Cartoon History of the United States (Cartoon History of the Modern World) [Paperback]

Larry Gonick (Author)

Book Description

Series: Cartoon History of the Modern World | Publication Date: August 14, 1991

What? You don't know what a Burgess is? -- You can't outline the Monroe Doctrine? -- Recall the 14th Amendment? -- Explain the difference between a sputnik and a beatnik?

Then you need The Cartoon History of the United Statesto fill those gaps. From the first English colonies to the Gulf War and the S&L debacle, Larry Gonick spells it all out from his unique cartoon perspective.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" . . . a vital, dynamic, and consistently challenging panorama of our past." -- -- The Comics Journal

"A perfect gift for that teenager who simply can't get American history straight . . . " -- -- San Francisco Chronicle

"Gonick's irreverent humor is effective . . . the text sparkles . . . " -- -- Los Angeles Times

About the Author

Larry Gonick has been creating comics that explain history, science, and other big subjects for more than forty years. He wrote his first guide, Blood from a Stone: A Cartoon Guide to Tax Reform, in 1977. He has been a calculus instructor at Harvard (where he earned his BA and MA in mathematics) and a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT, and he is staff cartoonist for Muse magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Collins Reference; Rev Sub edition (August 14, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062730983
• ISBN-13: 978-0062730985
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,722 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Comic Strips
  • #61 in Books > Education & Reference > Education > Study Guides

More About the Author

Larry Gonick has been creating comics that explain history, science, and other big subjects for more than thirty years, ever since Blood from a Stone: A Cartoon Guide to Tax Reform appeared in 1977. He has been a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT and is staff cartoonist for Muse magazine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, intelligent and worth having around, January 17, 2002

By 

A Reader (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cartoon History of the United States (Cartoon History of the Modern World) (Paperback)

I'm reading this book for what must be the fourth or fifth time now. I picked it up as an undergrad, to refresh my memory of the History I'd learned in High School - now I'm in grad school for Literature and it's still a useful tool since I rarely have time to read anything more focused or comprehensive. Quite simply it's a sort of mnemonic device - much better than having a set of history notecards and much more fun. Ignore the reviewer who said it's anti-Republican biased - it most certainly is not. Kennedy is drawn with a more foolish grin than Eisenhower (whom I actually think looks regal) and LBJ's caricature is certainly not flattering. The book's tongue-in-cheek political slant is apolitical - almost anti-politcal. It pokes fun at everything and everyone because Gonick has read the unpalatable (and biased) history books we were all forcefed in High School and offers his graphic history as an antidote to them. Recommended for busy readers and Trivial Pursuit players of all ages.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Biased? yes. Funny? yes. should you read it? yes., May 29, 2000

By 

L. Troy Beals (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cartoon History of the United States (Cartoon History of the Modern World) (Paperback)

Is Gonick biased? Yes, every historian, actually every person on the planet has an opinion and that is called bias. Gonick is at least honest and makes it clear how he feels about things and that is a strength. To one who is solid in American History this book is a light look at one person's perspective on history without all the pretention of ivory tower academia. For a child or young student it is a good strategy to get him/her interested in American History, You can give them a more balanced view of History later, right now have fun and get them interested or they'll be idiots.

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, and accurate., August 18, 2001

By 

Meaghan Good "meggilyweggily" (Venedocia, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cartoon History of the United States (Cartoon History of the Modern World) (Paperback)

This is the kind of book to read if you really hate history but need to know it for school or something. It makes history fun, not just boring names and dates. I read it late at night, which displeased my family because I laughed so hard I woke them all up. I bought another copy of this book as a gift to my college history professor. He read it and commented, "It was very well-researched. I bet writing the cartoons was the easy part."