My fascination with history has increased astronomically since leaving school. The shift happened when I started seeing it as a tool to predict the future instead of a collection of boring, old facts. Even more so in these last few months, in which history has been making some moves.
There are a few books that helped in sparkling this renewed interest:
This last one — the most recent addition — has got me hooked. Already in the first chapter, it provided the best explanation I have ever read on where we are now and where we are probably going.
Ray Dalio's factors to explain the rise and decline of empires are simple enough to be quickly grasped and complex enough to explain a lot of what we might be seeing in the future.
The first chapter was almost painful to read, clearly seeing where two of my favorite countries (Italy and the US) are in the Big Cycle.
It will be interesting to read through the remaining chapters.