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: The Pot Calls the Kettle Black
Summary: 1 Stars
This books disspells a few minor assumptions and manages to assassinate some American legends along the way, but the real source of the lies and propaganda we've been force-fed all of our lives is much more contemporary.Book Review: Good, but somewhat left-biased
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is very good in exposing the different hypocrisies and lies taught in typical high school history classes. I agree with that admirable goal 100%. **BUT**... I don't think this gives the author an excuse to slide his "Progressive" ideas in a few places. Fortunately, they're not too outrageous, and there are lots of footnotes for further information. If you like this book, you must like history. In that case, don't forget to get a balanced view from more than one source.Book Review: Historic Omissions are used to Force Compliance.
Summary: 4 Stars
James Loewen has written an important book detailing the numerous half- truths that are presented in American History classes and textbooks. Textbook authors are forced to write in a bland style, free of any controversy or offensive content. Teachers are instructed to avoid taboo subjects so as not to cause any outrage among students or parents.When I took my first course in American history, in the eighth grade, I was often very puzzled by the fact that certain historic figures, like George Washington, Christopher Columbus, Thomas Jefferson, etc., were always presented in an immortal, god-like fashion. Likewise, the content of our textbooks seemed to be loaded with obvious propaganda. Presumably, the point of all of this is to create model citizens by brainwashing students into thinking that America and its policies are infallible. I knew that this was simply too good to be true, but my teacher and other authority figures never showed any indication of disagreement. Most likely, they were just passing on the ignorance to another generation.
Who can we blame for all of this? We can blame these radical right and left wing groups who influence school boards into omitting the truth from our classrooms. The truth does sometimes hurt, but it is important to know the truth so that we can learn from our mistakes and ensure that these wrongdoings are not repeated in the future.
Book Review: A must read. Antidote to US bought-and-paid-for press.
Summary: 5 Stars
Anyone trying to make sense out of the current Iraq crisis will be unable to without this book. Saddam just didn't come out of nowhere. The US and Britain have been playing with middle East leaders for 100 years for control of their oil. Leaders like Saddam are romanced then discarded when it serves the big oil companies' interests. How many times must General Smedly D. Butler - one of the most decorated marines in history - be quoted: "War is a racket" He admits being a stooge for the big corporations, not a purveyor of Democracy. Wake up America. ....CBBook Review: Most people miss the point
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading the book and then reading most of the reviews, I believe most people are missing the point. Mr. Loewen's text is not meant to be used as a reference historical text but the historical examples he uses are to support his major thesis: there is no one "correct" version of history and different views should be address in secondary school textbook when the texts review major historical events including historical viewpoints on race, gender, culture, and proximity.