A People's History of the United States - by Howard Zinn (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

THE CLASSIC NATIONAL BESTSELLER

"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

Historian Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, a landmark work of social history, chronicles American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official narrative 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, it is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of--and in the words of--America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers. As Zinn shows, many of our country's greatest battles--the fights for a fair wage, an eight-hour workday, child-labor laws, health and safety standards, universal suffrage, women's rights, racial equality--were driven by powerful social movements carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance.

Covering Christopher Columbus's arrival through President Clinton's first term, A People's History of the United States features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history. This edition also includes an introduction by Anthony Arnove, who wrote, directed, and produced The People Speak with Zinn and who coauthored, with Zinn, Voices of a People's History of the United States.

But what does American history look like when told not by the victors, but by the people on the streets, in the factories, and on the frontiers?

• History from Below: Instead of focusing on presidents and generals, Zinn tells America's story from the viewpoint of the street, the home, and the workplace.
• Challenging Official Narratives: Discover the hidden history of the United States, from Columbus's arrival to the Clinton administration, through a narrative that questions traditional textbook accounts.
• Marginalized Voices: Experience the country's greatest battles in the words of America's women, factory workers, African Americans, Native Americans, and immigrant laborers.
• A Critical Look at U.S. History: Zinn provides an insightful analysis of the fights for a fair wage, an eight-hour workday, and racial equality, showing how they were waged against bloody resistance.

Review Quotes

"[A People's History of the United States is] one of the most important books I have ever read in a long life of reading...It's 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

"Zinn has written 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. Extending its coverage . . . the book is an excellent antidote to establishment history. Seldom have quotations been so effectively used; the stories of blacks, women, Indians, and poor laborers of all nationalities are told in their own words. While the book is precise enough to please specialists, it should satisfy any adult reader." - Library Journal

"Howard Zinn's work literally changed the conscience of a generation. And the series of 'people's histories' derived from this great work have provided new understanding of who we are and what we should aspire to be." - Noam Chomsky

"A brilliant and moving history of the American people." - Library Journal

"A brilliantly written story about the U.S. through the lives of those too often overlooked." - Time magazine

"In this sweeping book, Howard Zinn tells the story of the U.S. through the eyes of the working class, painting a vivid picture of movements for equality that have often met fierce resistance." - Katie Couric Media