niloc21's review against another edition
Have other stuff to read...nothing against the book
kristidurbs's review against another edition
4.0
A People's History... certainly presents a biased perspective of history -- Zinn admits as much. Yet this bias is what constitutes the power of the book; it challenges the traditional historical teaching that most of us glean from our educational institutions, revealing another viewpoint. Zinn focuses on the stories of those marginalized and ignored in American history -- women, American Indians, African Americans, immigrants, and innocent civilians of our "enemies," to name a few. We get to read about the poor and the working class, rather than hear only a history from the perspective of the wealthy and privileged. Some sections were more radical and eye-opening than others, but overall, it is a worthwhile read.
nafiza's review against another edition
1.0
Books that talk about the truths behind historical events away from the sanitization of the status quo are wonderful. Using that concept to push outright lies and twisted facts so you can sell a book is NOT.
I don't care what narrative an author is trying to push: writing falsehood as actual history just to sell books with the wave of interest over an interesting topic isn't ethical. It erodes the entire fact that we love to study and discuss history not just for entertainment but preservation. Zinn is not preservation but a rewriter of truth for money.
I wouldn't accept this kind of shady misdirection and lack of proper citation from anyone, whether Zinn, Cambridge or Sesame Street and neither should anyone else.
I don't care what narrative an author is trying to push: writing falsehood as actual history just to sell books with the wave of interest over an interesting topic isn't ethical. It erodes the entire fact that we love to study and discuss history not just for entertainment but preservation. Zinn is not preservation but a rewriter of truth for money.
I wouldn't accept this kind of shady misdirection and lack of proper citation from anyone, whether Zinn, Cambridge or Sesame Street and neither should anyone else.
bosstweed's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A fairly comprehensive history which, as he says, is critical of government and sympathetic to people, and for its time (and even to an extent for the current time) was revolutionary. It still uses terms and language which is outdated and problematic and one wouldn’t have to look too far to find a more updated and more inclusive book but for what this book offered to the field, revolutionary.
camebrew's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Unbelievably eye-opening. Potentially my favorite book I have read this year. Hearing the first hand accounts of voices otherwise lost to history was incredibly powerful. I am very grateful for the update of this book to include light information regarding the aftermath of 9/11 because the continuation of Carter/Reagan/Bush/Clinton Middle East relations into the 2000s using this as an excuse is without a doubt going to continue to prove US foreign policy to be one of the most reprehensible in the world. Additionally, I hope a lot of the fervor regarding strikes and unionization becomes intensified as happened in Ludlow, CO and many other instances. Learned so much from this book