--- product_id: 6318998 title: "The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam" brand: "barbara w. tuchman" price: "VT6929" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/6318998-the-march-of-folly-from-troy-to-vietnam store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam **Brand:** barbara w. tuchman **Price:** VT6929 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam by barbara w. tuchman - **How much does it cost?** VT6929 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/6318998-the-march-of-folly-from-troy-to-vietnam) ## Best For - barbara w. tuchman enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted barbara w. tuchman brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81PO3Q50NCL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very small text font, hard to read *by P***S on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 29, 2023* I got this copy so I could reread the book in light of current events (i.e., Ukraine invasion). But I have had a lot of trouble reading it because the type is set so very small. Like maybe 8 pt. You'll need good eyes or a good set of reading glasses and a strong light to read it. Wish I'd known before I bought it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We humans and our small household errors *by O***E on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 4, 2015* This is my second Barbara Tuchman book and I would say that I love this woman. Her style traces an exact meridian line between intelligence and lucidity. She moves along it without missing, never, what she wants to convey. She's dead, unfortunately, but through her books she is still alive. And in my modest view, she will still survive many generations.Why?Because the topics she addresses are timeless and are always here with us. After finishing this book I thought if there will be a day when our rulers do their work accordingly. I guess not. To make mistakes is part of the game. Nobody is free because human race is not an exception in animal kingdom and so is open to make mistakes. We screw things up. And we don't feel sorry.What do we need to do the right thing? Intelligence? No. Academic studies? No.Compassion perhaps. And Courage to bring it to its limits. As you read the book you think if there are examples of savvy and healthy political programs that save the world from our senselessness. I guess there are. But how to notice it. How to record things that goes beyond any record because they never happened. The guy who didn't die because there were not bombardment, doesn't know he is alive because someone didn't give an order to shatter his world.Miss Tuchman doesn't addresses that issue, anyway; instead she displays in front of you the cruel inventory of the unnecessary deaths that the wrong answer, even of highly sophisticated governments, determined. She tells you how the wrong answer was full of good suggestions that could avoid the final output. In every case there was a chance of doing the right thing, I mean, before the facts. And in every case, the authority did the wrong thing.From Troy to Vietnam has always been the same thing, so I would add to the title "From Troy to Vietnam... and beyond."We live in a world ruled by governments that think not like rulers but like householders. Not much more. Politics at the highest level, Tuchman reminds us, is not more sophisticated than you could conceive. We are always the head of a family that believe that being the head of a nation give us special powers to solve problems. And it is not like that. The method for making ends meet is only one whether you are in the living room of your house or in the hall of a palace addressing a speech.Just think about it.Now, while I'm going to read "A distant mirror," you should try "The March..."You won't feel cheated, at all. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Guide to Self Deception *by O***R on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 7, 2012* This book provides an excellent analysis of several historical events that demonstrate just how we delude ourselves into actions that result in consequences contrary to our own interest. Professor Mark Stoler (University of Vermont)in his course: A Skeptic's Guide to American History, points attention to "unintended consequences" and it is the consequence we focus on, not the intent. Mrs. Tuchman takes us back to the intent and, in effect demonstrates Professor Stoler's point. Also, while the professor states history does not repeat itself, Mrs. Tuchman clearly demonstrates that folly does. In one example, she shows how the English folly that cost them America was repeated by America in Viet Nam.Mrs. Tuchman chose four examples in history that met her definition of folly which she defines clearly in the first chapter. Each example spans many years and crosses multiple political and philosophical lines. From these examples the reader can apply the principles to understanding other historical events or even recognizing folly in our own day - if we can get past the fog of rhetoric that obscures our view and the noise of the crowd that prevents us from hearing the signals. For those of us old enough to remember, Mrs. Tuchman points out about the early stages of Viet Nam (in 1954): "The American government reacted not to the Chinese upheaval or to Vietnamese nationalism per se, but to intimidation by the rabid right (McCarthyism) at home and to the public dread of Communism that this played on and reflected."I have given this book 4 stars instead of 5 for two reasons. First, it is a bit dry to read at times and that makes for slow going on a very interesting topic. Second, I did not think that the inclusion of the section on the Trojan war contributed anything to the over-all point. For my taste it relies too much on legend and fantasy. I believe that history is repleat with other examples of folly - although perhaps not so long to describe - that would have supported the argument just as well.All and all this is a very good book that I recommend highly to all who have an interest in history. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/6318998-the-march-of-folly-from-troy-to-vietnam](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/6318998-the-march-of-folly-from-troy-to-vietnam) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-10*