The Fourth Turning
by William Strauss and Neil Howe
Mentioned 4 times across 4 shows · first heard Dec 2025 on Becoming UnDone.
The general take
Amy Poehler is enthusiastic about The Fourth Turning, describing it as a framework where 80-year historical cycles repeat and different generations rise up to save each era from crisis—she sees it as a useful lens for understanding why the past couple decades have felt chaotic. She appears to be in the early stages of the book or the idea intrigues her enough that she's still figuring out what it means for her generation specifically.
About
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Discover the game-changing theory of the cycles of history and what past generations can teach us about living through times of upheaval—with deep insights into the roles that Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials have to play—now with a new preface by Neil Howe. “One of the best efforts to give us an integrated vision of where we are going.”— The Wall Street Journal First comes a High, a period of confident expansion. Next comes an Awakening, a time of spiritual exploration and rebellion. Then comes an Unraveling, in which individualism triumphs over crumbling institutions. Last comes a Crisis—the Fourth Turning—when society passes through a great and perilous gate in history. William Strauss and Neil Howe will change the way you see the world—and your place in it.
Who said what
- JR
Jeremy Ryan Slate👍 Recommends
…recommending book analyzing historical cycles and economic patterns
“Another historian. I actually think he's not a historian, but he looks at cycles. He wrote the book, The Fourth Turning. I'm trying to remember what his name is. And the guy is absolutely brilliant. He looks at economic cycles and how they change every 80 years. And it actually can predict what's coming next.”
The Shawn Ryan Show — #281 Jeremy Slate - The Fatal Decisions That Doomed the Entire Roman Empireat 1:00:18 
Amy Poehler👍 Recommends
…discussing generational cycles and millennial potential
“There's this book that I'm obsessed with called The Fourth Turning. And it's all about how 80 years of history just keep repeating itself. And we're kind of getting at the end of the chaos era, which makes sense, right? For the past like 20 whatever years. But it's like each generation throughout the years have come forward to save like, you know, different eras from peril. And the millennials are going to be the heroes in the next, the next.”
Good Hang with Amy Poehler — Jennifer Lawrenceat 19:55- RA
REAL AF with Andy Frisella👍 Recommends
…recommending a book for understanding current geopolitical events
“Kenny uh reading the fourth turn and great book so far thanks Andy yeah man you learn a lot about what's going on by reading that book”
REAL AF with Andy Frisella — 987. Andy & DJ CTI: ICE Agent Fatally Shoots Woman In Minneapolis, Trump Takes U.S. Out Of 66 Globalist Organizations And Treaties & RFK Jr.'s New Food Pyramidat 22:00 
Marissa Nehlsen👍 Recommends
…recommending books about generational patterns and preparing the next generation
“There's actually a couple of books that I recommend around this. One is called Generations. The next one is called The Fourth Turning. And I read those books, and I've read them several times. And I think it's very, very interesting when you read these books.”
Becoming UnDone — 145 | From Abuse to Advocacy: Maxwell Leadership Mentor & Entrepreneur Marissa Nehlsen's Journey to Empowermentat 20:20
Listener reviews
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