The March of Folly

From Troy to Vietnam

Barbara W. Tuchman

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English

Ballantine
06 December 1993

History; General & world history

Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Barbara W. Tuchman, author of the World War I masterpiece The Guns of August, grapples with her boldest subject: the pervasive presence, through the ages, of failure, mismanagement, and delusion in government.

Drawing on a comprehensive array of examples, from Montezuma’s senseless surrender of his empire in 1520 to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Barbara W. Tuchman defines folly as the pursuit by government of policies contrary to their own interests, despite the availability of feasible alternatives. In brilliant detail, Tuchman illuminates four decisive turning points in history that illustrate the very heights of folly: the Trojan War, the breakup of the Holy See provoked by the Renaissance popes, the loss of the American colonies by Britain’s George III, and the United States’ own persistent mistakes in Vietnam. Throughout The March of Folly, Tuchman’s incomparable talent for animating the people, places, and events of history is on spectacular display.

Praise for The March of Folly

“A glittering narrative . . . a moral [book] on the crimes and follies of governments and the misfortunes the governed suffer in consequence.”—The New York Times Book Review

“An admirable survey . . . I haven’t read a more relevant book in years.”—John Kenneth Galbraith, The Boston Sunday Globe

“A superb chronicle . . . a masterly examination.”—Chicago Sun-Times

By: Barbara W. Tuchman
Imprint: Ballantine
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 31mm
Weight: 425g
ISBN: 9780345308238
ISBN 10: 0345308239
Pages: 447
Publication Date: 06 December 1993
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam

A glittering narrative . . . a moral [book] on the crimes and follies of governments and the misfortunes the governed suffer in consequence. -The New York Times Book Review An admirable survey . . . I haven't read a more relevant book in years. -John Kenneth Galbraith, The Boston Sunday Globe A superb chronicle . . . a masterly examination. -Chicago Sun-Times