Two professors of government analyze both political disasters and successes of recent decades to provide telling lessons on how to use history to improve decision-making. A dozen case studies are drawn in pungent detail both from the record and from backstage information gained from top officials. Sadly, the authors can safely assume a vast ignorance of history in Washington and the media. They make painfully clear that attention to particulars matters, that marginal improvement is worth seeking, and that a little thought is useful. They repeatedly spell out how to examine a situation to help decide what to do today to improve the prospect for tomorrow. An absorbing book, this would be of great benefit to those in Washington, if only they would heed it.