A People's History of the United States
Anyone who considers themselves well-informed about U.S. history but hasn't heard of this book, well... I would contend that you're not quite as informed as you think. I heard about it when I was going to college, but I didn't pick it up until now. And let me put it this way: after listening to Mars Volta and Stooges, it's very difficult to go back and appreciate more conventional music. I'm about 150 pages into A People's History, and I already know that I can't read normal fiction with the same degree of naive enjoyment. Basically, pretty much everything I was taught about America in high school is a load of bullshit. Name your favorite American statesman, and this book probably has a compelling and scathing denouncement for him (and I specify "him" because of the white male domination of US politics).
As you might expect from the sound of things,, it's difficult going. Nearly every step of American history I thought I was familiar with is dissected, its roots of breathless and shameless greed exposed, and the people trampled underneath are brought to light. I'm surprised the book got published, packed as it is with incendiary statements and an extensive bibliography.
Anyone who considers themselves well-informed about U.S. history but hasn't heard of this book, well... I would contend that you're not quite as informed as you think. I heard about it when I was going to college, but I didn't pick it up until now. And let me put it this way: after listening to Mars Volta and Stooges, it's very difficult to go back and appreciate more conventional music. I'm about 150 pages into A People's History, and I already know that I can't read normal fiction with the same degree of naive enjoyment. Basically, pretty much everything I was taught about America in high school is a load of bullshit. Name your favorite American statesman, and this book probably has a compelling and scathing denouncement for him (and I specify "him" because of the white male domination of US politics).
As you might expect from the sound of things,, it's difficult going. Nearly every step of American history I thought I was familiar with is dissected, its roots of breathless and shameless greed exposed, and the people trampled underneath are brought to light. I'm surprised the book got published, packed as it is with incendiary statements and an extensive bibliography.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on my set sweetness. x x