Customer Reviews (16)

Great book.
I loved this book, got it for a Race, Gender, Class and Ethnicity class at school. I will keep it forever, its just a great book. I would recommend it to anyone interested in this subject, it has case studies and thoughts on each by the author.

Itll do
I read this book for my Human Diversity and Societal Oppression class in graduate school. I found it to be an easy read with some very well written pieces. I enjoyed the format of the book which broke up the sub sections into manageable pieces (which was nice considering this book is pretty stout in size). All in all... an interesting read that will open your eyes to the struggles of others.

If you must...
I had to read this book for a womens studies class.While I found there to be some interesting and enlightening parts, I found that it lacks objectivity.It often incorrectly blends broad brush strokes of authors opinion with fact.Often, I found references to an issue(s) with absolutely no way to determine its validity.This book more often than not gives vent rather than instruct.

great book on divsersity
I enjoyed this book and found it very informative concerning ethnicity and racism issues

Avoid this one.
If you are Caucasian, a man, and have money, this book is not for you.Page after page is minorities and woman crying, sobbing etc etc about how bad they have it and whose fault it is.If women and minorities hate Caucasian men with money, why is there one voted in every 4 years.Quit crying and vote. ... Read more

Book Description
Students come alive when dealing with primary sources. Yet no current History of Education text supplies primary source documents. Fraser’s unique text is a documentary history of education in the United States and can save the instructor from doing a good deal of photocopying. It consists of primary source documents which illustrate and map the establishment and evolution of education in America. For example, the text includes documents such as Beecher’s “Essay on the Education of Female Teachers,” “A Nation At Risk: Report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education,” and selections from Dewey’s School and Society and Holt’s How Children Fail. Introductions and explanations frame the primary sources to help students understand the background and context of the documents. The book can be used as a main or a supplemental text at either the undergraduate or graduate level. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Real Thing
The book is more than just a history of American Education.It contains all or part of many actual historical documents, organized by time period and topic.And the topics relate to American History in many more areas than simply education.The ideas of our Founding Fathers, early struggles for Civil Rights, immigration, women's rights, and the Native American experience are all a part of this text.Yes, Fraser includes his own comments which are helpful for the study of history, but it is his compilation of original documents that makes this a winner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Sad.
This book is required for both sophomore and junior level US history, and it is terrible to say the least.
All matter of information is slapped together haphazardly to create an unappetizing blend of dry facts with painfully un-witty side comments added by the author of this monstrosity.
It is not organized in any fashion except chronological order.Unlike other better textbooks, by flipping to a page you cannot tell what chapter or subject you are in, and wallow in the fact that you have to read the incoherent jumble of ink on the page to determine it.
I am not looking forward to using it next year, it was extremely difficult to learn from and our teacher had to extract the information and return it to us in the form of notes.We rarely used it because it was so incredibly hard to follow.
Please avoid this book.

It SUCKS
This book is wicked hard to understand and follow!!! I am 17 years old and i am in a college prep american history class, and i dont understand. How am i supossed to learn anything if i cant read the words!!!

Nondescript and Poorly Edited
I am currently a first year high school teacher whose school has chosen Boorstin to for U.S. I and II.Boorstin's writing is unbelievably frustrating on so many levels.For advanced level students, the text is woefully incomplete.It seems clear that the author's focus was to be concise and simple; however what ends up happening as a result is that things such as causations and analysis are frequently left out.Advanced students will likely become frustrated over knowing the basic facts but not getting anywhere deeper - why did they happen?What historical debates have been had over the facts?

Ironically, my lower level students also hate the book and find it difficult to understand.Boorstin's review questions vary in difficulty between amusingly easy to impossibly hard - making many students apathetic about doing homework (even more than normal).In addition, Boorstin occasionally asks questions that are not referred to in the chapter.The editing in the book is seriously flawed.

The use of Boorstin's book puts the emphasis and burden of knowledge squarely on the teacher.Student-centered activities using the text become significantly harder (or, in the case of some new teachers, impossible) because there simply is not enough information provided to allow for students' opinions or creativity.Critical events in American history are left out - Bacon's rebellion for example is nowhere to be found.Other events, when covered, are woefully out of place - the Middle Passage is covered only two chapters before the Civil War!

Overall, Boorstin's text tries very hard to be a jack-of-all- trades, but fails to really satisfy anyone in the classroom.Avoid it. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Nobody's born knowing the capital of Wyoming, but kids can put an end totheir geographic struggles with the Scholastic Atlas of the UnitedStates. This slick, well-organized reference is perfect for browsing--thestates are arranged by region, and each is explored on a two-page spread with acolorful map, table of facts, and a short essay on its history, economy, andmore. Each state is also highlighted on a map of the continental U.S. and aspecific aspect of the region's natural resources, weather, or economy isexplained in an accompanying chart. Appendices cover U.S. territories andhistorical and geographical dimensions of the country as a whole. Whether yourstudent is helping to plan a trip to Cheyenne or writing a report on the mightyMississippi River, this atlas serves as a solid resource. (Ages 7 and older)--Rob LightnerBook Description
The SCHOLASTIC ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES is an essential up-to-date resource that offers students a detailed map of each of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. This important reference also features an information page about each state that uses photos, graphics, fun facts, and a brief essay to explain what makes each state unique.(cont'd) ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Great for homeschool
My little girls [..]) love to color when I read, and I like the coloring page to be related to topic. The coloring pages help keep them interested in the topic, and stop fights from starting.Dover coloring books really made school easier and more fun for all of us. Best for K - [..].

United States Coloring Book by Winky Adam
This is an excellent book for teachers to use.A map is shown for each state; with information on capitals, nick names, state mottos, flowers, birds, trees, main rivers and when the state came into the union.Eachpage also shows where the state is in the U.S. This is a great way foryoung students to learn about the country where they live. ... Read more

Book Description
The United States of Toyota is many stories in one. First and foremost, it is a business story, detailing the decline of the American automobile industry - and the simultaneous rise of an Asian manufacturer to take its place. It is also a history book, providing an intimate portrait of the larger-than-life personalities and cars that led the American auto industry through its glory days and down the path toward extinction. It is a political/current affairs piece, presenting the rise of a Japanese company - Toyota - not just in terms of its sales success but also in terms of its cultural success, as it works to assimilate into American society. And finally, it is a never-before-seen primer on Detroit - The Motor City - a town and a region dominated by the auto companies, their suppliers and their ad agencies - and by a mindset and culture all its own. In commentary that is as accurate as it is blunt, Peter De Lorenzo presents the players and the action in the auto business in a way not seen before in print. His voice is unique and refreshingly candid. His provocative analyses and assessments - grounded in personal experience and a lifelong immersion in all things automotive - present a compelling picture of the state of the auto business - how it used to be, what it has become and where it is headed. From the arrogance and short-sightedness of the Detroit manufacturers to the acumen and relentlessness of Toyota, The United States of Toyota paints an insightful portrait of an iconic American industry as it struggles for survival in the early years of the 21st century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A bit too "bloggy" for a book
I became a regular reader of DeLorenzo's Autoextremist blog a few years ago, and looked forward to his weekly rants about the Detroit scene.Unfortunately, this book reads a little too much like a blog.Some of the chapters are just three or four pages, and are written in the style of blog posts.In fact, quite a bit of the prose in the book had already been previously published on the Autoextremist blog, and was immediately recognizable as such.

If you're an Autoextremist reader hoping DeLorenzo will further develop the ideas he presents on his blog, you're going to come away from this at least a little disappointed.Nobody is going to agree with every last thing he says, and some will be put off by his informal style (replete with catchphrases and vulgar language.)His strongest points are probably his dissection of Chrysler's woes and his demonstration of how Toyota's PR department so masterfully manipulates the American media (as he saves his strongest vitriol for New York Times columnist and Toyota apologist Thomas Friedman.)

DeLorenzo--A Visionary Rebel with a Cause

"The United States of Toyota" is a must read for anyone who wants an unbiased perspective of the past, present, and possible future of U.S. auto industry. With a global economy many economists discount the fact that the fall of Detroit will impact the U.S. economy for many generations. While it is now trendy to bash Detroit for its lack of vision and poor management, Peter DeLorenzo has been warning of the demise of Detroit and the U.S. auto industry for dozens of years. Until recently very few have listened to his advice but there is still time to heed his sage advice.

A combination of historical perspective, insider secrets, reality checks, prescient predictions, dire warnings, and tongue-in-cheek irreverence, this book is informative and easy to digest. Auto industry drones, apologists, bean-counters, and "yes men" who have driven Detroit to the edge of disaster should pay special attention--remember the louder they complain the more accurate is DeLorenzo's aim.

DeLorenzo accurately points out that profits of the foreign automakers are returned home and that their respective governments do all in their power to support their own, whether currency manipulation, tax breaks, investment incentives or just plain hard ball politics. This begs the question whether there is such a thing as a truly "free economy" as we are led to believe.

DeLorenzo is a rare breed: an automotive visionary with an automotive family pedigree who has industry depth, analytical skills, automotive expertise, and racing knowledge with significant time on the track. With his "no holds barred" approach, DeLorenzo tells it like it is regardless of who may get sideways in the process.

The words of Niccolo Machiavelli, written almost five centuries ago in The Prince, still hold true for a visionary like DeLorenzo when attacked by his critics:

"It should be borne in mind that there is nothing more difficult to handle, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating changes.... The innovator makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old order, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new. Their support is lukewarm, partly from fear of their adversaries, who have the existing authority on their side and, partly because men are generally incredulous, never really trusting new things unless they have tested them by experience."

DeLorenzo's long-standing advice to GM, Ford, and Chrysler that courage, vision, and significant change are needed can no longer be ignored. One can only wonder what would happen if DeLorenzo had authority for the design, manufacture, and marketing of just one division or just one product line or just one vehicle.

An Inciteful Rant
Peter Delorenzo's book is a delightful and aggressive attack on the arrogance and narrowmindedness that has driven the Detroit auto industry to the brink of disaster and that gave Toyota a huge opportunity to create its own empire with its attendant risks. The United States of Toyota is made interesting because of Delorenzo's intimate knowledge of the auto industry and because of his 'take no prisoners' style of writing.I was alternately amused and disgusted by the events he described.Even if I had not been involved in the automobile industry I would have enjoyed this book.

A much needed gadfly
Peter DeLorenzo is something that the auto industry has long needed:a gadfly.Not a car-hating, unsafe-at-any-speed the-car-is-the-source-of-all-our-problems kind of gadfly, but a car-loving gadfly.

I once worked at a Detroit ad agency where we were told not to visit Mr. Delorenzo's [...] website on the company's computers.(If you know advertising creative people, then you know that only fueled our passion to visit the site every week.)

"The United States of Toyota" is basically a compilation of Mr. Delorenzo's weekly rants from the website.His writing is brash, arrogant, egotistical, conceited, and darn near always right.

If you live somewhere other than Detroit, if you don't work in the automotive industry, then you will have a hard time believing any industry could be run like this.But I spent 25 years at it, and Peter is right.

We're now seeing the American car companies starting to do some of the things Peter has been ranting about for years, and as a result, perhaps starting to turn the corner.

I learned nothing new from the book, having read the website rants from the beginning.I bought the book mainly to show support for the one accessory American cars have long needed--a gadfly.

(Full disclosure:I worked at the same ad agency as Mr. DeLorenzo for several years, and would watch with amusement and admiration as he would appear at the office with a different car, often on a monthly basis.He would careen back and forth between every possible type of vehicle; a Jetta to a 911 to a Civic to a `70s Seville, etc.He clearly loved cars.)

A slightly slanted look at what ails Detroit
As an auto insider, I read this book a bit more critically than most people would. While I find that DeLorenzo's criticisms are mostly valid, some of his pronouncements are contradictory. On the one hand, he blames the Detroit Three for not having seen the challenge from the imports(in terms of producing cars that people want), he also chews out unions for not giving back wages and benefits that he believes puts American vehicles at a disadvantage. So what do we have here: cars that don't excite people, or cars that are too expensive because of union labor?

Most overseas companies that manufacture in the US(Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Subaru) offer a wage and benefits package that is comparable to UAW employees, within a couple of dollars an hour(and under the recently negotiated agreements with the UAW, many new employees at the Detroit 3 will make substantially less than their counterparts at the Asian manufacturers). The difference between Detroit labor costs and, say, Toyota's is the "legacy" cost of retirees' pension and health care. Those costs are a burden to Detroit, primarily because of the auto companies failure to build those costs in during the working lifetime of the retirees. Granted, not all costs can be foreseen, but it seems like the "Big 3" fudged their obligations to make the balance sheet look better(and to pad executive compensation, lest we forget), and now it's time to pay the piper. So do current employees of the Detroit Three have to pay for the mis-steps of GM, Ford and Chrysler with respect to obligations toward retirees? Prima facie, Detroit direct labor cost is not a significant factor in the competition with the foreign companies who manufacture in the US, and American companies are beating this drum just to hide their own deficiencies.

Peter DeLorenzo devotes much of the book to alternately praising and bashing Toyota. He praises Toyota for its relentless persuit of perfection and at the same time criticizes it for "blandness". Perhaps he does not understand that "edgy" might work for niche manufacturers, but when you are trying to be Number One in the world, you are going to style cars that would have the broadest appeal. I agree with him, however, that Toyota's foray into NASCAR is a mis-step, but on the other hand it might just be a PR expense that Toyota feels is necessary to overcome import bias.

DeLorenzo is a self-professed "car guy" and you can see his bias toward other "car guys" in the business. Nothing wrong with that, except when you are building a bread-and-butter 5-seat transporter with good fuel economy and decent styling, the "car guys" usually mess it up with doo-dads that price the vehicle out of it's intended market. Look at Chrysler, with it's $38,000 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan and $50,000 Dodge Ram truck: I don't think that's where a mass-market American manufacturer should be.

As someone who makes a living in the auto industry, I have seen for myself the failure of the Detroit 3 to fully and effectively utilize tools such as Lean Processing, ISO or ANSI procedures, waste control and customer clinics. This includes things like over-production, poor material handling/packaging, tens of millions spent on "concepts" that don't have a ghost of a chance of making it into production, failure to optimize the dealer experience and so on. I have calculated that, quite literally, billions of dollars are being wasted by Detroit in costs that can be controlled almost instantly.

DeLorenzo seems to think that if you build "visceral" cars like the ones that (he claims) put Detroit at the top of the automotive heap in the 60s, you would return "desirable" to the qualities of Detroit products. But this is the 21st century, with buzz terms like "fuel efficiency", "going green", "eco-friendly" and "5-star safety" that were not part of the lexicon of the 60s. Chrysler's experiment with putting out a high-performance(read "visceral") version of almost everything they build in the form of SRT-badging has been a dismal failure except for a handful of enthusiasts. Retro-styling has pretty much run its course, and people are now looking for new, exciting and affordable products. Unfortunately, that's not something you are likely to see at a Detroit 3 showroom, with the exception of vehicles like the Corvette(which, in it's class, is outstanding value for money besides being a truly beautiful sports car).

This book gives you an insider's look at some of the politics that took Detroit down the road to mediocrity, and of the complacency and sycophancy that let the Asians eat their lunch. It is a book more valuable for it's historical insights than for it's prescription to restore Detroit to health. Unfortunately, little has changed in Motown. ... Read more

Book Description
For the past three decades, many history professors have allowed their biases to distort the way America’s past is taught. These intellectuals have searched for instances of racism, sexism, and bigotry in our history while downplaying the greatness of America’s patriots and the achievements of “dead white men.”

As a result, more emphasis is placed on Harriet Tubman than on George Washington; more about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II than about D-Day or Iwo Jima; more on the dangers we faced from Joseph McCarthy than those we faced from Josef Stalin.

A Patriot’s History of the United States corrects those doctrinaire biases. In this groundbreaking book, America’s discovery, founding, and development are reexamined with an appreciation for the elements of public virtue, personal liberty, and private property that make this nation uniquely successful.This book offers a long-overdue acknowledgment of America’s true and proud history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (78)

A Thorough but Biased History of the United States
"For the past three decades, those writing history have allowed their biases to distort the way America's past is taught", reads the opening paragraph of the book jacket for "A Patriot's History of the United States", by Larry Schweikert and Michael Allen.

"As a result," it continues using a popular straw man argument of conservatives decrying the rampant political correctness they see as ruining any intellectual discussion, "more emphasis is placed on Harriet Tubman than on George Washington;".

It is an argument I have heard before.But this time, just to be sure of its validity, I decided to conduct my own very non-scientific survey, one that involved looking through book indexes ofthree American History texts in my personal library to see to what extent historians have elevated Harriet over George in our Pantheon of Heroes.

First I checked my own college history book, John A Garraty's, "The American NationA History of the United States" , 3rd edition published in 1975.Washington is mentioned on 17 pages in the text with the index pointing to several subtopics of his life as general and president.Harriet Tubman is not even listed in the index (nor is she even mentioned in the brief discussion of The Underground Railroad).Of course, this book was written 30 years ago, and for an audience, college students and beyond, less susceptible to the indoctrination of the left than would be school age children, so I checked two other books, both written in the 1990's and aimed at younger students.

In "The Americans", by Jordan, Greenblatt and Bowes, a high school level text, published by Follet, George Washington's index entry takes up 1/3 of a column, with 14 sub listings and with references to nearly 40 pages.Tubman's entry refers to just two pages.In Prentice Hall's " The American Nation", a middle school level book, Washington is mentioned on nearly 30 pages, Tubman again only two.

The Father of Our Country can rest easily.

Apparently editing was not a prime concern for the authors as this book has quite a number of factual errors, questionable interpretations and careless mistakes left unedited.So the Time Lines, which appear at the beginning of each chapter, have Kentucky admitted to the Union in 1791 and Tennessee admitted in 1786 (they were admitted in 1792 and 1796 respectively), and William Henry Harrison's death and John Tyler's ascendancy to the presidency in 1840 (it happened in 1841).Franklin Pierce was a "Vermont lawyer and ardent expansionist". (He was from New Hampshire). Of the Buchanan administration's failure to defend Fort Sumter, "The leading Republican in his Cabinet, Lewis Cass resigned in disgust..." Cass was a Democrat and in fact had been that party's presidential nominee in 1848.

According to the book, after the humiliating XYZ affair the three American Ministers, John Marshall, Charles Pinckney and Elbridge Gerry, sent to France to negotiate a treaty refused to pay a bribe to the French Government, "and immediately returned home."While it is true that both Marshall and Pinckney disgustedly left immediately, Gerry stayed on for several months trying to negotiate a deal on his own.

Very unlikely is the authors' claim that James Cox, the 1920 Democratic nominee for President was "Woodrow Wilson's handpicked successor."First of all, Wilson had by then suffered a debilitating stroke while campaigning for US entry into the League of Nations.Secondly, one of Cox' main rivals for the nomination, William MacAdoo was Wilson's son-in-law and former Treasury Secretary, and while the two were not on close terms by 1920, Wilson was also known to have quite a disdain for Cox.

And the authors' contention that Wilson was a "Southern man of Northern Principals", is preposterous.Wilson, despite the northern veneer he had acquired through his years as the President of Princeton and Governor of New Jersey was a true southerner with southern principals, as backwards on racial issues as the typical southerner of his day.Even his progressivism on economic issues was in the southern populist traditions of politicians like Governor and Senator "Pitchfork" Ben Tillman of South Carolina, Senator (and later Supreme Court Justice) Hugo Black of Alabama, and long time House Banking Chairman Wright Patman of East Texas, and was based at least partly on the fear that left unregulated, the large banking and financial institutions of the northeast would destroy the livelihoods of the farmers in the rural south.

Still there is much to commend about this book; it is an easy to read American History text with an especially fine treatment of the Civil War era, including the period leading up to secession and war.The author's sympathies are unabashedly pro-union and without reservation against the wretchedness of slavery.

The author's contend that

* the passage of the disastrous Kansas-Nebraska act was little more than a political deal by Stephen Douglas to offer the south something in return for allowing the first transcontinental railroad to take a northern route to Chicago, the largest city in his home state, rather than through a route further south;

* despite some famous early victories, and, "for all his purported genius," Robert E. Lee's battles were enormously costly to the ultimate success of the south, as Lee lost a far greater proportion of his army than the losing north did, in victories like Chancellorsville; and

* while southern leaders made state's rights an issue in voting for secession, the real issue was only and always slavery and the wealth and "way of life" it produced for southern whites and the institution was not going to die quickly as some moderate northerners hoped and believed.

Conservative readers interested in a reasonably well-written history that covers its subject thoroughly, will enjoy this book.Liberals, will learn something too; they just might wind up yelling back at the TV.

A Must Read for Every American!!!
This book is a must read for every American, no matter their political leaning.I completed a BA in History this past June and I've already learned things I never knew and was never taught in high school or freshman American History, and I'm only 115 pages into the book!The authors do not have any idetifiable bias except telling the truth about our history...the good, the bad and the ugly.So far, this book has made me even more proud to be an American.I can't think of a better recommendation.

For anyone who might wish to debate this review, please contact me at katsandy@verizon.net.I'd be glad to debate facts, but I will not debate emotional outbursts or positions not based on fact.

Just a tad on the biased side of things...
If considering buying this book, you only need read the excerpt provided to let you in on its agenda.

We are informed in the first several pages that Tenochtitlan was a "monstrously large" city.One wonders if the authors would have used that characterization if they were truly striving for a balanced history.

The authors seem barely able to conceal their glee at the thought of Cortez killing over 100,000 Aztecs in the sack of the city.We are assured that it is a righteous stuggle, the Aztecs were inhuman monsters, and it was the least the poor Spaniards could do to bring the savages God and government.It seems the authors forgot about the atrocities committed by Columbus and Spaniard rule. (Incidentally, in Zinn's book, both Aztec and Spaniard atrocities are addressed)



Please, please, do not buy this book.

I am so torn on this book
Breezed through Bill Bennet's 'America: The Last Best Hope' part 1 last year, in hopes of reading an even-handed survey of our history. I'm tired of revisionist trash that distorts or ignores historical facts in order to serve some contemporary political agenda. I was left wanting -- Bennet is a lousy writer, mostly recounting the tales of others and being very redundant in the process.

So when I saw this book, written by actual historians, I was hopeful. And it is far better written -- better prose, real reasoning and analysis, and adequate citations.

But by page 600 or so I have found so many factual errors that I am genuinely concerned about the overall worth of the book. While these may sound minor, if these mistakes were overlooked by the authors and editors -- these simple facts -- what deeper, more complex issues are flawed?

1. The authors list the Battle of Kasserine Pass, in 1943, as an American victory, when in fact it was a stunning defeat for woefully under-trained and poorly equipped American forces.
2. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) -- the famed Nisei who joined the Army from Japanese internment camps and became the most highly-decorated unit in US Army history while fighting in Italy -- is referred to as a 'division' -- last I checked, 3-5 regiments make a division; the terms are not synonymous.
3. The authors state that the 82nd ABN Division fought the Germans at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge...I'm pretty sure the veterans of the 101st ABN would take issue with this, since they -- and not the 'All Americans' of the 82nd -- were at Bastogne.
4. Teddy Roosevelt jr, who was the assistant division commander of the 4th Infantry Division, which landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, is mis-identified as having been a Lieutenant General at the time, when in fact he was two grades lower at Brigadier General. Oddly, they don't mention that he was awarded the Medal of Honor for her service on D-Day.

Okay, so I know my WW2, and it may seem like I'm nit-picking, but consider this: if these simple facts are wrong, what else did the editors miss? What else did the two authors get wrong, too? There were analyses and conclusions I read earlier in the book with which I disagreed or differed, but now I'm concerned about the bulk of the history covered that I don't know as well as WW2 -- what else did they get flat-out wrong?

It flows well, goes into adequate depth, and covers all the bases it sets out to...but I don't think I can trust it.

The Best One-Volume History Available
If you are in the market for a single-volume history of the United States, this is your best option (and it is quite good).Two-and-a-half centuries of complicated American history do not lend themselves easily to synopsis or overview, and in the hands of many, this task often goes horribly wrong.In the hands of Schweikert and Allen, however, it is accomplished laudably.

This is truly a wonderful book; no even moderately significant event escapes attention, and both the good and the bad of American history is discussed frankly and forthrightly.I came away from the book with the feeling that no topic has been shortchanged, which is truly remarkable given how brief the book is.

The only comparable volume is Paul Johnson's "A History of the American People", which runs only through the 1980s. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Howard Zinn is famous primarily for A People's History of the United States, the book in which he presented alternative versions of American milestones, including Columbus's "discovery" of the New World. Voices of a People's History of the United States is the follow-up to that original landmark work, but where People's History contained Zinn's interpretations of events, Voices turns the platform over to others, in a collection of first-hand accounts, journal entries, speeches, personal letters, and published opinion pieces from the nation's history.

The purpose of Zinn's work, Voices included, is to engage in an act of political dissidence and activism. "What is common to all of these voices," Zinn and co-editor Anthony Arnove write in the book's introduction, "is that they have mostly been shut out of the orthodox histories, the major media, the standard textbooks, the controlled culture ... to create a passive citizenry." With Voices, Zinn and Arnove seek to address that malaise, showing that the impossible--slaves rising up against their slave masters, for example--is not only possible, but has occurred repeatedly throughout the country's history. "Whenever injustices have been remedied, wars halted, women and blacks and Native Americans given their due," they write, "it has been because 'unimportant' people spoke up, organized, protested, and brought democracy alive." The common thread throughout Voices is this mandate, and each selection is preceded by a brief introduction by the authors, written from a far-left perspective. (As an example, one section is titled "The Carter-Reagan-Bush Consensus.")

Voices often works better as a reference book than a sit-down-to-read title. Its early chapters--on Columbus, slavery, the War of Independence, and the early women's movement--tend to be more engaging than later excerpts, largely because a contrary point of view to mainstream mythology has been so rarely heard. The modern sections have a haphazard, "greatest hits of the left" feeling, as the book jumps from an Abbie Hoffman speech to the lyrics of Public Enemy's "Fight the Power." The problem may be inherent in the format of the book. Everything is treated equally, and a speech by Danny Glover is given as much weight as an excerpt from W.E.B. DuBois's The Souls of Black Folk. For context and background, it's best to stick with the original People's History, but to hear the words right from the speakers' mouths, there's no better resource than Voices. --Jennifer BuckendorffBook Description

Here in their own words are Frederick Douglass, George Jackson, Chief Joseph, Martin Luther King Jr., Plough Jogger, Sacco and Vanzetti, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Mark Twain, and Malcolm X, to name just a few of the hundreds appearing in Voices of a People's History of the United States, edited by Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove. Paralleling the 24 chapters of Zinn's A People's History of the United States, Voices of a People's History is the long-awaited companion volume to the national bestseller.

For Voices, Zinn and Arnove have selected testimonies to living history-speeches, letters, poems, songs-left by the people who make history happen, but who usually are underrepresented or misrepresented in history books: women, Native Americans, workers, blacks and Latinos. Zinn has written short introductions to the texts, which themselves range in length from letters or poems of less than a page to entire speeches and essays that run several pages and longer. Voices of a People's History is a symphony of our nation's original voices, rich in ideas and actions, an embodiment of the power of civil disobedience and dissent, wherein lies our nation's true spirit of defiance and resilience.

Beloved historian and activist Howard Zinn is the author of the best-selling A People's History of the United States and many other books, including The Zinn Reader (Seven Stories Press 2000), Artists in the Time of War (Seven Stories Press, 2003) and Terrorism and War (Seven Stories Press 2002).

Anthony Arnove is the editor of Terrorism and War by Howard Zinn, and Iraq Under Siege. An activist and regular contributor to ZNet, his writing has appeared in The Nation, The Financial Times and Mother Jones. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews (13)

Howard Zinn's quest
Anyone interested in history, academically or otherwise, should read Zinn's work since history is written by the winners, the best fighters, the most arrogant, sonmetimes, the most patient.It would be wise
for history teachers to present "the other side".I highly recommend his work.

You'll learn a few things
This account of the history of the US is taken from the "little people's" point of view.Very eye opening.

Incredible Resource
I am a high school history teacher and I use this in class. It has been extremely helpful especially combined with the free teacher's guide which you can find online. Each primary source is introduced with a brief background which provides some context.

A strong intellectual perturbation
History is sometimes written with the goal of documenting the attitudes or opinions of a particular class of people, such as the intellectuals, the politicians, the scientists, or the warriors. Each of these groups has made important contributions to human accomplishment, which should not be forgotten or discarded under the guise of some egalitarian or multicultural reading of history. But when the stories of these groups are documented in history, too often other voices are deafened, and these voices represent the vast majority of historical participants. It is not enough to view history through the eyes of intellectuals, politicians, or warriors. For an historical account to be meaningful, it must offer insight into the collaborations, opinions, belief structures, and longings of those who chose not to become famous, but instead chose to indulge themselves in the unique fascinations that each historical epoch possesses.

But because most humans throughout history did not record their experiences, the historian is left wanting for accurate appraisals of these experiences. Diaries, journals, and other personal writings can assist the historian in this regard, and there have been many uses of these throughout the historical literature. It is important to remember though that because of the paucity of these personal documents, one should not be too hasty in imputing the opinions of their authors to the entire population at the time. One cannot view them as representing the "voices of the people" without establishing this with (difficult) statistical analysis.

Sometimes however these documents were written more as a catharsis, as a way of expressing, in a strong and determined way, an idea, grievance, or opposition to the status quo. The opening quotation in the book by Frederick Douglass reinforces this view, for in that quotation Douglass essentially states that power must be challenged before it can be defeated (Douglass does not want to stop with mere words though, for in the same quotation he asserts the need for physical confrontation if necessary).

It is in this light that this book should be read. It is a collection of essays and letters that reveal attitudes that are not the typical ones that one would be exposed to in United States secondary schools. Those readers familiar with the author's earlier book on United States history will appreciate this book even more, but both can be read independently of each other. This is not a book that will please the elitist historian who discounts any view of history that does not magnify the contributions of intellectuals or military leaders over and above the "common" person. It is a book for those who are genuinely interested in the moods and aspirations of the people of a given time, if only from a limited vantage point. It will certainly upset the intellectual equilibrium of anyone who holds to a view of American history that has been sanitized by the educational establishment.

Simply terrific
Howard Zinn does a magnificent job bringing American history alive in this book. He tells history from a different point of view than most history books.History is shown from the point of view of people such as war protesters, civil rights activists, and even a Hiroshima survivor. I am a big fan of American history, and I can say I enjoyed this book as much as any one I have ever read on the subject. Whether the reader is conservative or liberal, he will enjoy this book. ... Read more

Book Description
The standard reference work on paper money

PAPER MONEY OF THE UNITED STATES -
A COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE WITH VALUATIONS
Eighteenth (2006-2007) Edition by Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg

based on the original work by Robert Friedberg (1912-1963)

Includes:

large size notes * fractional currency * small size notes * encased postagestamps from the first year of paper money (1861) to the present

Also contains sections on confederate states notes, colonial and continental currency, error notes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

FRIEDBERG CURRENCY BOOK
THIS IS A NEEDED BOOK FOR ANY LARGE SIZE CURRENCY POTENTATE, BUT THE BOOK BY GEORGE CUHAJ "STANDARD CATALOG OF UNITED STATES PAPER MONEY,26 ed." IS MUCH MORE ACCURATE WITH BOTH LARGE AND SMALL VALUES AND NUMBERS PRINTED.

Definitely your money's worth
Being a coin collector, I purchased this book to give me a guide on Gold Certificates as they caught my eye recently at the Carson City Coin Show. The book flows through the different eras of US paper money to the National Bank notes, Federal Reserve notes, fractionals, etc. My only issue with the book was that I would have liked to have seen more color pictures of the bank notes, especially the 1905 $20 "Technicolor" Gold Certificates.

Now my only problem, as a coin collector, is that I have a list of Federal Reserve bank notes and Gold Certificates I just have to have in my collection. HA!

Paper Money of the United States18th Edition
A must have for any collector of Collectible Paper Currency !!!This reference book is yearly updated (which is a must to stay on top of the ever changing pricing of these collectible notes) and goes into great detail of each and every U.S. Note ever printed with the current market value of the notes. Black and white pictures of each note as well as breathe taking colored photos of each U.S. Note. I find I use this reference book everyday along with my other U.S. Paper Currency reference books in my private library.

Still a classic, but ...
The Friedberg book continues to be a classic reference for U.S. Paper Money.However, its strength is still pre-1928, large size notes.There are far better references for small size paper money, notably the Standard Guide to Small Size U.S. Paper Money by Schwartz and Lindquist.For example, that book catalogs blocks, mules and other variations, something that friedberg doesn't even mention.However, having said that, Friedberg is still an important book for anyone interested in U.S. paper money to have in their library.

my review of my purchase
Book came well on time and was brand new, perfect shape. Totally satisfied with the product and the service! ... Read more

Book Description
Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History brings together the most important documents on the history of the relationship between the United States and Latin America from the nineteenth century to the present. In addition to the standard diplomatic sources, the book includes documents touching on the transnational concerns that are increasingly taught in the classroom, including economic relations, environmental matters, immigration, human rights, and culture. Among the less frequently cited works reproduced here are Domingo Sarmiento's nineteenth-century reflection on life in the United States, the Andrews Sisters' 1944 hit song, "Ru and Coca Cola," Jack Kerouac's beatnik observations on Mexico, the U.S. Senate's investigation of CIA assassination plots, and the World Court decision condemning the Reagan administration's Nicaragua policy. The collection illuminates key issues while representing a variety of interests and views as they have both persisted and shifte over time, including often-overlooked Latin American perspectives and U.S. public opinion.A special feature of this book is the extensive introductions highlighting the historical context and significance of each of the 124 documents. A detailed index provides the thematic and national cross-referencing that both students and instructors will appreciate. Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate courses in Latin American history as well as in U.S.-Latin America relations.In addition, it serves as a unique reference tool for foreign policy professionals, international law specialists, journalists, and scholars in a variety of disciplines. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great auxiliary book for Latin American/US relations
This is a book of various writings and pictures.Although reading many of the documents in this book can be boring, the summations of each are excellently done.Little boons like excerpts of the CIA pamphlets that educated Contras, or how the Andrews Sisters plagarized a Latin song, makes this an interesting hodge-podge. ... Read more

Book Description

Written by a Pulitzer Prize winning author, this “concise” survey explores the many and varied threads of American history-social, intellectual, cultural, political, diplomatic, economic, and military-from the arrival of the first native American inhabitants thousand of years ago throught the crisis following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001. This new third edition is updated to include the War on Terror, the Iraq War, the election of 2004, the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and globalization.

Book Description
In this third book in Edward Eggleston's American history series, you'll find solid American history in a thorough handbook of American history up to 1888, containing information every child and adult should know about our American heritage. Filled with information, this book is profusely illustrated with over 400 illustrations and maps, carefully reproduced from the 1888 edition. Other helpful features for educators and parents include: arrangement by topic, study questions, "Study by Topics" sections, fill-in exercises, liberal use of maps, suggestions for diagrams, reviews, other blackboard exercises, and a comprehensive index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Pleasantly surprised.
When I received the book in the mail I was immediately pleased with it's format. The dimensions differ from what is posted (instead of 13.2 x 5.5 it's closer to 8x6) which was actually a nice surprise; it's a more compact/portable book than expected.The cover illustration is printed directly on the book and not a book jacket.The illustrations inside are a very high quality.There are Hundreds and hundreds of detailed images done by a handful of artists.The Maps, like the pictures are sharp and clear.Many of the pages are also broken up with sub panels of information.Short biographies, object descriptions etc.These only add to the inviting quality of this book.Highly recommended to all, history buffs and students.

Review of U.S. History and Its People
This is a good book with thorough study questions.However, it is smaller than a typical textbook which I wasn't expecting, so if one has difficulty reading fine print, it may not be a good choice.

Excellent overview of American History...
I teach History at a private middle school in California and have been using this book in class. It is exceptionally readable and includes paragraph summaries in the margins along with exquisite illustrations. It refreshingly lacks marxism and political correctness, as noted by another reviewer. This is truly the way textbooks ought to be written.

For example, this book explains why the initial British colonies of Plymouth and Jamestown almost starved: redistribution of wealth. The simple solution was to assign private property ownership. By the next harvest the result of private land ownership led to overwhelmingly plentiful food and led to our current Thanksgiving celebration. Few modern texts mention that it was primarily the lack of private property rights that led to starvation in these colonies.

One word of caution...it reads easily and provides an excellent overview, but does not go into sufficient detail for middle school. Supplemental materials are required.

Solid American History
This, the third book in Edward Eggelston's textbook series, is a remarkable example of how textbooks ought to be, and once were, written.

From the first page to the last, Eggleston's clarity and obvious love for the subject infused me with the desire to push on, thus learning what was to happen next. The bite-sized chapters (which are about four pages of text each) ensured that this desire did not wane out of a failure to mentally digest a ton of facts all at once. And, to top it all off, the pictures and maps inside this book actually added to (rather than distracted me from) its content.

As a current student, I can only tell you that I would love for one of my teachers to have used, or to use, a textbook like this for one of my classes. It contains nothing but solid American history and is a textbook that is at once both readable and immensely worth reading. I'm giving it five out of five stars.

I wish they still wrote texts like this
A grade school history book, free from political correctness and Marxism. Unabashedly pro-American. ... Read more

Book Description
The New Press's Abridged Teaching Edition of A People's History of the United States has made Howard Zinn's original text available specifically for classroom use. Each chapter in Volume II provides exercises and teaching materials that allow students to begin a critical inquiry into the American past. Volume II covers the Civil War through the present, with new chapters on the Clinton Presidency, the 2000 elections, and the "war on terrorism." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

HOWRD ZINN KNOWS WHATS UP
I READ THIS BOOK WITH FULL AGREEMENT. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH DOCTOR ZINN THAT THE VERY IDEAS AND POLICIES OF THIS "NATION" HAVE BEEN BASED IN HATEFUL EVIL AND RACISM. THE FOUNDATIN OF THIS COUNTRY IS OF OPPRESSION AND WE HAVE NOW SEEN IN NEW YORK THAT THE RIGHTEOUSLY OPPRESSED WILL PREVAIL, LIKE PROFESSOR ZINN SAYS. POWER TO THE PEOPLE, NOT THE AMERICAN HATRED!

Episodic, antithetical diatribe - with added questions!
To those who will read this review: this review was written specifically for the "Abridged Teaching Edition", which is rather different from the full version in both length and content. The type is bigger, the chapters are smaller (thus "abridged"), and at the end of each there is a section of rather simplistic discussion questions (whose idea was this?).

I completely agree with Zinn's thesis, but can't say the same about his approach. This history book is divided into episodic chapters, the only link being their arrangement in chronological order. Some chapters take the detailed, small scale approach, while others aim at the grand scale and describe "general trends" in rather vague terms. In other words, the only logical way to read this book with the goal of learning something is either to read it as a supplement to another text, or already possessing a rich store of knowledge on the subject.

In his approach Zinn reduces every subject into a flat, two-dimensional semblance that reflects his opinion - and he does a fairly good job of engineering everything to fit his opinion. And since his thesis is to focus on the oppressed and the neglected, you should get ready for some really grim history. Nevertheless, there are a few chapters where he seemingly forgets to add the "grimness filter", and what the reader ends up reading is vague, abstract history (as in "Tyranny Is Tyranny").

The idea of adding a questions section to Zinn's book seems laughable and absurd, but, alas, it's there. THESE "QUESTIONS" ARE ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC!They follow the course of the chapter, most of them simply repeating various sentences in question form!

A moderately interesting history book that was deeply hurt by abridgement.

Outstanding Economic History
Zinn's book is an essential antidote to the standard histories that glorify the elites and ignore the working people and all of the other folks who have been trampled on during our history.I highly recommend theabridged edition for use in classes -- it contains the same analysis withfewer supporting examples, and is thus easier for students to get through.

Herstory and History from the bottom up
Unlike the reader from Cal Berkeley, I am willing to give my name, Dan Krejci, my location, Boise, Idaho, and that as a graduate student in history I have found Howard Zinn's fabulous textbook a great asset to bothmy research and my pedagogy.This is the textbook that Todd Gitlin, GaryNash, and myself have been looking for as a guiding light to a historycurriculum that will embrace American multiculturalism and demystify theantiquated Bancroftian historiography that perpetuates old myths ratherthan deal with new realities. Zinn's history is a small step for humankindand a giant step away from Rankean orthodoxy.Zinn's book is a cry for arejuvenation of our discipline where interdisciplinary studies areparalleling the pluralism that makes up American values and style and needto be addressed in both the classroom and the boardroom.

Unbalanced Overall
This is a pretty unbalanced and simplistic book that only roots-out the truth in a very superficial manner. Historians will certainly dismiss the method here and find many conclusions laughable.Some of the historicalinterpretation left me stunned.The truth _is_ hard to take but the truthhere remains well hidden beneath scores of inaccuracies, discountedmythology, and baseless personal rants.Extremely silly stuff and highlyattractive to the uninformed conspiracy nut to whom it should be dedicated. ... Read more

Book Description
This paperback publication is a compilation of important American government documents including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States of America, the Bill of Rights and the complete up to do amendment to the United States Constitution. This book is different from other publications because it also includes images of the original American founding documents. This book is an excellent educational tool for those not familiar with these important writings and is also an excellent reference tool to have on hand for people interested in American government, or those who work in American government. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Boricua Author
All boricuas need to read this book. I repeat they need to read this book.
It will unveil the sacrifices that entail carrying Puerto Rico deep in
the heart. An outstanding reference book for everyone that loves truth. ... Read more

Book Description
Take a Tasty Tour of Americas 50 States

1. In what state were both the lollipop and the hamburger-on-a-bun invented?

2. Where do the largest watermelons grow and whats the distance record for spitting watermelon seeds? How big is the worlds largest potato chip and where is it now?

3. Theres more to cuisine in America than just burgers and fries. Heres a mouthwatering journey across the United States where youll discove and learn how to make fabulous foods from every part of the country.

Treat yourself to such simple, kid-tested recipes as:

• Banana Berry Pancakes with Real Maple Syrup from Vermont
• Key Lime Pie from Florida
• Deep Dish Pizza from Illinois

ANSWERS: 1. Connecticut. 2. Hope, Arkansas. The record is 30 feet. 3. 25 feet long and 14 feet wide. 3. Its in the Potato Museum, Blackfoot, Idaho ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The United States Cookbook
As the mother of a 10 year old daughter who loves both cooking and social studies, I was very impressed by the authors' creativity in combining both into one excellent volume.The choice of recipes were very appropriate, from the standpoint of preparation by a child, what youngsters like to eat, and what the region is known for.What makes this kid-friendly cookbook unique, though, is the interesting information about the states that preceeds each entry.I found myself reading through the pages to learn fascinating information about the history, local customs, etc. without even needing to cook anything that day.It gives you something to pass the time while your meal is in the oven, too!Truly a great book--I highly recommend it!

The United States Cookbook
As the mother of a 10 year old daughter who loves both cooking and social studies, I was very impressed by the authors' creativity in combining both into one excellent volume.The choice of recipes were very appropriate, from the standpoint of preparation by a child, what youngsters like to eat, and what the region is known for.What makes this kid-friendly cookbook unique, though, is the interesting information about the states that preceeds each entry.I found myself reading through the pages to learn fascinating information about the history, local customs, etc. without even needing to cook anything that day.It gives you something to pass the time while your meal is in the oven, too!Truly a great book--I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know that James Monroe was the first President to appear without a wig in formal public settings? Or that George W. Bush named the first African Americans as secretaries of state? In this informative reference book by the editors of the award-winning TIME For Kids^® magazine, you'll learn about the Presidents' childhoods, careers, accomplishments in office, and life after the White House. As a great plus for school reports, you'll find hundreds of fascinating facts—and the history of our nation is woven into each presidential portrait.

Customer Reviews (1)

mom
Very nice book.I bought it for my 10 year old and she loves it.Great price too. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

All my kids loved this!
We used this when we traveled across the US with our children that range from three to ten.We bought one for each of them and had them place each state sticker as we traveled from one state to the next.They also used it to try and figure out what state we were going to be in next.After we returned home they added the states that we had visited in the past. ... Read more

Book Description
This comprehensive key for identifying specimens of amphibians and reptiles in the U.S. and Canada--the first since 1983--incorporates the wealth of scientific findings generated by molecular systematics (the study of DNA to determine genetic relationships) and simplifies identification by making geographic origin a leading factor. A dichotomous key (that is, one that gives the user only two choices at each level of morphological scrutiny), it is designed for use in college-level herpetology or vertebrate biology courses. It will be especially useful as an effective tool for teaching the principles of taxonomy and for introducing students to the systematics of amphibians and reptiles. While it can serve to identify specimens in the field, it is intended primarily as a teaching tool for classifying preserved specimens whose geographic origins are known.

The dichotomous keys are supplemented by 257 line illustrations depicting the distinguishing morphological characteristics of salamanders, frogs and toads, turtles, alligators and crocodilians, amphisbaenians (wormlike lizards), lizards, and snakes. The drawings, along with frequent references to the species descriptions, maps, and photographs in the Peterson Field Guide Series, make the key user friendly and increase its appeal to undergraduate and amateur herpetologists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This is a great overview of herps!!
This book provides an extensive key to amphibians and reptiles in North America. If you are studying herpetology, this book has many diagrams in it that really help with keying out dinstinguishing characteristics. Plus, the book is set up simply in plain English. Other keys that I have used were not as extensive as this one, and they were usually confusing. This key takes away all the ambiguity.

Excellent for serious biologists
This breaks down characters for families very easily.The only draw back to this book is that it doesn't contain common names, but that can always be looked up.I recommend this book to any biologist or herpetologist.It also shows what the basic characters are with pictures.

An excellent dichotomous key for herpetofauna.
This key is a must for anyone that is seriously interested in reptiles or amphibians.For instructors of Herpetology lab this book will prove to be invaluable, the illustrations and current phylogenetic classifications willaid in teaching. ... Read more

Book Description
This highly readable introductory guide provides a lucid and authoritative account of the course of American history, discussing political, social, economic and cultural developments. For this thoroughly revised and expanded new edition, Philip Jenkins reviews the events of the last five years in a new final chapter. There is more in-depth discussion of the post-9/11 international crises, a discussion of the 2004 presidential election, and an examination of recent political and cultural crises, including the effects of Hurricane Katrina. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Quite good
When you read the book you get general idea of the history of the USA. It's not too detailed (for example, there is very little knowledge of certain presidents and events)but it covers all the important issues well. There is some amount of statistics but I believe they just emphesize the facts presented.
Only minus comes from the "aftermath" of 9/11. It seemed to convict the Clinton administration for causing the September attack and left other factors, such as, Bush senior and his administration (and the Gulf war) with little thought.
I didn't also like the particular sentence of how CIA should have involved more deeply in the observation of other countries:
"Sometimes, nations need to play dirty tricks."
But I guess it can be difficult to be objective when you live in the USA and have experienced a catastrophy such as 9/11. Still, as an European myself, I was quite dissapointed with the end. The end bothers me a bit but at least it gives me an alternative perspective to think about. ... Read more