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66th out of 769 books
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1,035 voters
A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror
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...more
Paperback, 960 pages
Published
February 27th 2007
by Sentinel Trade
(first published 2004)
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Wow, what a great book to listen to while driving. So informative and great at giving you the sides to history that you don't hear. Everyone has heard the phrase that history is written by the winners, but in todays society history seems to be written by the politically correct and whatever the media wants us to "remeber". The parts about 911, the 80's, the great depression and the Civil War are excellent. This book reminds you that we are a great nation and we have so much to be proud of.
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Jun 03, 2008
T.J.
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
"fair and balanced" readers, those wanting to "see both sides", your annoying liberal friends
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
this-book-is-wretched
I do like that it doesn't even pretend that it's objective. That's nice. But it's also about as historic as the movie Troy. The outright political agenda a la Fox News is so steaming from the political right it almost makes Howard Zinn look more balanced than revisionist. There are good points and there is value in creating a telling of American history that makes one simply feel proud of America and all its done. And there is indeed very much to be proud of in our great country. But to ignore t...more
Overall, a very biased book that pretends not to be; it was written as a sulk toward Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, and it shows; while Zinn is open about his biases and actually reasonably objective, this book is not a history, but a collection of opinion pieces that glorifies the god that failed (democracy) and always abominates liberty in favor of it and jingoist nationalism.
Some particulars:
p. 50, false implication that the state has a right to some share of an indivi...more
Some particulars:
p. 50, false implication that the state has a right to some share of an indivi...more
This is the first attempt I have ever seen or heard of to write a truly unbiased account of American history. However, Schweikart fails that goal, and instead presents a moderately conservative view, with a few surprising incidents of liberalism.
Basically, Schweikart and his co-author researched meticulously for years before beginning to write, and they do a good job of presenting history as it happened, then interpreting it for modern audiences. The references and citations included at the end...more
Basically, Schweikart and his co-author researched meticulously for years before beginning to write, and they do a good job of presenting history as it happened, then interpreting it for modern audiences. The references and citations included at the end...more
A patriot's history is not an unbiased account of history, but seeks to deliberately provide the opposing viewpoint from the Liberal Left that predominates in most history books. The only real unbiased history book would simply be a timeline of facts, people. The book is endorsed by Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, so if you are an ultra-liberal that can't read opposing viewpoints with an open mind; don't read it. For those of you that relish seeing history from different viewpoints, Schweikart and...more
A Patriot's History of the United States (APHotUS) is really two books; one of them pretty good another atrociously bad.
The book that is good is from about 1776 to about 1870. It describes in very positive but also sensible tones how incredible the United States was; what revolution meant and how the Founding Fathers shaped the world stage. The book starts with Columbus landing in 1492 (it glosses over his bad acts) and continues on to describe the colonies through the revolution.
Its here the...more
The book that is good is from about 1776 to about 1870. It describes in very positive but also sensible tones how incredible the United States was; what revolution meant and how the Founding Fathers shaped the world stage. The book starts with Columbus landing in 1492 (it glosses over his bad acts) and continues on to describe the colonies through the revolution.
Its here the...more
Much of the book is not bad, but more of it is simply not good and it is overall shoddy history. It's all politically and militarily focused; okay handling of race issues, but far too interested in inserting religious history. Women appear about 3 times total and most of that considers changes in marriage and divorce laws, not to mention an attack on second wave feminism. The overriding agenda is to provide a corrective to "left wing" and "liberal" histories, but these insistences lack substance...more
If you wondering by now looking through my books if I'm a nerd, yes I am. This is a fat history book. They might as well have made it the dimensions of a text book then it wouldn't have been so fat (900 pages or so). I really great book for all Americans to read. The most important parts of this book were the parts I never really studied in school. I learned more about all parts of our history but I already knew a ton about the Civil War, The Founding, and World War II because these are things I...more
Mar 27, 2010
M Caulfield
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to M by:
Glenn Beck
We have been lied to. Large blocks of vital history that makes us who we are today are maliciously absent from today's high schools and universities. We are products of a system that makes us inclined toward self-loathing as Americans. Informed, educated people know that the liberal left has taken over our public schools beginning in the early 70's. You don't have to be a right-wing conspiracy nut to know that history books were rewritten in order to indoctrinate our youth into believing that th...more
I love that you can feel the desire to get the record straight on so many propagandized historical events. The authors love America. If you love America you will like this book. If you feel disdain against our nation, you will not like it. And please move to a different country. They point out the good, the bad and the consequences of elections, pointing out the craziness of both demos and repubs. Despite our mistakes throughout history, we are still the most gracious, giving, and accepting nati...more
The difference between "A Patriot's History" and other American History Books is that you can tell that Schweikart and Allen actually Appreciate and Respect the United States. Unlike Zinn's "People's History" book, which carries with it a palpable distaste for what the United States WAS and IS, the authors of "A Patriot's History of the United States" are clearly not rooting for a downfall of the United States. The facts remain the facts, and they are clearly outlined and sourced. The chapters a...more
A fantastic way to get "true" American history. For such a thick volume, it reads incredibly well, even humorous in some parts. Refreshing after years in the institution of the university system.
A terrible answer to the Peoples History. We should forgive Columbus' killing and inslaving indians because his success made possible more voyages to the new world? Really?
Feb 14, 2011
Sam
added it
great overview of our history as a country. i think everyone should read this book or a book like it. even as a college graduate who took history classes all through primary and secondary school and has been an avid reader of military history for as long as I can remember, I learned alot from this book. It was very detailed and very good as painting the big picture, in that it was good presenting how events in one decade or century brought about good/bad things in the next. It didn't just focus...more
Excellent read. Only thing that would make this book better is illustrations of the territories to coincide with expansion.
I'd like to see a second edition with 2004-current added in the future.
It is obviously just one side of the spectrum. I will be reading Zinn's People's History as well to see both view points.
I wanted to add that I know you cannot please everyone, but come on people. If the authors were to delve deeply into every single aspect of US history the book would be 14000 pages lo...more
I'd like to see a second edition with 2004-current added in the future.
It is obviously just one side of the spectrum. I will be reading Zinn's People's History as well to see both view points.
I wanted to add that I know you cannot please everyone, but come on people. If the authors were to delve deeply into every single aspect of US history the book would be 14000 pages lo...more
Don't ask until end of Sept. Taking LSAT on Sept 26th.
This is an authentic history of "the greatest nation on God's green earth" ( Michael Medved). While certainly not a book to be read cover to cover, it is a wonderfully accurate history of this country without any made-up facts or "undiscovered" history. In contrast to Howard Zinn's book, I actually have confidence that this book is well researched , right back to the original writings. Keep this one handy to refute the many false claims out there concerning this wonderful land. We are not perfec...more
This book does exactly what it says it will: Focus on the major, world-changing events and people in American history without bowing to political correctness. It is a response or a "fill in the blanks" work that gives us the full story and balance missing in many contemporary histories. It talks more about events that mattered and less (though mentioning them) on the sensational "common man" histories. Not that these aren't important too, but we are so often missing the framework of the great me...more
I spent a year crawling through this tomb....it wasn't really a bad book, but my god....There is a lot of information and depending on what you are looking for, it can be good or unnecessary. He will go into detail about the market and stocks of the time---including how much something was compared to the change in that year per pound. He does the same with the elections, giving detailed accounts of the electoral counts and popular votes, etc. Very VERY detailed and a bit tedious to get through i...more
The last two pages of the introduction are fantastic. Establishing the need for virtue in order to have liberty.
pg. 125 [James]Madison thus rejected the notion that the exercise of faith originated with government, while at the same time indicating that he expected a continual and ongoing practice of religious worship. He resisted attempts to insert the name Jesus Christ into the Virginia Bill for Religious Liberty, not because he was an unbeliever, but because he argued that "better proof of re...more
pg. 125 [James]Madison thus rejected the notion that the exercise of faith originated with government, while at the same time indicating that he expected a continual and ongoing practice of religious worship. He resisted attempts to insert the name Jesus Christ into the Virginia Bill for Religious Liberty, not because he was an unbeliever, but because he argued that "better proof of re...more
Really 3.5 stars actually, simply because Larry and Michael were good writers and I enjoyed the flow of history they presented.
However, the book read at times like a propaganda piece for the Republican party. The obvious slant in the authors' presentation rendered the book near worthless from an educational, historical or informational standpoint. (I may be wrong but I think of all the Democrat presidents, only two seemed to be viewed favourably, possibly because of the somewhat 'Republican' vi...more
However, the book read at times like a propaganda piece for the Republican party. The obvious slant in the authors' presentation rendered the book near worthless from an educational, historical or informational standpoint. (I may be wrong but I think of all the Democrat presidents, only two seemed to be viewed favourably, possibly because of the somewhat 'Republican' vi...more
I think it's fair to say that U.S. history as taught to my grandparents was at least somewhat whitewashed. The Founding Fathers were granted demigod status and America was perpetually the land of the free and the home of the brave. Some have called this the "My Country, Right or Wrong" approach. By the 1960s, however, the attitude towards American history underwent a complete revolution. Unfortunately, this new approach didn't offer a more accurate or balanced view; it was just as dogmatic as th...more
I find it humorous that people get all bent out of shape about historical bias. What? You were looking for a perfect world? Get real. I like this because it takes the liberal look at history (Revisiting America: Readings in Race, Culture, and Conflict, Susan Wyler; Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong James W. Loewen; and, of course, A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present, Howard Zinn.) and turns it on its ear. I've had my students read f...more
Dec 03, 2007
Christopher
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone interested in the real history of the US
Remember being taught about the heroism of the battle of Iwo Jima? How about the moral compass of the founding fathers of the United States? What about the intracate reasons of why capitalism was not only adopted as the US's financial, but also the way it actually was used as the cornerstone to build the country from scratch? If you barely have vague recollections of these events, you probably grew up indoctrinated by public schools and Universities, being force fed the negative history of a cou...more
I find this about the most interesting versions of American History. I'm not finished yet. Because it's a history book (and it's 900 something pages long, at least on my Kindle which has a larger font) I'm reading it in increments.
I'm also supplementing this book with Joseph R. Conlin's
The American Past Part One. (up to 1877) This is also a marvelous book which goes into details about local culture and tidbits about famous people.
Patricia A. Guthrie
www.patriciaanneguthrie.com
I'm also supplementing this book with Joseph R. Conlin's
The American Past Part One. (up to 1877) This is also a marvelous book which goes into details about local culture and tidbits about famous people.
Patricia A. Guthrie
www.patriciaanneguthrie.com
It was one of the most complete and unbiased approaches to U.S. History I have ever read. The authors showed the mistakes and accomplishments of all characters concerned, no matter their political affiliation. Abraham Lincoln's mistakes were talked about just as completely as his accomplishments and values. The same went for Kennedy and others. The authors also tried very hard to show America for her true self, not just her mistakes or accomplishments. The authors also tried to show a true and c...more
From the publisher synopsis: "many history books devote more space to Harriet Tubman than to Abraham Lincoln; more to My Lai than to the American Revolution"
And we wouldn't want that, now would we?
And we wouldn't want that, now would we?
Despite the author's assertion in the preface that he would take a neutral stance on political matters, Schweikart makes a noticeably conservative shift towards the end of the book--especially on liberal triumphs such as the New Deal, the Great Society (Medicare and Medicaid), and 1960s civil rights legislation. I found the conservative undertones particularly irksome and sadly I could not wait to finish the book that had begun with such great promise.
Okay it really has taken me more than three months to read this 830 page book about what I should have learned in school. And it should have been a really boring read as I already knew the ending. But surprise surprise I have forgotten alot and never had been taught a bunch of it either. The greatest blessing is how it all weaves together in ways I never understood. What a great book and am more than glad I spent time reading this book.
This was an excellent, unbiased, and comprehensive history of the United States. I learned so much more from this book than I ever learned in history classes in school. Reading it chronologically really helped to see the big picture and the cause and effect of many different events. Although some reviews state that this is a one sided view, I would disagree. I felt the author showed the good, the bad, and the ugly of many political parties ( after all, in our nation's history there have been mor...more
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