The pursuit of public policy contrary to self-interest. Or why governments keep shooting themselves in the foot.
The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam by Barbara W. Tuchman
A book which informed my entire world view. In it, Tuchman posits the existance of folly, or the pursuit of public policy contrary to self-interest–in other words, why nations keep shooting themselves in the foot. She uses the Trojans taking the Greek horse inside the walls of Troy as her template, and then goes on to talk about how the Renaissance popes caused the Reformation, how the British lost America, and how the US lost in Vietnam. A lively, engaging prose style with more than a hint of “Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
Book Review Monday Chatter Barbara Tuchman The March of Folly
Thanks for posting your ‘fave’ books/authors and why. Feel like I’m taking Literature classes (never did while in school)…..and it’s so great! Take so many out of the Library and have to renew to get them all read. I especially appreciate recommendations like this one by Barbara Tuchman. I’m not fond of reading non-fiction and shy away from trudging through all of them to find the real ‘nugget of wisdom’ one. Thanks for posting the ‘top 10 books that made me want to quit writing’…have only read ‘Pride and Prejudice’…. about a hundred times. DON’T YOU EVER STOP WRITING! thanks.