She (historian Barbara Tuchman) draws on skepticism, not cynicism, leaving the reader not so much outraged by human ability as amused and saddened by human folly.

Robert K. Massie
About This Quote

Tuchman, the historian, is an author who explores issues in history in a manner that is both informative and entertaining. She is not the type of writer to make her readers feel cynical toward humans when she is discussing their flaws. Instead, she is able to capture their emotions when talking about human error. She does this in a way that shows the reader that even when they are dumb, people are still capable of being smart if given the chance.

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