Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, Revised and Updated Edition by James W. Loewen Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, Revised and Updated Edition
Book Review: A must read book for any person living in the United States.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is not only excellent because of its content but because of the way in which it can show the reader to develop an inquiring mind. I would recommend this book on a short list of "must read" volumes for any person who considers him/herself "educated" and who is an American living in the United States.Book Review: An invaluable aid for critical thinking
Summary: 5 Stars
This book should be distributed along with the typical American history textbooks not just to students, but to teachers as well. While shrill voices are heard decrying Afrocentrism or feminism, this book capably provides evidence of Eurocentric tunnel vision in the teaching of American history. In a nation undergoing Balkanization in so many ways, this book provides a meaningful explanation to U.S. woes. Thought provoking not merely because it takes the veneer off sugar-coated myth, but also because it provides a reasonable solution and alternative.Book Review: Cool Beans
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a must read for everybody. I learned so much about American history that is not covered in our text books, for instance did you know that Hellen Keller was a socialist if not then you had better read this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!Book Review: If the truth matters ...
Summary: 5 Stars
As a college history professor, I cannot recommend this book more strongly. Those who failed to appreciate its candor obviously prefer feel-good mythology to the sometimes uncomfortable reality of history. This is not a "liberal" book or a "Marxist" book, as many who are uncomfortable with its "agenda" will assert. The only agenda, as far as I could discern, was the truth. Indeed, much of what Mr. Loewen has documented I have come across in my own research. I found the presentation to be balanced and well documented (contradicting a previous reviewer who suggested reading "original" sources instead of this book, overlooking the fact that Mr. Loewen uses extensive historical documentation, many of them eyewitness accounts, and has amassed 57 pages of footnotes for his 318 page book!). History should be about the truth and the truth is sometimes ugly. Mr. Loewen does an outstanding job peeling off the layers of misinformation. If you prefer to keep the blinders on, if you prefer to believe America can do no wrong, then take out your old high school history book and hug it tight. If you'd like to help break down the walls of ignorance, if you'd like to start healing the wounds of the past, then I suggest reading this book. Awareness is the first step to change.Book Review: ...AND EVERYTHING YOUR RULING CLASS DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW
Summary: 5 Stars
What else can I say? It's true. One could do the research oneself, and discover lie upon lie that was foisted off on us in our open-minded youth. Mr. Loewen has done the hard part for us; all you have to do is pick up the book. He explores five hundred years of history, touching on some of the most important topics in our past: race, indigenous issues, class, government. Using primary sources he slices and dices twelve popular history text books and shows us what we learned (which I often forget) and what our children are learning (which I'm sure they'll forget because it's so poorly taught), and how they differ from what actually happened.More importantly, his dissertation is always put into modern context (as all history should be) complete with relevant analysis. Mr. Loewen also examines how our children may be better educated and what parents, teachers, textbook adoption boards and textbook publishers may do to make sure our kids do not know less about American history than students from other countries who often experience the brunt of American history.