It's a great idea, but he doesn't give any sources, has some very idiosyncratic readings of historical events, and simplifies everything. If the mistakes were as obvious as he says, we wouldn't repeat them. ( )

An interesting premise for the book - - what are some of the lessons we have not learned time and time again, despite ample examples. Afghanistan leaps immediately to mind as a country or region that has been often invaded, but never conquered by Alexander, the British, the Soviets, and most recently, NATO. The problem with this book is that it revolves around too few disasters - - economic speculation, after all, and economic collapse tie into a single big picture, rather than the multiple chapters set out in the book. When split up in this way, the necessarily repeated references to the same things (like the Great Depression) appear redundant at best, and the distinctions forced. Still, it's always good to look at history for what it teaches us, or else we will be doomed to repeat it ... again. ( )