Folio Archives 425: The March of Folly by Barbara W. Tuchman - 2007
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1wcarter
The March of Folly, from Troy to Vietnam by Barbara W Tuchman - 2007
The futility of war and the folly of governments is the point of this book which analyses four turning points in history over the last 2800 years : Troy and the Trojan horse; the Protestant Reformation and the failure of the Popes to address it; the American War of Independence and the Vietnam War. There is an introductory chapter on the way in which some governments persist with a folly that is contrary to their best interests. Unfortunately, half the book is spent on the Vietnam War which overshadows the more historic events.
Tuchman is a renown author of histories and has won the Pulitzer Prize. In this eminently readable book she brings the people, places and events of history alive for today's reader. The book was first published in 1984 when the Vietnam War was far fresher in people’s memories.
419 page book has an extensive bibliography and index, and is illustrated with 16 pages of bound-in colour and monochrome pictures.
The book is bound in black cloth, gilt stamped with a repeating pattern on the cover and title on spine. The endpapers are pale mottled brown and the pale brown slipcase has a picture representing the Trojan War on the front. It measures 26.1x17cm.
The Folio Society also published this book in 1997 as part of a two volume set by titled Mirror of the Past that comprised the books A Distant Mirror and The March of Folly, both by Tuchman.
1997 edition
2007 edition
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
The futility of war and the folly of governments is the point of this book which analyses four turning points in history over the last 2800 years : Troy and the Trojan horse; the Protestant Reformation and the failure of the Popes to address it; the American War of Independence and the Vietnam War. There is an introductory chapter on the way in which some governments persist with a folly that is contrary to their best interests. Unfortunately, half the book is spent on the Vietnam War which overshadows the more historic events.
Tuchman is a renown author of histories and has won the Pulitzer Prize. In this eminently readable book she brings the people, places and events of history alive for today's reader. The book was first published in 1984 when the Vietnam War was far fresher in people’s memories.
419 page book has an extensive bibliography and index, and is illustrated with 16 pages of bound-in colour and monochrome pictures.
The book is bound in black cloth, gilt stamped with a repeating pattern on the cover and title on spine. The endpapers are pale mottled brown and the pale brown slipcase has a picture representing the Trojan War on the front. It measures 26.1x17cm.
The Folio Society also published this book in 1997 as part of a two volume set by titled Mirror of the Past that comprised the books A Distant Mirror and The March of Folly, both by Tuchman.
1997 edition
2007 edition
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
3Bibliophile-I
>1 wcarter:, Another incredible edition from the Subscription era. Do you think you’ll ever review the Jane Austen individual volumes or set with Joan Hassall’s illustrations?
4wcarter
>1 wcarter:
I'll look into doing that review.
In the meantime check out The History of England by Jane Austen at https://www.librarything.com/topic/266196
I'll look into doing that review.
In the meantime check out The History of England by Jane Austen at https://www.librarything.com/topic/266196
