Peoples History of American Empire A Graphic Adaptation

Now Howard Zinn, historian Paul Buhle, and cartoonist Mike Konopacki have collaborated to retell, in vibrant comics form, a most immediate and relevant chapter of A Peoples History: the centuries-long story of Americas actions in the world. Narrated by Zinn, this version opens with the events of 9/11 and then jumps back to explore the cycles of U.S. expansionism from Wounded Knee to Iraq, stopping along the way at World War I, Central America, Vietnam, and the Iranian revolution. The book also follows the story of Zinn, the son of poor Jewish immigrants, from his childhood in the Brooklyn slums to his role as one of Americas leading historians.

Shifting from world-shattering events to one familys small revolutions, A Peoples History of American Empire presents the classic ground-level history of America in a dazzling new form.

Howard Zinn, author of numerous acclaimed histories, taught history at Spelman College and Boston University, and has received the Lannan Literary Award, among many others. A Peoples History of the United States was a finalist for the 1980 National Book Award. He lives in Massachusetts.

Mike Konopacki has collaborated on five collections of cartoons, and his work is regularly syndicated. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Paul Buhle is a senior lecturer in history at Brown University and the editor of the Encyclopedia of the American Left, among other books. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island. An American Library Association Great Graphic Novel for Teens Nominee

A School Library Journal Best Adult Book for Teens

Since its publication in 1980, A Peoples History of the United States has had six new editions, sold more than 1.7 million copies, become required classroom reading throughout the country, and been turned into an acclaimed play. A Peoples History triggered a revolution in the way history is told, displacing the official versions with their emphasis on great men in high places to chronicle events as they were lived, from the bottom up.

Now Howard Zinn, historian Paul Buhle, and cartoonist Mike Konopacki have collaborated to retell, in fitting comics form, a most immediate and relevant chapter of A Peoples History: the centuries-long story of Americas actions in the world. Narrated by Zinn, this version opens with the events of 9/11 and then jumps back to explore the cycles of U.S. expansionism from Wounded Knee to Iraq, stopping along the way at World War I, Central America, Vietnam, and the Iranian revolution. The book also follows the story of Zinn, the son of poor Jewish immigrants, from his childhood in the Brooklyn slums to his role as one of Americas leading historians.

Henry Holt has produced this video, narrated by Viggo Mortensen, to accompany the book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg "At the heart of this wide-ranging comics indictment of American Empire are the terrific human stories of those who have resistedincluding wonderful autobiographical episodes from author Howard Zinn's own courageous and inspiring life."Joe Sacco, author of Safe Area Gorazde

"Over the past 25 years, anyone coming to radical conclusions about the U.S. and its history has likely traveled through the pages of at least one Howard Zinn book. A People's History of the United States is undoubtedly the most popular, widely read radical analysis of U.S. history. First published in 1980, it has sold more than 1.7 million copies, become required reading in many high school and college classrooms and spawned several offshoot projectsmost notably, the primary source reader Voices of a People's History of the United States. Now, Zinn, along with cartoonist Mike Konopacki and historian and activist Paul Buhle, has delivered a new book that is sure to delight and enlighten activists, radicals and those newly come to left-wing ideas . . . Though the book would be worth it simply for an animated retelling of A People's History, it achieves an added layer of significance by weaving Zinn's own personal history into the narrative. Zinn is shown growing up the son of poor Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn, N.Y.; going to demonstrations with young Communists; enlisting in the Air Force to fight fascism in Europe, only to witness (and challenge) the pernicious racism against Blacks within the U.S. military; and engaging in his later civil rights and antiwar activism as a college professor. The comic book becomes more than just a brilliant depiction of the history of U.S. imperialism; it is also a fitting tribute to Zinn himself. Readers will gain a newfound admiration for a man whose life has spanned the majority of the past century, and whose involvement in the history goes well beyond the role of historian. The release of this book could not be more timely. During an election year in which much is being promised, especially in regards to withdrawal from Iraq, this book serves as a reminder that the empire has never backed down except in the face of mass resistance."Zach Zill, Socialist Worker

"This is an illustrated history of Americas often deadly meddling around the globe. Its written mostly in Zinns voice, though he shares the duty. Black Elk tells the story of Wounded Knee, Mark Twain offers commentary on the Moro Massacre in the Philippines and Daniel Ellsberg describes leaking the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War . . . The drawings arent the only things that are black and white in this book. The book is leavened by autobiographical vignettes. Zinn, a product of Depression-era Brooklyn, said he became a radical after being cracked on the noggin by a police officers nightstick at an antifascism rally. He later served as a bombardier in World War II and tells of once dropping napalm on German soldiers and, he learned later to his horror, French civilians . . . The illustrations are simple and emotive, matching the often grim material. But the value in this book, like its forebear, is that it tells interesting stories worth knowing, from the 1914 Ludlow Massacre in Colorado to zoot suit culture in postwar Los Angeles. Turns out you really can learn things from comics."Michael Hill, Associated Press

“The historian Howard Zinn, historian and writer Paul Buhle and Capital Times cartoonist Mike Konopacki have set out to tell the tale to a broader audience. And they are doing so in grand populist style: with a lush graphic adaptation of Zinns groundbreaking text, A Peoples History of the United States . . . Utilizing the sections of Zinns 1980 book dealing with the imperial thrust of American leaders from the countrys founding to the present day, cartoonist Konopacki and editor Buhle offer up

Now Howard Zinn, historian Paul Buhle, and cartoonist Mike Konopacki have collaborated to retell, in vibrant comics form, a most immediate and relevant chapter of A People's History: the centuries-long story of America's actions in the world. Narrated by Zinn, this version opens with the events of 9/11 and then jumps back to explore the cycles of U.S. expansionism from Wounded Knee to Iraq, stopping along the way at World War I, Central America, Vietnam, and the Iranian revolution. The book also follows the story of Zinn, the son of poor Jewish immigrants, from his childhood in the Brooklyn slums to his role as one of America's leading historians.

Shifting from world-shattering events to one family's small revolutions, A People's History of American Empire presents the classic ground-level history of America in a dazzling new form.

Since its landmark publication in 1980, A Peoples History of the United States has had six new editions, sold more than 1.7 million copies, become required classroom reading throughout the country, and been turned into an acclaimed play. More than a successful book, A Peoples History triggered a revolution in the way history is told, displacing the official versions with their emphasis on great men in high places to chronicle events as they were lived, from the bottom up.

Now Howard Zinn, historian Paul Buhle, and cartoonist Mike Konopacki have collaborated to retell, in vibrant comics form, a most immediate and relevant chapter of A Peoples History: the centuries-long story of Americas actions in the world. Narrated by Zinn, this version opens with the events of 9/11 and then jumps back to explore the cycles of U.S. expansionism from Wounded Knee to Iraq, stopping along the way at World War I, Central America, Vietnam, and the Iranian revolution. The book also follows the story of Zinn, the son of poor Jewish immigrants, from his childhood in the Brooklyn slums to his role as one of Americas leading historians.

Shifting from world-shattering events to one familys small revolutions, A Peoples History of American Empire presents the classic ground-level history of America in a dazzling new form.

Mike Konopacki has collaborated on five collections of cartoons, and his work is regularly syndicated. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Paul Buhle is a senior lecturer in history at Brown University and the editor of the Encyclopedia of the American Left, among other books. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.