White Lies - by Ann Bausum (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

This powerful and unflinching examination of racism in America by award-winning historian Ann Bausum deconstructs the warped history of the Civil War for teen readers, perfect for fans of STAMPED, JUST MERCY, and ACCOUNTABLE.

Warning: This is not your average U.S. history book.

After the Civil War, the Confederates may have laid down their arms, but they were far from accepting defeat. By warping the narrative around what really happened during and after the Civil War, they created an alternate history now known as the Lost Cause. These lies still manifest today through criticism of Critical Race Theory, book banning, unequal funding for education, and more.

This book sets the record straight and explains the true history of the Civil War, and its complex and far-reaching aftermath. Written by historian and award-winning author Ann Bausum, WHITE LIES is an impeccably researched chronicle filled with photos, robust back matter, additional resources, and more that fans of Howard Zinn's A Young People's History of the United States will enjoy.

Review Quotes

Seven starred reviews
A Washington Post Best New Book for Fall

★ "Essential reading." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "An accessible and enthralling work of nonfiction that...cracks open the Lost Cause narrative to reveal its composition of lies and the damage those lies have done to the United States." -- Shelf Awareness, starred review

★ "Meticulously researched, this is a must-have in the history classroom and beyond." -- BCCB, starred review

★ "An important and compelling work that belongs in all high school and public libraries." -- School Library Journal, starred review

★ "A...powerful offering that encourages readers to critically engage with historical record and to use the knowledge they obtain to better the world." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "An essential volume to understand the history of racial division in the U.S." -- Booklist, starred review

★ "Bausum's short chapters and clear language help teen readers understand complex subjects and make connections between lies that started in the mid- to late nineteenth century and societal ills that still plague the United States today." -- Horn Book Magazine, starred review

About the Author

Ann Bausum was raised in Virginia, surrounded by the symbols and teachings of the Lost Cause. For the past
quarter century, she has enriched the understanding of young people and teens by introducing them to consequential and dramatic historical events that may be misrepresented or underrepresented in their textbooks. Named a Notable Children's Author by her adopted home state of Wisconsin, she and the body of her work have been recognized nationally with the Nonfiction Award of the Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C.