History repeats itself, first time as tragedy, second time as farce

Or so argued Karl Marx in the Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon. It’s an idea that often has been repeated elsewhere and by others in some form or fashion, but perhaps never so succinctly or with the same the same wit or cynicism. One doesn’t have to be a Marxist to grasp or accept the weight and importance history plays in shaping the the present. Nor is one hard pressed to find repeated blunders or tragedies throughout history that border on the farcical. Nevertheless, Marx’s quote, or misquote, as some argue, has always resonated with me and struck me as a wonderful title for a history blog. This is my blog. It’s my platform to write, pontificate and argue about whatever issues or ideas move me from time to time. My interests are wide-ranging and vary from East European history to the U.S. Civil War and everything in between. I hope you find it useful and enjoyable.