The March of Folly

From Troy to Vietnam

By: Barbara W. Tuchman

Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon

In The March of Folly, two-time Pulitzer Prize winning historian Barbara Tuchman tackles the pervasive presence of folly in governments through the ages. Defining folly as the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests, despite the availability of feasible alternatives, Tuchman details four decisive turning points in history that illustrate the very heights of folly in government: 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' persistent folly in Vietnam.

The March of Folly brings the people, places, and events of history magnificently alive for today's listener.

©1984 Barbara Tuchman (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Among contemporary historians, Barbara Tuchman stands supreme." ( Times of London)
"Admirers of her earlier works will find Barbara Tuchman's familiar virtues on display. She is lucid, painstaking and highly intelligent. She is also highly expert." ( Sunday Times, London)

This book is a true classic of history

Humankind’s failing attempts to build stable and effective governing structures is detailed with skill and touch of humor. Tuchman is a true giant in historical writing, and this book is one of her best. Using examples from classical Greece, the Catholic papacy, and up to the Vietnam War, she proves Lord Acton’s observation, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

For History Lovers

I was recommended this book for the Vietnam portion. This book will provide a greater understanding for the history behind why we were there. Great for history buffs.

Excellent

Lovely and compressive book on an important and unexamined topic. Read beautifully by McCaddon. Highly recommended.

Great depth of research

I really enjoyed learning the background at the right level of detail to better understand the level of folly. It was a nice reminder that while it seems we are at a record level of folly, we’re no worse than historical levels and in some cases, we may be improving.

USA Citizen required reading

Every American citizen should read, listen to this book. It sheds light on why governments throughout history react to current affairs and perpetuate wars and disputes. Citizens need to be educated and aware of human rhetoric and behaviors in order to bring peace and understanding to our world. Let us read, study and ponder in order to bring our world to acceptance of coexisting with diversity.