Synopses & Reviews
Since its original landmark publication in 1980,
A Peoples History of the United States has been chronicling American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version of history taught in schools with its emphasis on great men in high places to focus on the street, the home, and the workplace.
Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A Peoples History of the United States is the only volume to tell Americas story from the point of view of and in the words of Americas women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers. As historian Howard Zinn shows, many of our countrys greatest battles the fights for a fair wage, an eight-hour workday, child-labor laws, health and safety standards, universal suffrage, womens rights, racial equality were carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance. Covering Christopher Columbuss arrival through President Clintons first term, A Peoples History of the United States, which was nominated for the American Book Award in 1981, features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history.
Synopsis
Few works of American history have done more to change the way in which recent generations have looked at their past than Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. Currently in its twenty-fifth printing, with more than 450,000 copies sold, Zinn's work presents more than five hundred years of American social and cultural history, going well beyond the wars and presidencies of traditional texts to tell the stories of working men and women. For the first time, Zinn has abridged the original text for classroom use. Questions and activities to encourage critical thinking, topics for writing and discussions, and a bibliography of related materials by educator Kathy Emery accompany each chapter covering American history from Columbus to Clinton.
Synopsis
“Its a wonderful, splendid book—a book that should be read by every American, student or otherwise, who wants to understand his country, its true history, and its hope for the future.” —Howard Fast, author of
Spartacus and
The Immigrants“[It] should be required reading.” —Eric Foner, New York Times Book Review
Library Journal calls Howard Zinns iconic A People's History of the United States “a brilliant and moving history of the American people from the point of view of those…whose plight has been largely omitted from most histories.” Packed with vivid details and telling quotations, Zinns award-winning classic continues to revolutionize the way American history is taught and remembered. Frequent appearances in popular media such as The Sopranos, The Simpsons, Good Will Hunting, and the History Channel documentary The People Speak testify to Zinns ability to bridge the generation gap with enduring insights into the birth, development, and destiny of the nation.
Synopsis
With more than 300,000 paperback copies sold in its previous edition, this phenomenal bestseller, now revised for the first time, provides a "brilliant and moving history of the American people from the point of view of those who have been exploited politically and economically and whose plight has been largely omitted from most histories" (Library Journal).
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [635]-653) and index.
About the Author
Howard Zinn (1922-2010) was a historian, playwright, and social activist. His many books include A People's History of the United States, which has sold more than two million copies.