A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present (P.S.) by Howard Zinn Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present (P.S.)
Book Review: Shocking look at history
Summary: 5 Stars
Very interesting read. Many of us were told in elementary school the winners write history. Well this book is told from the "losers" point of view. It gives a more rounded view of U.S. history you thought you knew in and out. The making of America was a hostile take over, not the romantic fairy tale we memorize about equality of ALL men (and women), or the fact that our ancestors were looking for religious freedom. Europeans wiped out Native Americans who taught them how to farm and live off the land, ironically we celebrate this with Thanksgiving, but forget about clan who made it possible. When you finish reading this you will realize the many things you celebrate today is because of a systematic injustice of others.Book Review: A complete waste of time Unless your an imbecile
Summary: 2 Stars
Of course in the history of our American history it is inevitable that HOTUSA would be published. Zinn didn't create anything revolutionary. Literature provides hardly the first step towards revolution. But atmospherically journeying through HOTUSA the reader clearly gets an awakening. The book overall is completely useless. If you want to go do something deny the false democracy we live in and launch a discourse against the institutions (like our useless education system and government) that control, manipulate and dominate the minds of supposedly "free" individuals. Book Review: Absolutely the BEST
Summary: 5 Stars
The one history of the United States absolutely every person who cares about this country should read. Mandatory.Book Review: a much-needed supplement
Summary: 5 Stars
I wish I had had access to this book decades ago. I am 58 now. I just finished reading it this evening. I had my impression of American history based on inoffensive and boring texts in high school; books that basically suggested Americans were the good guys at all times and in all places. That naivete nearly got me killed. If I had had some real sense of perspective on how and why America went to war I might not have joined the Marines during the Vietnam era. I really believed then that if Our Government took military action then it must have a darn good reason. I was just young, poor, and blindly ignorant, but with a genuine desire to do the right thing. I was just lucky that I was never sent to Vietnam. Most of my fellow Marines were and many did not return. It took me many years of reading, newscasts, and reflection to finally realize that My Government not infreqently engages in outright criminal behavior followed by lies and deceit at its highest levels to cover up the crimes. Reading Dr. Zinn's book just clarified and organized the picture more completely. It's an extremely valuable supplement to mainstream histories; one every student should be encouraged to read. Here is where the word "education" takes on a profound meaning. Zinn's book serves to "educate" us in a true sense by showing us an alternative way to think about our culture and its effect on the world. Whenever someone can stimulate you to think more clearly about things that are important--that's education. Anyone who reads this book carefully and reflects on its contents is far less likely to be "had" by a politician or a political party. And it provides hope; there actually were very large and successful strikes, social movements and mass resistance to government policies in our history. Until I read Dr. Zinn's book I hadn't really known that; in fact, there were a great many significant events that I had never heard about.Book Review: Broad, yet compelling
Summary: 4 Stars
Howard Zinn seeks to explain all of United States history through a Marxist perspective in which the ruling classes dominate the proletariat. If this doesn't sound interesting to you, I would recommend buying another book.
I believe Zinn's analysis does have something important to offer a student of American history. He explores little known and frequently disregarded aspects of the American experience.
The only criticism I have of this work is that, since it covers more than half a millenia of history in one volume, it can be a little overwhelming. Perhaps a less ambitious focus, say of a hundred years, could offer more in depth coverage of the events and personalities involved. By necessity, Zinn works rather quickly in such an ambitious work that seeks to desribe all of American history in only 682 pages.