Customer Reviews

A Young People's History of the United States: Columbus to the War on Terror

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Author Howard Zinn is a World War II veteran known for his passionate belief that "just war" is impossible because civilians ultimately suffer the most. A Young People's History of the United States is Zinn's compendium offering young people a different point of view on history - from the young laborers who stood up for their rights with the National Child Labor Committee's Declaration of Dependence, to John Tinker, a high school student who took his case for free speech all the way to the Supreme Court and won, to Anyokah, a child who assisted in bringing written language to her Cherokee people. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, A Young People's History of the United States delivers an empowering message about the American principle of standing up for what's right, even if it makes one a dissident voice in the crowd. A Young People's History of the United States makes oft-overlooked sides of history come alive with direct relevance for young people, and is highly recommended as a supplement for school libraries.

All children should have to read this book, as it looks at history from another perspective that is NOT taught in the textbooks. It is a very enlightening book that teaches students to look at history with a more critical eye. It forces students (and adults) to re-think what they've learned and question what is true and what's not. It's great for a compare and contrast lesson and it works great when teaching the 5 C's of History (Context, Causality, Complexity, Contingency, and Change Over Time).

This is a perspective on American history that my children will not be taught in school. His research is thorough, and the book is very well written. My 10 year old enjoys it immensely, and so do I. I wish I could find an enlightened account of California history, too.

History is often taught according to the view of the historian-writer-teacher.
This book clarifies with facts several myths in the history of the United States.
People need to know the real history even in the cases where abuses and antidemocratic
incidents ocurred in particular when the people were manipulated and or deceived to serve
the interest of a particular powerful group[Ex industrial-military complex].The author
gives plenty of good examples that go from creating an atmosphere in the public for
acceptance or continuation of war based on lies to justification for invading foreign
countries who never attacked the U.S.,or putting down governments who by protecting and
defending their national interests and resources were not making the american companies
too happy while replacing such governments with "puppet" presidents or dictators who were
inconditional to U.S. interests.Like the author points out being a "good" american is not
accepting the injustice that the government pursues.Furthermore it is the youth of this
country the people who are more vulnerable to such lies and manipulations.Democracy will
work as people educate in a system that teaches and invites sound critical evaluation of how
the country is run and which garanties the empowerment to change governments on that basis. To
make government accountable to the people who elects them.Unfortunately the author,Howard Zinn,
just passed away.Nevertheless he left several books for us to read which will continue to be
pertinent and relevant for years to come.His writting is easy to read and his books are hard
to drop until you finish. DrJJM

It's about time someone tell the truth about American history without glossing over the 'icky' stuff. Our young people need to hear all sides of history, so as not to repeat the many mistakes of out predecessors. Sure beats all those censored Texan school textbooks of today.

Just in case anyone wants to use this in a social studies class, it's really probably the most appropriate for grades 6-8 or 9. It's too basic for my 11th grade US History class, although I did use it for some short information over the Great Depression. If you used it in conjunction with the primary sources from "Voices" it might work for older grades.

I have read the original "People's History" and am about to order this version for my 12-year-old son to read. In reading the various reviews here I felt compelled to comment, although my experiences stem from the original title.

I find the review about the author's "mean spirited view of America" to be the most entertaining, and how we "should not teach young people such a negative view of America." Or the other reviews with comments about "snarling at references to Washington and Lincoln," and "George Washington being a capitalist elitist who was fighting to keep the poor down thru the formation of a faux- republic government..." Really shows how we Americans love to believe what we like to believe, and especially tend to believe what we are taught by our teachers in school, and by this mighty government that leads us- and deceives us. Come on people; try thinking for yourselves for once- what's the worst that could happen? Still other reviewers call it 'leftist crap;' so entertaining, and somewhat depressing, too, to realize how close-minded so many people are to anything but their own version of the truth. What one reviewer refers to as Zinn's opinions... I cannot even begin to guess at what he thinks he is referring to. There are for the most part nothing but plain and substantiated facts (with listed sources) laid out in this, and in the full version of "People's History," so it is quite hard to believe that someone could make so ignorant a comment. But then it's also hard to believe what many people will do to hide from the truth in their own lives right here in present day as well.

A brilliant book for any young person who can healthily entertain the possibility that all too often a government's chief goal is to maintain control over the populace, keep them pacified, and ensure that everything it does has the appearance of being 'squeaky clean.' This book shows the US government for what it really is, and truth be told, it is a frightening- and all too accurate if too seldom heard- portrayal of history. A must read for any young person whose parents would like to begin him or her on the way to thinking for himself and perceiving things from other viewpoints.

I think it's great for a 12 year old to read this book and learn early on that there is another side to the "fox news" version of history that we often get taught in schools. After reading this book my son wants to know why this country even celebrates Columbus Day. Good question!

This is an excellent book for kids. If it were to be required reading (which it NEVER will), we would probably have a second American Revolution.

In school, kids are told a pack of lies about America in order to convince them to keep their heads bowed and do what their corporate masters tell them. Kids are slathered in nationalistic crap and primed to go off and die fighting in immoral and unnecessary wars of aggression.

Pull your kid of the lie machine and have him read this instead! Zinn tells a much more interesting and accurate story about America.

My eleven year old and I read this together, we home school, and it was a great way to teach history with so many opportunities for good family conversations!