In The Lexus and the Olive Tree, author Thomas L. Friedman explains the
             facts, functions, and faults of globalization. According to Friedman, in
             spite of swarms of backlash against it, globalization is inevitable:
             resistance is futile. The current of free market trade is too powerful to
             stop, but the author offers hope for a balanced future in which
             considerations of culture, politics, environmentalism, and personal liberty
             are protected. To approach his topic, the author covers economics,
             politics, and sociology, demonstrating how these factors both shape
             globalization and are shaped by globalization. The book is divided into
             four sections. The first, "Seeing the System," provides a comprehensive
             overview of the subject: how globalization works, what exactly it entails.
             The second section is called "Plugging into the System," and here Friedman
             addresses how individuals, communities, and nations interact with and are
             impacted by globalization. In the third section of the book, "Backlash
             Against the System," the author briefly discusses some of the major forces
             fighting against the current geo-political trends. Finally, the fourth
             section of the book, "America and the System," deals with America's unique
             role as leader of the globalization movement. Throughout the work, Friedman
             offers anecdotes from his intrepid world travels as a New York Times
             foreign affairs columnist and he also provides straightforward metaphors
             and analogies to make the subject matter approachable for all readers.
             Friedman's perspective is optimistic and essentially pro-free market.
             However, he does provide ample evidence from personal experience and
             history to prove that globalization is inevitable, practically
             irreversible, and a force that can and should be harnessed for positive
             In the Introduction, Friedman shows that the modern free market is
             actually a second phase of globalization, the first of ...