Howard Zinn A People’s History of the United States
Last updated date: October 17, 2022
DWYM Score
Why Trust DWYM?
DWYM is your trusted product review source. Along with our in-house experts, our team analyzes thousands of product reviews from the most trusted websites. We then create one easy-to-understand review. Learn more.
We looked at the top American History Books and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best American History Book you should buy.
Update as October 17, 2022:
Checkout The Best American History Book for a detailed review of all the top american history books.
Overall Take
America's history is filled with people fighting for rights, and this American history book chronicles those stories, among many others. It starts with Columbus's arrival and takes the reader all the way through Clinton's first term. It's been updated with an introduction that discusses the book's 35-year history.
In our analysis of 34 expert reviews, the Howard Zinn A People's History of the United States placed 1st when we looked at the top 7 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.
From The Manufacturer
With a new introduction by Anthony Arnove, this edition of the classic national bestseller chronicles American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official narrative taught in schools—with its emphasis on great men in high places—to focus on the plight and struggles of those who have been largely omitted from most histories. Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People’s History of the United States is the only volume to tell America’s story from the point of view of—and in the words of—America’s women, factory workers, African Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers. As historian Howard Zinn shows, many of our country’s greatest battles—fights for fair wages, eight hour workdays, child-labor laws, health and safety standards, universal suffrage, women’s rights, racial equality—were carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance. Covering Christopher Columbus’s arrival through President Clinton’s first term, A People’s History of the United States, which was nominated for the American Book Award in 1981, features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history.
Expert Reviews
User Summarized Score
What experts liked
What experts didn't like
Overall Product Rankings
1. Howard Zinn A People’s History of the United States
2. Thomas S. Kidd American History, Combined Edition: 1492-Present
3. Jill Lepore These Truths: A History Of The United States
5. DK Smithsonian American History: A Visual Encyclopedia
7. Scheweikart & Allen A Patriot’s History Of The United States
An Overview On American History Books
In school, you were handed a history textbook and told to read it. It likely had a condensed history of America, covering wars, important political figures and big events.
For those interested in history, though, the thirst for information continues long after graduation. Even children may find school textbooks inadequate if they’re really interested in learning history. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of history books, especially if you want to study a particular event or era in depth.
But what if you just want a full telling of the history of America? There are books for that, as well. The key is to find one that covers the timeframe you’re interested in studying. Some start with Columbus’s arrival, while others include the history of Native Americans before settlers arrived.
Most American history books will focus on a certain theme. This is what makes each one unique. So before you start looking for a good book, think about what interests you most. Do you want to learn more about the political climate of America throughout history, or do wars and foreign relations interest you more? Are you interested in exploring a particular theme, or would you prefer to simply read the events in chronological order, pulled together with an interesting narrative?
For younger readers, images can be a great way to break up pages of text. Many children’s history books will use compelling photos, charts, maps and other imagery to both illustrate points and keep things interesting. Also look for text that’s engaging, rather than the more serious approach usually seen in textbooks. When children see that learning history can be fun, they’re more likely to continue to want to research as they grow into adults.
The American History Book Buying Guide
- The structure of a history book is one of the most important aspects. If possible, take a quick look at the table of contents and pay close attention to whether the story is told chronologically or separated by themes. There’s nothing wrong with either approach, but many readers find they prefer one over the other.
- Even the best-written nonfiction book is useless if it isn’t based in fact. Look for books from authors with impressive backgrounds. A renowned historian or professor of history is better than an author with no connection to the field whatsoever. If you can, check how the author conducted research and whether information came from valid sources.
- The publication date on the book comes into play, as well. A history of America that was published 20 years ago won’t just leave out a couple of decades of events. It may be missing the perspective that those two extra decades have brought. Some history books are updated to compensate for this lapse, but make sure the updates make the book as relevant as one published recently.
- Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, you may want an unbiased telling of historical events. There are plenty of American history books that sway conservative or liberal, though, if that’s what you prefer. You can often identify them by the themes they promote in the blurb. However, the review section will often include at least a couple of readers who found the book too political on one side or the other, so browsing those can help.
- At one time, history books painted a rosy picture of historical events. But toward the end of the 20th century, documentarians and authors began digging into the reality of events that have happened. You can still find positive, upbeat takes on American history, but you’ll probably notice those are rarer than books that are more upfront and honest.
Checkout Our Other Buying Guides
- The Robotic Vacuum Guide
- The Cordless Vacuums Guide
- The Electric Pressure Washer Guide
- The Gas Pressure Washer Guide
- The Air Mattress Guide
- The Pressure Washer Guide
- The Drone Guide
- The Electric Razor Guide
- The Convertible Car Seat Guide
- The Dyson Vacuum Guide
- The Infant Car Seat Guide
- The Dry Dog Food Guide
- The Carpet Cleaners Guide
- The Kick-Start Every Morning With Coffee Maker Guide
- The Air Fryer Guide