A People's History of the United States

[AtarashiiSekai]

Has anyone read this amazing book? I am in the middle of it, and I am seeing the USA in a new light ever since I started it. How the constitution was written for the economic interest of the rich, and how women's oppression was needed for societies based on private property and competition...

The most interesting book I have ever read in the past year. Besides Jennifer Government, which is written in a anarcho-capitalist dystopia.

What are your opinions on this book?

[GiantMonkeyMan]

I too really enjoy this book although many people on this site have reservations about Zinn as he takes a moralistic stance on a lot of the historical eras he explores. I guess a more material dialectical point of view would be to understand that of course the constitution was written in favour of the rich because that was in the class interests of the bourgeoisie who encouraged the war; it wasn't the bourgeoisie being inherently bad or good. Still, I learned a lot about stuff I didn't have a clue about before.

[Thelonious]

If you like the Zinn book try reading "Lies My Teacher Told Me" by James Loewen.

http://www.criticalthink.info/Phil1301/lieshist.htm

[Sixiang]

An even more comprehensive narrative history of the United States is Give Me Liberty!, by Eric Foner. He actually is a Marxist historian and is the son of a great Marxist labor historian, too (Philip Foner). It's a bit longer than Zinn's book (it's in two volumes, splitting at the 1865 point) but really worth it I think.

[Ostrinski]

I don't think Eric is a Marxist. Still an incredible historian, though.

[Comrade Samuel]

I almost got it for my brother for Christmas, he being on the more radical side of liberalism probably would have gotten a kick out of it. Other than the little bit in the book store I have not read it yet though. I am strongly considering it now.