we as a country in decline, well we certainly embrace mediocrity as a way of life. The pictured portrayed is not pleasant but not unsolvable. We Americans can and will do the right thing but only when the pain becomes to great to not do it. Are we there yet, I suggest you answer that question when you have read That Used to Be Us.

Interesting, educational,

This book is not only a civic lesson, interesting told, it is an application of what made us great applied to our future. Every citizen in the US should read it.

Even more relevant today

Considering where we are today, this book is an even more important read and even more relevant today as a history lesson to explain why we are where we are now.

VERY disappointing

What disappointed you about That Used to Be Us?

After reading Friedman's "The world is Flat", one of the best books I've had the pleasure to read, I was looking forward to this one. Apparently Friedman's co-author, Mandelbaum, in "That Used to Be Us" was convinced that his myopic view from the political left was reality. Mandelbaum would make a good counter balance to Rush Limbaugh.

Has That Used to Be Us turned you off from other books in this genre?

It has for any book that has Michael Mandelbaum as an author, or co author

How could the performance have been better?

Have Friedman pick his co-authors a lot more carefully

Not impressed

This was my 1st exposure to Thomas Friedman and I found it interesting up until he holds California up as a 'good' example. Then he absolutely swallows 'global warming' as a proven science and ridicules any doubters as 'unscientific'.

He lost all credibility and I used the rest of the book as a sleep aid. (It worked!)

Social Security is something I paid for.

Social Security is something I paid for. Having paid for it for all of my working life I'm not willing to give it up at this late date.

should be titled: Hot, Flat and Crowded 2.0

If you have not read/heard any of Friedman's work this will be a great book. If you have been living in a remote community for the past 10 years without access to news about the United States, then this will be a good book. Fortunately, I have read his work and am familiar with the news. I'm disappointed and wish I could get my credit back.

Too preachy

What would have made That Used to Be Us better?

More facts

What could Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

More facts

Did Jason Culp do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Can't tell - put book down after three chapters

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No

Any additional comments?

If you are interested in what the authors have to say you might like this book. I was not interested in all their personal opinions.

Do not read this book

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Do not read this book unless you have never read a column by Friedman. Once again, he pastes together dozens of columns and stories that he has published repeatedly and calls it a book. The greatest disappointment was his co-author, Michael Mandelbaum, a distinguished and accomplished professor of international relations. My hope was that Professor Mandelbaum would put historical and trenchant prespectives into Friedman's endless anecdotes. Unfortunately, Mandelbaum seems to have bought entirely into the Friedman style and is no where to be seen intellectually in this book. I have read probably several hundred of Friedman's columns and his earlier books. What a profound disappointment this one was.