The Fourth Turning

The Fourth Turning (1997) presents a fascinating picture of history, past, present, and future. Though the people of modern Western societies tend to view history as a linear process, the reality might instead be cyclical, repeated regularly and predictably. By studying the ways in which history does indeed repeat itself, we can better prepare ourselves for what is likely to come in the future.

• History buffs
• Devotees of American politics
•  Future predictors

William Strauss was a social theorist, consultant, author, playwright, and director. He coauthored Generations, 13th Gen, Millennials Rising, and The Fourth Turning with Neil Howe. Their books have influenced such diverse figures as Al Gore and Steve Bannon. He founded the Cappies, a theater awards program for high school students, and he wrote a number of plays and musicals, including MaKiddo and Gray Champions.

Neil Howe is a social theorist, consultant, and author. He has written or cowritten a number of books on generational trends, application-oriented books, and academic studies on aging. He’s the cofounder, with William Strauss, of three consulting companies: Hedgeye, Saeculum Research, and LifeCourse Associates, all of which work to apply their generational theory.