ABOUT THE BOOKThat Used to Be Us is a book about America. Authors Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum borrow the title from the American phrase used when confronted with the successes and progresses made by other countries. The most obvious country that we compare ourselves to is China. In a few short years, China has transformed itself from a largely peasant agrarian society to a global economic powerhouse with enviable economic growth and a growing middle class. According to the Central Intelligence Agency, China now has the third highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world