Doomed to Repeat

"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." And so we have. Time and again, mankind has faced down problems, but have often failed to take the hard-earned knowledge into the next battle.

Doomed to Repeat is a collection of essays, edited by Bill Fawcett, that illuminates the historical patterns behind some of the problems we’ve faced repeatedly throughout history, including Islamic jihad, terrorism, military insurgencies, inflation and the devaluation of currency, financial disasters, ecological collapses, radical political minorities like the Nazis and Bolsheviks, and pandemics and epidemics like the Black Death.

With more than 35 chapters exploring the Groundhog Days of world history, from economic history to military blunders, both infamous and obscure, Doomed to Repeat: The Lessons of History We’ve Failed to Learn is chock-full of trivia, history, and fascinating looks at the world’s repeated mistakes.

History doesn’t just rhyme—it echoes with the same challenges, century after century.

Military History: From unwinnable wars in Afghanistan to the persistent threat of terrorism, see why the same conflicts reappear on the world stage. Financial Disasters: Uncover the cycle of speculative bubbles, inflation, and market crashes that has plagued economies from Ancient Rome to modern Wall Street. Political History: Investigate the rise of radical political groups and the social pressures that allow extremist ideologies to take root. Pandemics and Epidemics: Follow the spread of devastating plagues like the Black Death and understand the timeless factors that fuel their deadly march across continents.