Synopses & Reviews
For much of his life, historian Howard Zinn has been chronicling American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version 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, Zinn's A People's History of the United States is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of -- and in the words of -- its women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, working poor, and immigrant laborers. Here we learn that many of our country's greatest battles -- labor laws, women's rights, racial equality -- were carried out at the grassroots level, against steel-willed resistance. This edition of A People's History of the United States features insightful analysis of some of the most important events in this country in the past one hundred years.
Featuring a preface and afterword read by the author himself, this audio continues Howard Zinn's important contribution to a complete and balanced understanding of American history.
Review
"Matt Damon's reading captures the spirit of the text. Like the book, Damon's voice has an edge to it....[Zinn's] is not an actor's voice, but his reading is evenly paced and authentic sounding." AudioFile
Review
"Historians may well view it as a step toward a coherent new version of American history." New York Times Book Review
Synopsis
Timed to release with the Perennial Classics publication, here is the revolutionary account of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States: Highlights from the Twentieth Century updated with two new chapters performed by Academy Award-winning actor Matt Damon, with a preface and afterword read by Howard Zinn.
Synopsis
For much of his life, historian Howard Zinn has been chronicling American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version 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, Zinn's A People's History of the United States is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of -- and in the words of -- its women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, working poor, and immigrant laborers. Here we learn that many of our country's greatest battles -- labor laws, women's rights, racial equality -- were carried out at the grassroots level, against steel-willed resistance. This edition of A People's History of the United States features insightful analysis of some of the most important events in this country in the past one hundred years.
Featuring a preface and afterword read by the author himself, this audio continues Howard Zinn's important contribution to a complete and balanced understanding of American history.
Synopsis
Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research,
A Peoples History isthe only volume to tell Americas story from the point of view of—and in the wordsof—Americas women, African-Americans, Native Americans, working poor, andimmigrant laborers. Here we learn that many of our countrys greatest battles—childlaborlaws, womens rights, racial equality—were carried out at the grass roots level,against bloody resistance.
Revised and updated with new chapters on Clintons presidency, the 2000 Election,and the “War on Terrorism,” A Peoples History of the United States featuresinsightful analysis of the most important events in our history.
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.
About the Author
Howard Zinn is a historian, playwright, and social activist. He was a shipyard worker and Air Force bombardier before he went to college under the GI Bill and received his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He has taught at Spelman College and Boston University, and has been a visiting professor at the University of Paris and the University of Bologna. He has received the Thomas Merton Award, the Eugene V. Debs Award, the Upton Sinclair Award, and the Lannan Literary Award. He lives in Auburndale, Massachusetts.
Matt Damon's extraordinary film career has included starring roles in Good Will Hunting (which he co-wrote), The Rainmaker, Saving Private Ryan, The Talented Mr. Ripley, All the Pretty Horses, and Ocean's Eleven.