Michael Howard, The Lessons of History (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991). 248 pp., $27.50.
Paul Kennedy, ed., Grand Strategies in War and Peace (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991). 224 pp., $25.00.
It is not easy to learn from the past. This is a fact that historians, at least when they assume the overt role of educators, are inclined to keep to themselves. Given two or three hours a week to polish up the historical consciousness of their students, even the most circumspect professionals are unlikely to emphasize the enormous concentration their discipline requires, or to admit that a lifetime of study can yield insights whose instrumental value may seem limited compared to those claimed by the social and natural sciences.
