Books › The march of folly
The march of folly
from Troy to Vietnam
784 pages
A sweeping, sharply written autopsy of human hubris that leaves you marveling at the cyclical blindness of power.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting with a brilliant, slightly cynical historian who is methodically laying out the greatest unforced errors of human civilization. The pace is steady and deliberate, carrying you through centuries of political blunders with an elegant, authoritative voice. Tuchman's prose is sharp and deeply observant, transforming dry historical records into a mounting tragedy of arrogance and institutional blindness. The mood is one of exasperated fascination; you watch leaders walk willingly into disaster, armed with every warning but blinded by their own hubris. It is a deeply satisfying read for those who love grand narrative history, offering a sobering but utterly engrossing look at the psychology of power and the timelessness of human folly.
- Mood
- exasperating
- tragic
- contemplative
- sweeping
- Tone
- authoritative
- wry
- critical
- incisive
- erudite
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- hubris and arrogance · the blindness of power · institutional failure · historical repetition · the psychology of leadership
- The writing
- Elegant and robust, blending grand historical sweep with biting, sharply observed character assessments.
- The arc
- Begins with intellectual curiosity and builds to a profound, exasperated dread as the cyclical nature of human arrogance reveals itself.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love sweeping, narrative-driven history that dissects the psychological and systemic roots of political disaster.
Content notes
- historical warfare
- political corruption
- mass casualties
About the book
Traces and explores the recurring pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests.
Description from Open Library.
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