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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
slow-paced
The breadth of Tuchman's research is impressive, involving many facets of her tracing of governmental "folly" through the centuries--cultural, military, religious, and especially political history. But her thoroughness made reading some of the chapters slow and sometimes tedious. The section on Popes was especially tough sledding for me because I have only basic knowledge of that period. The many players, their relationships, their families, their locations had me going back to remind myself who "that particular guy with the very long name" was. I'm glad I wasn't being tested on the material.
Her thesis, however, was very clearly demonstrated throughout the book. Because I've studied British history in depth, the names and backgrounds of the players in the third section--Americans, Brits, and French--were mostly familiar to me. This made for a more enjoyable read.
Since I lived through the Vietnam war, I knew the basic narrative. It was fascinating to see some of the players through the lens of the historian rather than my limited personal view. Caught up in the protests of late '60s, I didn't realize what a relatively small percentage of Americans were initially involved the protest movement.
We studied the impressive civil rights record of Lyndon Johnson in my Political Science class. I couldn't understand why LBJ was so committed to this war in which two of my classmates died. (I recall running across campus with a friend whooping and celebrating the day that Johnson announced he would not seek re-election.) Tuchman lays out clearly how and why Johnson dug in on that commitment: another leader who couldn't admit a mistake.
At a family dinner yesterday, we discussed the current world situation and who might be subjects of an updated section on folly. Putin and Ukraine came immediately to mind, but sadly, there is no shortage of foolish leaders marching toward disaster now.
Her thesis, however, was very clearly demonstrated throughout the book. Because I've studied British history in depth, the names and backgrounds of the players in the third section--Americans, Brits, and French--were mostly familiar to me. This made for a more enjoyable read.
Since I lived through the Vietnam war, I knew the basic narrative. It was fascinating to see some of the players through the lens of the historian rather than my limited personal view. Caught up in the protests of late '60s, I didn't realize what a relatively small percentage of Americans were initially involved the protest movement.
We studied the impressive civil rights record of Lyndon Johnson in my Political Science class. I couldn't understand why LBJ was so committed to this war in which two of my classmates died. (I recall running across campus with a friend whooping and celebrating the day that Johnson announced he would not seek re-election.) Tuchman lays out clearly how and why Johnson dug in on that commitment: another leader who couldn't admit a mistake.
At a family dinner yesterday, we discussed the current world situation and who might be subjects of an updated section on folly. Putin and Ukraine came immediately to mind, but sadly, there is no shortage of foolish leaders marching toward disaster now.
I enjoyed the first half of this book, but felt like many of the examples belaboured the point, or gave minute details that I lost interest in
Barbara Tuchman wrote this book to point out the tragic folly of the Vietnam war; I believe that if she was still alive, she would have updated and expanded it by now to address the Iraq war and other misadventures of the Bush administration, because for me at least, this book repeatedly produced an eerie sense that even though she'd been dead before any of this happened, she foresaw it and was talking about it too. Just goes to show that some patterns never seem to stop repeating.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
This is not her best book. But, even her worst is better than 90% out there. A little depressing when you consider how easily Iraq and Afghanistan could be added as epilogues.
The first Tuchman book I've read and, needless to say, it will not be the last.
Exceptionally researched and frequently self referential in terms of identifying repeated instances of folly, Tuchman examines how and why governments commit gross acts of negligence that undermine their own authority and power despite having ready evidence why the should not.
A fantastic book, made moreso in light of the long overdue pullout from Afghanistan, which strongly mirrors Tuchman's long, detailed chapters regarding US involvement in the quagmire of Vietnam.
Exceptionally researched and frequently self referential in terms of identifying repeated instances of folly, Tuchman examines how and why governments commit gross acts of negligence that undermine their own authority and power despite having ready evidence why the should not.
A fantastic book, made moreso in light of the long overdue pullout from Afghanistan, which strongly mirrors Tuchman's long, detailed chapters regarding US involvement in the quagmire of Vietnam.
This book shows have much history could have changed with small decisons.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Oh how I long for editors at publishers who would be more assertive in their roles, especially with prize-winning authors that are successful & notable.
This book was definitely illuminating. It told me much history, and provided an analytical viewpoint on it that was well-considered & supportable. (I need not share the viewpoint; but that’s not my point.)
But, for crying out loud - this book needed a strong developmental editor at a minimum, and likely even a line editor with a backbone. Tuchman jumped around with ideas & analysis in all of the main pivotal stories. I’m sure I read the same historical moment multiple times in each part, simply repeating for the sake of writing. And there are plenty of paragraph-long sentences in the book. I forget the point she’s trying to make within that single paragraph because there are soooo many conditionals. She drones on and on putting down pretty much all the information she has in her head about this these stories. And with no effective editorial pushback, this became an ego epic, not a work of of focused mastery.
Tighten it up, Barbara! This book would have been just as good at half it’s published length, and frankly not lost anything, IMO.
Had it been better more tightly edited I might’ve given this four stars. And honestly, this may be as much an indictment of the publisher as it is of Tuckerman. As it is, I can’t recommend it any higher than 3 stars simply because of the writing length.
This book was definitely illuminating. It told me much history, and provided an analytical viewpoint on it that was well-considered & supportable. (I need not share the viewpoint; but that’s not my point.)
But, for crying out loud - this book needed a strong developmental editor at a minimum, and likely even a line editor with a backbone. Tuchman jumped around with ideas & analysis in all of the main pivotal stories. I’m sure I read the same historical moment multiple times in each part, simply repeating for the sake of writing. And there are plenty of paragraph-long sentences in the book. I forget the point she’s trying to make within that single paragraph because there are soooo many conditionals. She drones on and on putting down pretty much all the information she has in her head about this these stories. And with no effective editorial pushback, this became an ego epic, not a work of of focused mastery.
Tighten it up, Barbara! This book would have been just as good at half it’s published length, and frankly not lost anything, IMO.
Had it been better more tightly edited I might’ve given this four stars. And honestly, this may be as much an indictment of the publisher as it is of Tuckerman. As it is, I can’t recommend it any higher than 3 stars simply because of the writing length.