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

Friedman and Mandelbaum provide a strong and powerful assessment of the serious political, technological, and economic challenges facing the United States, insight into how the U.S. ended up mired in these predicaments, and some “radical centrist” ideas on how to resolve the nation’s current issues. Narrator Jason Culp delivers a nuanced performance in this audio production. His tone communicates the authors’ sincerity, but avoids condescension and didacticism. And Culp’s ability to emphasize key phrases and utilize pregnant pauses helps clarify the book’s many complex ideas and abstruse concepts. Additionally, both authors narrate the book’s introduction, switching back and forth in a reading that, while it pales in comparison to Culp’s performance, proves to be pleasant rather than disjointed. A Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover. (Sept.)