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A People's History of the United States

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A People's History of the United States

Written by: Howard Zinn
Narrated by: Jeff Zinn
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About this listen

"A wonderful, splendid book - a book that should be ready by every American, student or otherwise, who wants to understand his country, its true history, and its hope for the future." (Howard Fast)

For much of his life, historian Howard Zinn chronicled 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, 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 - 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 carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance.

Covering Christopher Columbus' 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.

©2009 Howard Zinn (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers
Americas Ideologies & Doctrines American History War Gilded Age Founding Fathers Military Vietnam War Franklin D Roosevelt Equality United States Imperialism Self-Determination American Foreign Policy War of 1812
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What the critics say

"Zinn's work is a vital corrective to triumphalist accounts." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about A People's History of the United States

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love it

Amazing, I always love learning about the history they don't teach you in schools.

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Unique perspective of the history of America

Howard Zinn offers a perspective of the history America in a intriguing way. Many unheard stories from this audio book will keep you hooked. This audio book will make you think and question what we learn about the history of America

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Incredible book

Awesome and powerful book showing history from the ground up more than the top down like you usually see. Narrator was great, though admittedly I found my attention wandering now and then, but that's probably more me than the narrator.

Don't hesitate to get this one!

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This book will open your mind

This is a key book if you want to understand the United States... its foreign policy, its treatment of its people and why the richest nation on earth won't feed, clothe, and house its population.

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Eye opening!

I like hearing the story’s that you never hear. It is kind of scary when you realize who really runs the show.

Not sure why the Declaration of Independence was even written after listening to this book, only a few leaders understood it but $$ seems to be the driving force at any cost.

How or when will it end?

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True to its title

This recounting of American history is, very much so, a people's history. Howard has a very good sense of when to editorialize a smidge and when to just explain things. He also does this thing where, to relay the public's feeling of living through the hardships of X, he'll quote songs from that time to set the appropriate mood... and quite a few times too, I noticed. The quirk is appreciated.

Narrator Jeff Zinn has a much more authoritative-sounding (pardon) voice in this performance than some other the other stuff I've heard from him. As for quirks in the audio or narration, there's nothing that I can fault him for. However, I noticed a weird problem where the volume levels would suddenly get a lot louder or a lot quieter. It's not very jarring or anything, but definitely noticeable when it appears in the much later part of the book.

For what it's worth, as a Canadian who knew practically nothing about American history, I can safely say I walked away with quite a bit of information and would happily pay the full price had I not snagged it with my free credit. ;^)

Excellent work all around; highly recommend.

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An extraordinary audiobook

This was well worth the 34 1/2 hours I spent listening. Jeff Zinn did a superb job narrating this massive book written by his historian father. I particularly liked his last chapter when he summed up his philosophy and optimism for a better country that would protect and care for children around the world. Reading or listening to it gives one a very different perspective on world events from the discovery of America to the 90s and beyond. Congratulations to Mr. ZInn for his massive amount of research, and to Jeff for having the patience to read the entire work so well. I am glad your father left this world before seeing the chaos that we are in today. This book was a real eye-opener for me, thank you. Liona Boyd

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A Must Read

Even as a history major, my mind was still blown. This should be taught in schools.

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Must Read!

I can’t think if there will be a better book to learn about the history of the united states. It is a must read! I’m forever grateful learned about the book through Lisa Ling on Tim Ferris’ Podcast.

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History indeed ...

Reminders of social movements needed to advance human life is retold as is needed. People die and the slow painful advance of standards is lost. The suffering goes unmarked. The pain and suffering costs for advanced modern standards of living where seemed needed. Needed or not where paid. Human greed was tied to human ignorance. modern society basis it's new standards on the advances of education. This work be huge. A daring effort by Mr H. ZINN. He himself admitted the subject is too large for one man in one life time to SHOW the history. But he opens the eye of enough person's who may see the need to care to know something as knowing nothing advances the human race backwards. And the whole of the world could be what TV in Star Trek promised. Being freedom from meaningless toil and value of money faded as there is no want but to live a life having meaning.

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