My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
The Twentieth Century: A People's History
by
Howard Zinn
Containing just the twentieth-century chapters from Howard Zinn's bestselling A People's History of the United States, this revised and updated edition includes two new chapters -- covering Clinton's presidency, the 2000 Election, and the "war on terrorism."
Highlighting not just the usual terms of presidential administrations and congressional activities, this
...morePaperback, 512 pages
Published
February 1st 2003
by Harper Perennial
(first published 1984)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
837)
A great look at the 20th Century from the little guy with devout focus on civil rights activism and activism in general. Kinda lame that it's just the chapters from the original people history. Maaaaasive block quotes, kinda annoying. It falls apart at then end where he takes everything bad he's talked about in the previous 400 pages and paints a downright offensively dystopian portrait of America. He then suggest, flat out, that we not tear down, but totally abandon society and live in communes...more
Byron Wright
added it
Quick Summary: Useful read to see a different way of looking at the world, but I don't think the author has provided any useful way to resolve the issues.
A useful book to get an alternative view on history. It certainly tells the tales of the downtrodden rather the elite. And that is exactly the point of the book. I think everyone should be aware of these types of tails because they tend to get lost in the history you learn is school and see in the media.
I lean left socially, but to the right fi...more
A useful book to get an alternative view on history. It certainly tells the tales of the downtrodden rather the elite. And that is exactly the point of the book. I think everyone should be aware of these types of tails because they tend to get lost in the history you learn is school and see in the media.
I lean left socially, but to the right fi...more
Although I don't agree with everything Professor Zinn says, this is an extremely compelling read and presents a different point of view than I imagine most kids get in American schools (I attended extremely liberal schools in an extremely liberal state, so not a lot of this history was new to me).
However, the part of the book where Professor Zinn suggests we all destroy infrastructure and go live in utopian communes is, in my opinion, an extremely naive idea for a professor of histo...more
However, the part of the book where Professor Zinn suggests we all destroy infrastructure and go live in utopian communes is, in my opinion, an extremely naive idea for a professor of histo...more
view 2 comments
This is a nice treatment of all the history you don't learn in textbooks - from the perspective of the minority groups that caused the change or were affected by it. I knew most of the information about the Black Rights movement and Native American struggles because I've read books about them and visited associated historic sites, but the rest was quite new to me. American suffragettes, gays/lesbians, war objectors, and prisoners are just some of the groups that should be covered better in sch...more
Addressing history from the perspective of the people rather than merely by looking back at results or viewing history from the perspective of the elite few is an interesting idea. I was concerned, however, that this method would focus on history as a long list of criminal events. The book rode that fine line for awhile, but, in my opinion, crossed the line on several opinions. As I read, I noticed that in focusing on the people's history the author still engaged in focused on the stories of ind...more
As with any history I felt like Zinn missed some of our most important people's movements, but in general he captures the spirit. I am annoyed by his assertion that there is a deliberate and coordinated effort of the rich and powerful to subjugate and squash the poor and middle class. I am not saying the poor and middle class are not being squashed by the poor but I don't think for the most part the rich and powerful are acting on anything other than human nature. This does not change the fact t...more
J.d. Chandler
added it
i love howard zinn as a historian because he boldly proclaims his political bias, and i agree with it. his great book the People's History of the United States skims over the twentieth century. this new volume corrects that and gives a good in-depth analysis of the history of the U.S. from 1900-2000. for those of us who lived through it, it is well worth reading to remind us and put things in perspective. for those that don't remember the 20th century so well, this is a vital book.
z...more
z...more
having not taken the AP US History my junior year in school, i found myself entirely jealous of all my non-slacker friends that got to read the whole thing, from columbus to present day. i wanted their enlightenment so bad. so, i bought the 20th century to see what all my peers were up to. the information is interesting, but zinn cannot help but deliver it in this arrogant didactic sort of way. instead of postulating theories, he rather instructs you, this is how it is, the western world is full...more
Linda Stewart
is currently reading it
I've read bits and pieces of Zinn's book only in the last few years. Why wasn't he included in my history courses?
Glorious.Clio
rated it
One of the better versions of American history that I have read. Less propaganda then what you typically find.
This man is my hero, and opened up my eyes to the idea of balanced history. You have to accept the bad and shameful parts of our past if you really want to say that you love this country. That's something I still struggle with, but reading Zinn never fails to remind me of all the strides we've made, and how it was the small and seemingly insignificant people that brought about those changes.
Chris Brimmer
rated it
Okay, Zinn is a commie, but that doesn't mean he's wrong about the facts.
Awesome! A must read for everyone.
So far just misery
Whoa, this audiobook is read by Matt Damon. More later.
A must-read for anyone who was disillusioned with the history you learned in school. Howard Zinn presents "history from the underside," incorporating race, class, and gender into his examination of history. It should be required reading for all residents in the United States, for it would lead to everyone having a better understanding of everyone else! (Also, read his larger piece, The People's History of the United States, of which this book is only a part.)
Howard Zinn's version of history is much different from the history lessons we learned through our textbooks in high school and even college. As I read this book, I realized even more solidly how our history has been edited by people in power to paint a picture that fits their motives. This book relates the history of the working class, minorities, and women of our country. A new perspective on the complicated and somewhat shameful history of our country.
This is like the liberal answer to reader's digest, not a history book.
Listened to abridged book on CD...interesting perspective on history. Learned a lot, also liked how it was Massachusetts-centric.
Easy read for a history book, very informative, history from the bottom up. Full thoughts here.
Again, this was another book that changed my views of the world. Its the history of our bad deeds of the US and its people. But understanding that going in, it'll show you the silent side of our history without making you hate our country. Very dense, but still a must read.
Denae
rated it
If you do not have time to read the entire People's History, read this.
A good introduction to "revisionist" history; that is to say, this is a history of "the other" in American society, those who were long ignored, such as women, African Americans, native peoples, and non-Christians.
This is an abreviated version of his longer book (going back to Columbus). It is very interesting and eye opening but since I was listening to it on iPod I probably didn't absorb as much as I could have by reading.
This is another book that totally blew my mind in high school. Now that I know a little bit more about the ways of the world, I still think it's required reading for any American.
It's a great book that reveals the history that you were never taught in school. Really opens your eyes and makes you question their motives at this very moment.
This book is always out at home. I don't think I have the heart to add it to my "read" shelf as I am constantly picking it up and reading excerpts.
It was time to revisit a People's History. Every bit as captivating as in high school.
I read bits and pieces of this in HS. I remember it being a great source for the "other" side of history- the loser's side.
I haven't taken time to read the entire People's History of the United States, but this is very good excerpt from it...
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers Also Enjoyed
Howard Zinn was a historian, playwright, and social activist. He was a shipyard worker and Air Force bombardier before he went to college under the GI Bill and received his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He taught at Spelman College and Boston University, and was a visiting professor at the University of Paris and the University of Bologna. He received the Thomas Merton Award, the Eugene V. Debs...more
More about Howard Zinn...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
