Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong | 
 enlarge | Author: James W. Loewen
Publisher: Touchstone
Category: Book
List Price: $16.00
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Rating:  96 reviews
Sales Rank: 349
Media: Paperback
Pages: 464
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 5.9 x 1.4
ISBN: 0743296281
Dewey Decimal Number: 973
EAN: 9780743296281
ASIN: 0743296281
Publication Date: October 16, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Winner of the American Book Award and the Oliver C. Cox
Anti-Racism Award of The American Sociological Association Americans have lost touch with their history, and in Lies My Teacher Told Me Professor James Loewen shows why. After surveying eighteen leading high school American history texts, he has concluded that not one does a decent job of making history interesting or memorable. Marred by an embarrassing combination of blind patriotism, mindless optimism, sheer misinformation, and outright lies, these books omit almost all the ambiguity, passion, conflict, and drama from our past. In this revised edition, packed with updated material, Loewen explores how historical myths continue to be perpetuated in today's climate and adds an eye-opening chapter on the lies surrounding 9/11 and the Iraq War. From the truth about Columbus's historic voyages to an honest evaluation of our national leaders, Loewen revives our history, restoring the vitality and relevance it truly possesses. Thought provoking, nonpartisan, and often shocking, Loewen unveils the real America in this iconoclastic classic beloved by high school teachers, history buffs, and enlightened citizens across the country.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 96
 Good concept but could have been more interesting August 29, 2010
Dennis S. Stuempfle (Pittsgrove, NJ USA)
This is an interesting concept and an especially good book for someone who likes history. After doing extensive research and reviewing 12 history text books, Loewen sets the record straight about everything from Columbus discovering American to Helen Keller to the First Thanksgiving and who were the real settlers in America. I agree with Loewen's premise that children today view history as boring because the text books leave out the interesting backdrops to give readers mere "sound bites" and that not only is history destroyed but it is dumbed down and boring. Students do not understand causal relationships because of this so the solution should be to write history books that are engaging and exciting. The ONLY negative with this book, in my opinion, is that in doing his research and writing his book, Loewen has corrected the history but his book isn't much less boring. Maybe it's the nature of the beast ie: if you're researching history and trying to prove something is wrong or add more detail, you have to support your position with lots of details and belabor your points. This I think dragged the book down a little. However if you, like myself, like history but would like to know "why they got such and such wrong" or to learn more about Helen Keller than that she was blind and finished college, you'll enjoy this book.
Very Interesting Book August 25, 2010
dee (Bay Area)
As with several others here, I was shocked at how little history I knew. I was raised on Columbus "discovering the West Indies", the Indians & Pilgrims at Thanksgiving and that Reconstruction was like "Gone With the Wind" - with carpetbaggers going South to throw money at (mostly ignorant) black men who now lived in nice homes while defeated Confederates were hungry and desperate.
Growing up, I remember Indians protesting on Columbus Day and I'd wonder why they were so upset - I mean, it was hundreds of years ago... get over it.
Now I understand. How can they possibly "celebrate" a man who invaded, stole their land and decimated their people?
While it's true we can't change the past, we can certainly acknowledge it and be honest about it. For example, while it's true Washington and Jefferson fought for America's freedom from the English, they were also slave owners. Jefferson even had children with at least one of his slaves. They were still good and brave men but it's important to teach our children they had strengths AND weaknesses.
I also agree with the author about begin frustrated at what our children are taught in the limited amount of time available. History was exciting - it was full of charismatic people and their actions - knowing the date de Balboa reached the Pacific Ocean is useless (and irrelevant) in the real world.
I've always been interested in history but was bored in school. I learned about what Columbus "discovered" but nothing about what happened to the "Indians" afterward. I was shocked to discover they were enslaved and made to mine for gold and to service the "settlers". (BTW, how do you settle a land when people are already living there?)
I never realized until reading this book that I was learning what was basically history from only the white European point of view.
I see complaints from some reviewers here that the author was a liberal, he was pro-black/pro-Indian, etc. and anti-"white". Loewen's writings do sound liberal compared to what we were taught but "liberal" doesn't mean "liar"; as for being pro-black/Indian, I think he was being pro-truthful. Keep in mind that while he is critical about Nixon, Reagan, Bush I & II, he's certainly also critical about Kennedy, Johnson and Clinton.
Some of our history IS shameful but that's exactly why it shouldn't be hidden from us and future generations - we need to see the results of what happened in our past - otherwise, how will we learn?
ETA: The reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because the author went on and on AND ON about how the textbook companies aren't including certain facts because of their own (or school boards, parents, etc.) views.
 Serious left-wing bias with religious ardor August 23, 2010
George RS (California)
1 out of 8 found this review helpful
Okay, the author presents another side of our American heroes. These heroes had their flaws, some of them more generous than others. To the extent we come to know these flaws, it is good.
Obviously, the author ideology is left wing to extreme left wing. Why can't he then criticize fellow Marxists whose philosophy he probably shares - Stalin, Mao and PolPot? In a matter of few years, these left-wing atheists murdered tens of millions of their own citizens. Stalin alone killed 6,000 innocent Polish officers, not to mention the millions that died during forced deportations and collectization - all the while promoting the modern rice religion - Marxism.
So American heroes are somewhat tainted, Communist heroes are even more so. Will Mr. Loewen present the evils of Marxism as experienced by the Russians, Chinese and Cambodians?
A moderate Independent voter....
Limited educational value August 23, 2010
George M. Barker
I purchased this book with the impression it would teach me something new about American History. We all know the American History we were taught in school was limited in scope, had a conservative view, and published with the intent not to insualt anyone. Mr James W. Loewen writes a book entitled "Lies My Teacher Told Me" to correct the short commings of the history we were taught (or so I thought). He leads us to believe a fabulous banquet of knowledge awaits us in his book. What do we get? A trip to the corner hotdog stand. This is a biased liberal view of some American history books and some, not all, current and past American History. To have a liberal view is fine I have no problem with that. However, we should have been given at the very least what he expects, NO, what he demands in a history book. An unbiased factual account of the inaccuracies and corrections needed to make our history accurate. What do we get? A book of why the author dislikes American History as taught in our school books. If you want to find out something new about our American History this is not the book!!
 This illuminating book will expand your consciousness--and conscience! August 10, 2010
Suza Francina (Ojai, California)
"Every teacher, every student of history, every citizen should read this book." I knew I had to read it when I saw the endorsement by Howard Zinn on the cover. All politicians, religious leaders, journalists, philosophers, psychologists and yoga teachers should read this book! Every religion, Buddhist psychology, yoga philosophy, all the universal teachings, preach the importance of telling the truth. This illuminating book expands your consciousness as much as any religious, psychology or philosophy book I have ever read.
--Suza Francina, yoga teacher, author, activist and former mayor, Ojai, California
Showing reviews 1-5 of 96
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