The Fourth Turning

The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy is a 1997 book by Neil Howe and William Strauss. It is based on the Strauss–Howe generational theory, which posits that American history is driven by political and economic crisis cycles, followed by periods of prosperity. A sequel, The [Fourth Turning Is Here], was published in 2023.

Reception

The book received mostly positive reviews. Kirkus Reviews wrote that "Strauss and Howe use an amazing knowledge of popular culture to remain entertaining throughout, despite the heavy subject matter, and produce a metahistory to ponder as we approach the new millennium." LeGrande Fletcher, in Trends in Law Library Management and Technology, called it "an unusual approach to evaluating societal trends that law librarians might want to consider, even if they disagree with the authors' historical predictions." The book has also influenced policymakers such as Steve Bannon.