Howard zinn s a peoples history of the united states has few peers among contemporary historical works. Howard zinn has 166 books on goodreads with 540539 ratings. David detmer zinnophobia offers an extended defense of the work of radical historian howard zinn, author of the bestselling a peoples history of the united states, against his many critics. And some of them come to realize that zinns famous book isfor reasons that. Michael kammen, himself a historian of american radicalism, said the book was not a success. See all books authored by howard zinn, including a peoples history of the united states. In her exhaustively documented monograph debunking howard zinn, dr. A committed radical historian and activist, howard zinn approaches the study of the past from the point of view of those whom he feels have been exploited by the powerful. A peoples history of the united states is a 1980 book written by dr howard zinn, a u. Perennial classics, 2003 so that no potential reader would wonder about. The zinn education project collects stories from howard zinn s former students at spelman college and boston university about his role as a teacher.
With more than 2 million copies in print, a peoples history is more than a book. On the other hand, the book conveniently omits whatever does not fit its overriding thesis. A peoples history of the united states puts the theories in zinn s earlier work into practice. If you are a former student of zinn, please contribute your story here. The late michael kammen termed as single minded and simple minded. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something.
This is a controversial book since he presented united states history through the view point of the common people, radicals, socialists, and marxists. Howard zinns most popular book is a peoples history of the united states. A recently posted commentary of mine on the deceased far left historian howard zinn 19232010 refers to a critical study by hamilton institute research scholar mary grabar. Zinn, in his book and throughout his life, was loyal to the communist party. Howard zinn, who has died of a heart attack aged 87, was a muchloved and muchvituperated icon of the american left. He was a shipyard worker and a bombardier with the u.
Gilbert seldes and the transformation of cultural criticism in the united states 1996 and robert gwathmey. If anyone wonders why youngsters today are less patriotic and more inclined toward socialism, they need look no further than the most popular history textbook in the united states, howard zinn s a peoples history of the united states a onesided work written from the perspective of a communist activist that contains a plethora of distortions and outright lies. Michael kammen, how the other half lived, washington post book world. Howard zinn august 24, 1922 january 27, 2010 was an american historian, playwright, and socialist thinker. For the millions moved by howard zinn s personal example of. Howard zinn, author of a peoples history of the united states, tells his personal stories about more than thirty years of fighting for social change, from teaching at spelman college to recent protests against war. Exposing the fake history that turned a generation against america, is zinn s 1980 work, a peoples history of the united states, as well as the zinn education project which was founded in 2007 to promote and disseminate zinn s book as a standard text in elementary and high schools, as well. He was chair of the history and social sciences department at spelman college, and a political science professor at boston university. In debunking howard zinn, mary grabar takes on an icon of the left who has sold 2. Howard zinn author of a peoples history of the united. Howard zinns influential mutilations of american history. He was an activist and historian, and later a dramatist, but always a. He titled his thick survey a peoples history a peoples history of the united states, 1492present ny.
A peoples history of the united states is a 1980 nonfiction book by american historian and political scientist howard zinn. Some, like harvards oscar handlin and cornells michael kam. Howard zinns controversial book a peoples history of. The cultural historian michael kammen called the book a. The book begins with the world before columbus came to the americas and moves forward in chronological order until the year 2000. I wish that i could pronounce zinn s book a great success, but it is not. Oscar handlin, arawaks, american scholar 49 autumn 1980. After working in local shipyards during his teens, he joined the u. Grabar demonstrates the gross misrepresentations of the american past, starting with columbuss voyages down to the vietnam war, which abound in zinn. Books by howard zinn author of a peoples history of the. Army air force, where he saw combat as a bombardier in world war ii. Howard zinn books list of books by author howard zinn. Howard zinn was perhaps the bestknown and most widely celebrated popular interpreter of american history in the twentieth century, renowned as a bestselling author, a political activist. In the book, zinn seeks to present american history through the eyes of the common people rather than political and economic elites.
Everyone interested in a peoples history and a future of justice and hope will benefit from martin dubermans insightful, vividly written, splendid biography. To be hopeful in bad times is based on the fact that human history is not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. Every work of history, according to howard zinn, is a political document. If we remember those times and places where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act. Howard zinn, historian and shipyard worker, civil rights activist and world war ii bombardier, and author of. Howard zinn, our favorite teacher series david detmer. Howard zinn, historian, is dead at 87 the new york times. A life on the left is a major publishing event that brings to life one of the most inspiring figures of our time. American historians loathe howard zinns a peoples history of the united.
In 194345 howard zinn served as bombardier for a u. A former bombardier in wwii, zinn emerged in the civil rights movement as a powerful voice for justice. Although mary grabars monograph with regnery has not convinced me that zinn is a leading force in american education so much as a symptom of something or other, her book. Facts, fictions, and fraud in the writing of american his. Professors michael kazin and michael kammen condemn the book as a blackandwhite zinns of elite villains and oppressed victims, a story that robs american history of its depth and intricacy and leaves nothing but an empty text simplified to the level of propaganda. Howard zinns influential mutilations of american history the new. Zinn wrote over 20 books, including his bestselling and influential a peoples history of the. Why do so many people hate howard zinn and consider him a. Howard zinn s influential mutilations of american history.
Here is one example, a story by david detmer, class of 1980. Dear board of trustees, as you know, during the last couple of years, the united states has been dealing with a serious problem. Howard zinn was perhaps the bestknown and most widely celebrated popular interpreter of american history in the twentieth century, renowned as a bestselling author, a political activist, a lecturer, and one of americas most recognizable and admired progressive voices. The book is often recognized as one of the most accurate and valuable historical references in american history. A peoples history has been assigned as reading in many high schools and colleges across the united states. Zinn, in his book and throughout his life, was loyal to the.
Howard zinns biggest failing michael kazin opinion. Reconstructing the reconstruction abbeville institute. In the book, zinn presented what he considered to be a different side of history from the more traditional fundamental nationalist glorification of country. Eric foner, michael kammen, and michael kazin, all of whom are. In short order, these new fields and frameworks became central to the discipline. In your own words, explain what michael kammen means in the above excerpt. Howard zinn s most popular book is a peoples history of the united states. Army air force in europe during the second world war before he went to college under the gi bill and received his ph. If you have any interest in howard zinn, any of his many books including the seminal peoples history of the united states, or a 20th century life committed to. Cutting some slack for howard zinn the american conservative. Reconstructing the reconstruction or howard zinn sucks. Zinn portrays a side of american history that can largely be seen as the exploitation and.
Howard zinn was a historian, playwright, and social activist. A peoples history of the united states by howard zinn is a work of nonfiction. What better way to summarize michael kammen and his lifelong passion for books, for beauty, and for paradox. For the millions moved by howard zinn s personal example of political. I wish that i could pronounce zinn s book a great success. More than a million of howard zinn s fellow citizens have bought his books.