a common reader

Ranging from the tumbling walls of Jericho to the modern advent of total war in which no child or civilian is exempt from the horrors of combat, the author shows how the martial instinct has evolved over the human generations. He demonstrates that the underlying purpose of war has remained unchanged while technology has developed to such a degree that were total combat to break out among the great powers, a million people could be dead before worldwide media reported the conflict.

War is an unput-downable account of mankind’s most destructive tradition.

The most destructive and world-shattering conflict of all time is brought vividly to life in this powerful, engaging and visually stunning book. World War II: The Definitive Visual History looks at this epic war from every angle, tracing the course of military, strategic, and political events across the globe, and documenting the experiences of combatants and civilians. Packed with authoritative information and compelling images, this book provides a true understanding of the war that changed the world.

In The March of Folly, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Barbara W. Tuchman tackles her boldest subject—the pervasive presence through the ages of folly in government. Drawing on a comprehensive array of examples, from Montezuma’s senseless surrender of his empire in 1520 to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Tuchman defines folly as the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests, despite the availability of feasible alternatives.

Tuchman then goes on to illuminate in brilliant detail 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’ own persistent folly in Vietnam. The March of Folly brings the people, places, and events of history magnificently alive for today’s reader—which is the incomparable talent of Barbara W. Tuchman.