America was not destined for economic greatness but through pluck and luck managed to become the world's leading economy. It could soon, however, lose its place. This book tells the story of the nation's economic rise and its potential demise in three parts, one short and thematic, one detailed and chronological, and one analytical that covers key sectors, like healthcare, the dollar, and the national debt. Written by non-specialists, for non-specialists, it is nevertheless an impressive work of synthetic scholarship under the editorial guidance of a prolific historian of American economic development.
