Customer Reviews

People's History of the United States

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

The book is factual and well researched. To the angry right wingers, get over it. Shining a light on aspects of America which we want to improve is not anti-American.

On the other hand, I agree with some other reviewers in that this book is by no means a complete, or even balanced view of American history. The author states up front that this book was written as a "counterbalance" to the whitewashed version of history that we all learned in public schooling, e.g. Indians were savages, the Civil War was a noble war for the purpose of freeing the slaves, etc.

This book is the full, unvarnished story which is often driven by greed and altruism and groups with many different interests fighting and working together.

The Civil War is portrayed in full complexity as the result of many forces. Slave revolts, abolitionists, racists, patriotism, apathy toward war, working class resentment against the wealthy who could pay $300 to escape the draft, clashing interests of southern business leaders and northeastern bankers, small farmers, General Robert E. Lee realizing that his only hope lay in the risky gamble of giving guns to the slaves who were 1/5 of the population, then this is the history book you want.

This is not a traditional history book, in that there is nearly zero coverage of the military campaigns of the Civil War; you're expected to know how it ends and who is Robert E. Lee, etc. I think this book would be confusing for younger than high school. On the other hand, it would be a wonderful complement to enrich the over-simplified high school textbooks I remember being bored by.

It seems that all the 1 star reviews are not reviews of the book itself but a statement that the reviewer hates socialism.
This book focuses on conflict between the elites and the working class, the haves and have nots. Americans are brought up to believe that we are all equals (a good thing!) and any suggestion that there is a class war is seen as un-American. Well, you will be surprised to learn that Americans were in the streets protesting against the government or wealthy bankers years before Karl Marx.
Yes, this book specifically tries to look at history from the viewpoint of "the people," defined as the working class or average person majority. It does not look at history from a pro-wealthy elite point of view. (Although, that would be an interesting book...)
Ultimately, the lesson from this book is not that socialism is the answer; but that when there is a big difference between the wealthy elite and a working class that is losing their jobs or homes or farms, etc., that's the cause of protests and demands for change.

It's especially interesting to read this book now (Fall 2001) during the surprising explosion of Occupy Wall Street protesters pitting unfocused idealism against the banking and power elite of the US. The "99%" vs the bankers? Not new! It was fascinating to learn how the history of the US is virtually a nonstop series of protests. The Whiskey Rebellion when government taxed whiskey, thousands marching as Boston and New York sprouted a new class of super wealthy while the other people lost jobs and lived in squalor without enough pay to feed their families. The Tea Partiers, Occupy Wall Street, red state vs blue state have been the story of America since its founding.
Bankers speculation leading to boom and bust cycles and mass unemployment... 200 years of history.

I really enjoyed this book and learned many new things, both depressing and inspiring, about my beloved home country.

I had put this book off for quite some time, and was initially very excited about it. I had read about 1/2 of the first chapter while at a friends house and was blown away by the blunt treatment of a sensitive subject. I was also hopeful that an author with a very readable yet authoritative style was about to present a side of history that is so rarely told. In the end, I was disapointed to the point that I could barely finish the work.

To start off, the premise is exceptional - that part of the reason human history is so repeatedly violent is it is presented from the glorious leader's - the elite's - standpoint, and not the suffering individuals which are either the cogs of the machine or trampled in its path. To this end the first chapter starts with a bang - presenting nothing more than an excerpt from Columbus' journal - which makes me question how the hell we could have glorified him so much in grade school. It is unfortunate that this point could not be carried through the rest of the work.

A brief sample of complaints:

1) Lack of sources. Of course history is opinionated - I expected and accepted that at the outset from this work - but he very rarely even makes an attempt to justify outlandish historical claims with objective evidence. For example, saying 'a study of 303...executives.... showed that 90% came from upper or middle class.....making rags to riches a....useful myth for control.' Immediately I ask: a) Was that typical of the population at large? b) Was the majority of that sample middle class, who themselves were only one generation away from lower class? These would seem to impact is argument greatly.

2) Lack of perspective. Related to the above, he will often use specific situations (which are moving) to make his point, but give no overall perspective of how representative a sample is to the population at large. This is a very basic request of an historical interpretation. We live in a very, very, large country, and individual stories of any nature are a dime a dozen - if you give me no perspective, how am I to know if this is the average, or the extreme? Life is full of tragedy - his attempted point is that this tragedy in America has been systematic. Thus, it is reasonable to expect anectdotal information to be backed by credible (or the best available) accounts possible. Ironic that a work painted as 'scholarly' lacks this core component.

3) His bizzarre insistance that American slavery was the worst slavery in the history of the world. It seems strange to discuss which form of something as degrading as slavery was 'better', but to clearly and repeatedly state that America was the worst place ever to be a slave seems absurd. Take for instance the aftermath of the Roman slavery rebellion led by Spartacus - I believe over 5000 people (who surrendered) were systematically crucified across the country. I very much doubt American slavery could compete though, even if it could, it seems almost petty to argue it as such.

Its too bad. This is an immensely important topic which deserves comprehensive, scholarly treatment. If this is what you were expecting from this book, keep looking.

Zinn is focused on getting the historical information correct, and explaining why we learned it another way. He presents the side of history that is untold, but honest. TRUTH is the core of this book. It's getting it right and learning from our past so we don't make the same mistakes. Zinn does a great job at this. The section on different teaching techniques is also wonderful for those teachers who get tired of doing the same thing in their lessons. Teacher's must remember that there is more than just one learning style, and it's important not to sxclude those students who learn in different ways. I would recommend this book to any history teacher or anyone just interested in American history!

History is not a collection of facts. History is not an objective review of those facts. History is not "true." History is an interpretation of facts to tell a compelling story about the past. Howard Zinn in "A People's History of the United States" understands this and makes no attempt to do anything other than that. This is refreshing because so many popular historians take on the mantle of "truth" or objectivity to spoon-feed their interpretation of the past to a willing public.

The lens through which Mr. Zinn sees the American past is that of the outsider, the alienated, the poor, the people on the other side of the fancy restaurant's window wanting to partake of the feast on display just inches from their noses. His explanation of the American Revolution and War of Independence carries through the rest of the book. He sees that the elites were unhappy with how little power they had under British rule and they knew that to overthrow colonial rule, they would need to tap the lower classes - white and male lower classes - to gain the firepower necessary to fuel the fight. They weren't interested in empowering the slaves, free blacks, Indians, women or even the white indentured servants. Our founding fathers wanted to engage a slightly larger minority and to concede to them a few basic civil rights and participation in the new America that would engage them in the fight but not risk the elites' privileged position in the thirteen colonies.

As a result our founding elites employed terrific marketing - "America, the land of the free" - that has been used ever since to convince people around the world that America was a categorically different nation than any other in the ability of its people to participate and partake of the riches of this rich land. If you look at Mr. Zinn's interpretation, you realize that the American system has built in some tools that allow non-elites to force changes to the system, but that it requires long, hard, persistent effort often over the period of generations to make those changes happen. Like all nations, America is ruled by an elite that is mostly focused on preserving its position through political, economic, cultural and social means. But based on the need to ward against revolution, a small window can be shattered allowing in the breezes of potential change.

It is the potential for that change, hard-fought, high-priced and incremental, that gives Mr. Zinn hope for the future. The Occupy movement should make this book its bible because the lessons in it suggest that groups with a clear focus on what they want redressed, an ability to withstand the predictable force of the elite and the knowledge that real change will take years, if not decades or centuries, fare better than those that have more immediate expectations of success.

I've heard it said that history repeats itself and nothing ever changes; people don't change. With those and so many of the other ideas floating around out there, it is so easy to give up. However, it is our jobs never to give up. The problem is, I suppose, that people have conflicting beliefs, and are willing to shed blood to defend or perpetuate their beliefs.

Reading this and other books, talking to people, seeing and hearing the news all contributes to my sense that while there may be two sides to every argument, nothing good will come of stubbornness and unwillingness to let yourself change in order to better understand the people around you. This book helps me have hope, expands my knowledge and increases my appetite for learning. Zinn was able to focus on a linear history that often goes untold. How can we be educated when we only know one side of the argument of history?

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to fulfill it."

Never before have I, an ordinary citizen of the United States, a chronically ill, single woman on Social Security disability and Medicare, tasted the bitter truth of that axiom of George Santayana.

And this axiom prompts me to ask myself now: how can I possibly learn from history when the history I have been taught throughout my entire life has been based on manipulated information, omitted truth, outright deception and false patriotism?

Every citizen of this United States who is right now heartsick over the news on the economy and the national debt, who is disgusted with our elected officials in Washington D.C. and who questions everything that was once held sacrosanct about the "democracy" in which we live...everyone must read A People's History of the United States (P.S.).

It never occurred to me when I was just a baby boomer of the 50s, in school and being taught American history, that that history was an artificial history, that it was not truth. It probably wasn't until the Vietnam War, the Pentagon Papers and Watergate did I realize that history was altered to suit the few at the top and keep the rest of us, the ordinary working-class "American People" in our place, at the bottom, shouldering the responsibility of paying the taxes, or going to war, or simply doing without in the land of plenty so that the few at the top could enjoy all the wealth. I never realized that the word "economy" in America should more accurately be replaced by the word "profit." I never realized that Washington D.C. was only a euphemism for the political cesspool that it truly is.

Howard Zinn says in Chapter 23 THE COMING REVOLT OF THE GUARDS:

"The title of this chapter is not a prediction, but a hope, which I will explain.

As for the subtitle of this book, it is not quite accurate; a "people's history" promises more than any one person can fulfill, and it is the most difficult kind of history to recapture. I call it that anyway because, with all its limitations, it is a history disrespectful of governments and respectful of people's movements of resistance.

That makes it a biased account, one that leans in a certain direction. I am not troubled by that, because the mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction--so tremblingly respectful of states and statesmen and so disrespectful, by inattention, to people's movements-- that we need some counterforce to avoid being crushed into submission."

Howard Zinn does not bash the United States of America in A People's History of the United States (P.S.). Rather, he sheds light on the dark side of American history. He presents a balanced, non-partisan accounting of all the major events from Columbus "discovering" the Americas to the 2000 Presidential Election, George W. Bush and the "War on Terror." Furthermore, he provides an honest evaluation of all of our national leaders. He illuminates the truth.

The cover flap of A People's History of the United States (P.S.) has a wonderful statement about this history from Library Journal and I quote: "A brilliant and moving history of the American people from the point of view of those who have been exploited politically and economically and whose plight has been largely omitted from most histories."

Who are these American people? Who are the people for whom A People's History of the United States (P.S.)is written? They are America's women and children, the sick and the working poor, the laborers and the middle class, the elderly and the immigrants, African Americans and Native Americans. They are "We, the people of the United States" and "we" should all be required at long last to read the truth, to study this vital and corrective history... to learn from it and most vitally ~ remember the past lest we are condemned to fulfill it.

To me, the greatest flaw of this book is the lack of in text citations. I don't think Zinn would make up facts in order to further his case, since he was a historian and clearly displayed his extreme distaste for lies and omissions in history.

I assure you, this book is clearly biased, and I can see why all the talk of the creation of an elite class and the downtrodden poor being exploited by the great figures of American history would offend many people. There are many things discussed in this book, such as how the Native Americans are treated and the rights of women, that shouldn't create any controversy. I think the reason people don't like this book is because of conflicting political beliefs, but also for a much more important reason which is what Zinn is trying to address. This is the glorification of the so-called American heroes, the founding fathers and the great figures of history as well as the patriotic belief that the USA is the greatest country around. When Zinn questions the 'sanctity' of these beliefs, people are unable to refute his claims, and just stamp the whole book as "leftist" or "communist" propaganda, and then go on believing whatever the hell they please, at the expense of reason.

In my opinion, the inability or refusal to use logic is one of the worst things that can happen in a democracy, and here it is largely due to the politicians or media of this country refusing to use reason so that they can gain power, influence, etc. for themselves, and that is shown in the reviews of this book. If you agree that this is a problem, then force yourself to read through the book, and think critically on what Zinn says. If you refuse to take away anything from this book and quit reading as soon as you disagree with the author, then you're not doing yourself any favors.

The book is not perfect in any means, but it achieves its main goal as outlined by Zinn in the first chapter very well: it shows the side of history which isn't usually told. This is so important to being a citizen in a democratic state and making decisions for your country that this book should be read by everyone who participates in the American democracy.

Howard Zinn's book, A People's History of the United States, is an interesting and sobering perspective on American history that it told in such a no-nonsense way that opened my eyes to the world around me. This book is an excellent way to refresh on American history.

A People's History is a look at U.S. history, not from the point of view of politicians, executives, or legislatures but from the view of people. It's a look at slavery from the point of view of slaves, the war in Vietnam from the Vietnamese and war veterans, the suffrage movement from women activists, etc. This book presents history about individuals who have been glossed over or ignored in previous history books. Here, history is told from the view point of Native Americans, African Americans, women, union workers, etc. Zinn explodes the myth of a great democratic society founded upon the principle of equality for all.

Throughout history, politicians and legislators have had good intentions and beliefs, but time has shown that this nation is not about liberty and happiness for all, but about big money, guns, and individuals who hide behind the doctrine of capitalism with the purpose to build vast wealth and to protect themselves.

Although there were some instances where the author over-emphasized class differences as the root cause of internal strife in the United States, Howard Zinn's book is excellent. A People's History of the United States is one of the truly great books of our time and well worth reading.

This is the fifth copy that I have bought to share with family! Learn about U. S. History from the peoples viewpoint. Not the rich and powerful/ corporate viewpoint which has been what we have been told all along.

Even though this has a liberal point of view, it is worth the read for several reasons. First of all it is nice to hear history from a different point of view. They never teach you the terrible things that human beings have done to people in the past, this book definately tells you how it is, sometimes in violent disgusting details. Worth the read for any history buff or just someone looking to learn. Reads like a novel, this book has never been boring and I would recommend it to anyone at anytime.