Product Description
The compact history of a giant country.

American history is one of those subjects that students frequently labor over and can seem like a random collection of names, dates, and events. Understood as a collective biography and free of the cheerleading found in many text books, the fully updated fifth edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to American History explains the changing tides in America's most pivotal periods.

• From a seasoned author and researcher
• The most current and comprehensive series title on American history
• Heightened interest right now in the question of how America got where we are-a question that can only be answered by an understanding of history
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Informative, but boring.
I bought this book as a required read for my AP U.S. History class, and as I started reading it I found it to be filled with many useful facts, but it is not a very interesting read.

Detailed and Up to Date
I originally bought this as a real book from the local university's bookstore, but found it on the Kindle Store and bought it there. Tells you exactly what you need to know from the Native Americans living on the continent to the 2008 election results. ... Read more

Product Description
Highly respected for its impeccable scholarship and elegant writing style, Alan Brinkley�s American History provides students and instructors with a reliable, comprehensive account of the American past in which no single approach or theme predominates. From its first edition, this text has included a scrupulous account of American political and diplomatic history. Today, the book explores areas of history such as social, cultural, urban, racial and ethnic history, the history of the West and South, environmental history, the history of women and gender, and American history in a global context. The twelfth edition of this text includes the McGraw-Hill�s hit Primary Source Investigator (PSI) cd-rom, with hundreds of sources and a program that walks students through how to write a paper using those sources as evidence.. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Horrible service from vendor
What a horrible experinece working with this vendor.I finally had to dispute the charge through my credit card company.

Not pleased . . .
I am using this text for the first time in a class I teach, and students are already complaining that this text is unclear, and does not follow any kind of sequential time pattern (so they say). For myself, the text goes into theories that are best left to moot conversation, such as the idea that the United States tried to "dominate the world" during the early post-war years. Anyone who understands the essential isolationist nature of the USA and its desire to "go home, and may the world leave us alone" after an international conflict (and enshrined in the Monroe Doctrine, which many in Washington, including Truman, wanted to stand on after the war) knows this is not the case. In a theoretical fantasy land, fine; in factual land, it does not hold water.

very pleased
I purchased this book used and was worried about how "used" it would be.It was delivered quickly and it was in excellent condition!There was no highlighting or writing in the book.The code page and CD-ROM worked too.It was almost like buying it brand new!

Great!
The book came fast and in the condition listed. Easy!Reading and remembering harder.

Great Text-Precise Yet Informative
I used Alan Brinley's text "American History: A Survey" for my AP US History class this year. My teacher specifically chose this book, as his daughter, who attended another school, started out by using the ubiquitous American Pageant, but as Pageant was about two times larger than the book and it was March and they had just started WWI, his daughter's teacher started to photocopy Brinkley's Book and give those pages out to his students. Brinkley's text is much shorter, and much better in my opinion. The primary source disc is a must. We always used that for discussion in class. One important part is that Brinkley focuses less on the battles of a war for example, but emphasizes the big picture of a war, like the reasons and effects. Is it perfect? No. But is it one of the better books out there? Yes. Without a doubt. Take it from a motivated AP student, it's the better choice. Here's to getting a 5! Thanks Brinkley. ... Read more

Product Description
Table of Contents Chapter One: THE MEETING OF CULTURES Chapter Two: TRANSPLANTATIONS AND BORDERLANDS Chapter Three: SOCIETY AND CULTURE IN PROVINCIAL AMERICA Chapter Four: THE EMPIRE IN TRANSITION Chapter Five: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Chapter Six: THE CONSTITUTION AND THE NEW REPUBLIC Chapter Seven: THE JEFFERSONIAN ERA Chapter Eight: VARIETIES OF AMERICAN NATIONALISM Chapter Nine: JACKSONIAN AMERICA Chapter Ten: AMERICA'S ECONOMIC REVOLUTION Chapter Eleven: COTTON, SLAVERY, AND THE OLD SOUTH Chapter Twelve: ANTEBELLUM CULTURE AND REFORMChapter Thirteen: THE IMPENDING CRISIS Chapter Fourteen: THE CIVIL WAR Chapter Fifteen: RECONSTRUCTION AND THE NEW SOUTH Chapter Sixteen: THE CONQUEST OF THE FAR WEST Chapter Seventeen: INDUSTRIAL SUPREMACY Chapter Eighteen: THE AGE OF THE CITY Chapter Nineteen: FROM STALEMATE TO CRISIS Chapter Twenty: THE IMPERIAL REPUBLIC Chapter Twenty-One: THE RISE OF PROGRESSIVISM Chapter Twenty-Two: THE BATTLE FOR NATIONAL REFORM Chapter Twenty-Three: AMERICA AND THE GREAT WAR Chapter Twenty-Four: "THE NEW ERA" Chapter Twenty-Five: THE GREAT DEPRESSION Chapter Twenty-Six: THE NEW DEAL Chapter Twenty-Seven: THE GLOBAL CRISIS, 1921-1941 Chapter Twenty-Eight: AMERICA IN A WORLD AT WAR Chapter Twenty-Nine: THE COLD WAR Chapter Thirty: THE AFFLUENT SOCIETY Chapter Thirty-One: THE ORDER OF LIBERALISM Chapter Thirty-Two: THE CRISIS OF AUTHORITY Chapter Thirty-Three: FROM "THE AGE OF LIMITS" TO THE AGE OF REAGAN Chapter Thirty-Four: THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION ... Read more

Product Description
"The creation of the United States of America is the greatest of all human adventures," begins Paul Johnson's remarkable new American history. "No other national story holds such tremendous lessons, for the American people themselves and for the rest of mankind." Johnson's history is a reinterpretation of American history from the first settlements to the Clinton administration. It covers every aspect of U.S. history--politics; business and economics; art, literature and science; society and customs; complex traditions and religious beliefs. The story is told in terms of the men and women who shaped and led the nation and the ordinary people who collectively created its unique character. Wherever possible, letters, diaries, and recorded conversations are used to ensure a sense of actuality. "The book has new and often trenchant things to say about every aspect and period of America's past," says Johnson, "and I do not seek, as some historians do, to conceal my opinions."

Johnson's history presents John Winthrop, Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson, Cotton Mather, Franklin, Tom Paine, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison from a fresh perspective. It emphasizes the role of religion in American history and how early America was linked to England's history and culture and includes incisive portraits of Andrew Jackson, Chief Justice Marshall, Clay, Lincoln, and Jefferson Davis. Johnson shows how Grover Cleveland and Teddy Roosevelt ushered in the age of big business and industry and how Woodrow Wilson revolutionized the government's role. He offers new views of Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover and of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and his role as commander in chief during World War II. An examination of the unforeseen greatness of Harry Truman and reassessments of Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush follow. "Compulsively readable," said Foreign Affairs of Johnson's unique narrative skills and sharp profiles of people.

This is an in-depth portrait of a great people, from their fragile origins through their struggles for independence and nationhood, their heroic efforts and sacrifices to deal with the `organic sin' of slavery and the preservation of the Union to its explosive economic growth and emergence as a world power and its sole superpower. Johnson discusses such contemporary topics as the politics of racism, education, Vietnam, the power of the press, political correctness, the growth of litigation, and the rising influence of women. He sees Americans as a problem-solving people and the story of America as "essentially one of difficulties being overcome by intelligence and skill, by faith and strength of purpose, by courage and persistence...Looking back on its past, and forward to its future, the auguries are that it will not disappoint humanity."

This challenging narrative and interpretation of American history by the author of many distinguished historical works is sometimes controversial and always provocative. Johnson's views of individuals, events, themes, and issues are original, critical, and admiring, for he is, above all, a strong believer in the history and the destiny of the American people.Amazon.com Review
Paul Johnson, whose previous works include the distinguishedModern Timesand A History of theJews, has produced an epic that spans the history of theAmerican people over the past 400 years. The prolific narrative coversevery aspect of U.S. history, from science, customs, religion, andpolitics to the individual men and women who have helped shape thenation. His detailed, provocative examinations of political and socialicons, from Lyndon Johnson to Norman Rockwell, are especiallystrong. Johnson's text is intelligent and rich with detail, and yetextremely accessible for anyone interested in a reinterpretive analysisof America's past.

What makes this book unique is Johnson'sapproach to this self-professed Herculean task. The prevalent tonethroughout is optimism. Whether he's discussing race relations,industrialization, the history of women, immigrants, Vietnam, orpolitical correctness, Johnson--a staunch conservative who was born,bred, and educated in England--is openly enamored with America'spast, particularly the hardships and tribulations that the nation hashad to overcome. He sees this story as a series of important lessons,not just for Americans but for the whole of mankind as well. At a timewhen other contemporary scholars find it easier to bemoan the past,Johnson offers the reader "a compelling antidote to those whoregard the future with pessimism." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (207)

Very Satisfied
This book arrived when specified and in great condition. The book was in almost new condition as promised. I would definetely purchase products from this sender again. I am very satisfied.

The Story of the American People Viewed through Their Presidents
Paul Johnson's `History of the American People' is, as the author would have it, a salute to a people that he loves. It is a great work of history that only a true admirer of Americans could produce. And any lover of the American spirit will enjoy this book and hold onto its ideas as a central reference.

This is not to suggest that Johnson conveys preconceived notions of Americans that limit objectivity in any way, but rather that his biases allow for a more engaged and therefore engaging narrative. Only someone who truly loves his subject matter can delve into the thoughts and actions of that subject as freely as Johnson does in this book. The result is a thorough and insightful history. To use a quote from the text: "A book upon politics, morals or religion, containing no party or sectarian views, will be apt to contain no distinctive views of any kind, and will be likely to leave the mind in a state of doubt and skepticism, much more to be deplored than any party of sectarian bias."

Writing about the American people, Johnson dwells on the most prominent of those people, those being American statesmen and especially American presidents. This is somewhat ironic because, of all the countries in the world, America is perhaps the least reliant on and most disdainful of its leaders.

But there are many good reasons for this tack. To begin, the author is a British citizen and so will have a natural inclination to view a country's characteristics through its leaders, royal or otherwise. Any foreigner is obliged to view a country's people through its ambassadors, and that is especially true for one in a politically kindred nation like the U.K. The effect is to see the people as would an outsider, a faithful companion.

It is also true that the United States has bred some of the greatest figures in national politics, as Johnson points out, from the Founders to the very present. As such, it is essential for any history to focus on their lives and accomplishments. Though Johnson does not make the case, one could argue that the American presidents comprise the greatest and most competent leaders of any country in all of history.

And finally, if there is a country in which its political figures best represent the public at large, it is the United States. It is perhaps the very fact that America's leaders have traditionally been elected by the people that make her presidents so outstanding and capable, and so describing those leaders seems to be a valid and effective way to describe the people.

Granted, there is much more to the American people than the lives and accomplishments of their presidents. In the late 20th century, especially, it could be said, there has been a growing disconnect between America's leaders and her people. Johnson shows this in some ways, and yet still depends on the stories of the presidents to convey the overarching story (the assassination of Kennedy, the Nixon Watergate scandal, and the Clinton scandals being the prominent examples). In these sections, it seems as though the author sacrifices a view of the American people for one of some rather un-American events and personalities.

Despite the predominant focus, however, Johnson's vantage is comprehensive and convincing. The variety of information and the kind of topics covered are quite astounding. The reader learns of every major thread in the American fabric, from the Puritan and plantation foundations to the struggles with Indians and African slaves; from the Great Awakening to Manifest Destiny; from the war between the states to the rise of the central government and the Welfare State; from the robber barons to the automobile; and from jazz to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

If there is a single omission in this sprawling document of Americana, it is that of baseball, which is only mentioned twice in passing. All of sport is rather overlooked which is regrettable, and this is especially true for baseball, whose stories and themes are undeniably entwined with the American spirit. I would tend to agree with Barzun that "Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." At least it would be useful to know why presidents throw out the first pitch of notable games.

All in all, this is a phenomenal work and should be embraced by all Americans and anyone who loves them.

Amazing Historic Epic
Paul Johnson's "History of the American People" is a brilliant, all-encompassing survey of the American nation, told through its most notable personalities from George Washington to Bill Clinton. The main thrust of this volume is the rich political history, but is highlighted with vignettes on writers, musicians, and businesspeople. The result is one of the greatest tracts on the subject and an amazing story, albeit with a tragic American character arc from creation and vitality to scandal and mediocrity.

The history from the 17th century to the published year 1999 is entertaining and enlightening, giving the reader the typical American stories (presidential elections) but also the relatively unknown bits (early bizarre states' names and scandalous backstory on some 20th century presidents). Along the way, Johnson gives the reader a perspective of the world from North America (its influences such as George Berkley and its impact: after the American Revolution, Britain came out fine, Spain and France lost big time).

Johnson lays it on thick toward the end (rightly so in some cases) by criticizing the various undesirable characters (Franklin D Roosevelt and Kennedy (trumped up war heroism, fraudulent election, infidelity, "I am a donut"). He defends the heavily criticized Nixon and highly-regarded Reagan. But Johnson's naysayers are wrong that he's strictly partisan as he appears to glorify the Democratic Harry Truman. For the most part, Johnson is objective, but offers his unique perspective in apt times, for example the point of transition from a slave country to one filled with corruption ("after abolishing the organic sin of slavery witnessed the birth of an organic corruption in its executive and Congress").

As an American, the book will make you proud, but also should alert you to the shift that has taken place over the great story of America from a free, productive, and creative population to an increasingly enslaved, dependent, and scandalous one. The decade since its publish date hasn't improved our state of affairs, but perhaps with more people reading this book, we have at least the foundation for a comeback.

Confusing trying to be elegant history book ~
Confusing confusing! may be is not the author's fault. But history teacher who use this book as the textbook is definitely insane! Gosh, it is so confusing. Why do you need to use bombastic words and confusing sentences and story to blur out the history fact! my god, make my life suffer, i have no idea what are the points the author's trying to make, plus the history teacher who really dont care about teaching, i m gonna fail my test!

A History of the American People
The first 700 pages of this history are great! Unfortunately the last 300 pages reveal the author's biases! I don't understand how the author can absolve all of Nixon's presidential sins, but damn all the Supreme Court's rulings and the Democratic presidents since FDR! Does anyone wonder why GWB would award Paul Johnson the PMH, especially since GHWB was denigrated so thoroughly? ... Read more

Product Description
This compilation of seminal essays and primary documents introduces students to the most exciting scholarship and writing on the of environmental history in the United States. Subjects include the changing American landscape, soil epidemics, waste disposal, industrial development, conservation, and the environmental movement.

• Introduces students to the most exciting scholarship and writing on the subject of environmental history in the United States.
  
• Contains primary documents that illustrate the conditions, perception, and influences of environmental issues from the pre-Columbian era to the present.
  
• Subjects include the changing American landscape, soil epidemics, waste disposal, industrial development, conservation, and the environmental movement.
  
• Includes an editorial introduction, headnotes, and suggestions for further reading.

Customer Reviews (1)

More of a cultural history than a landscape one...
This book explores the cultural background of American land use and the history from Native American control through our own. Don't expect all shrubs and sidewalks; the insight into native cultures that inspired their use of the land is very deep and far-reaching. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the history of Detroit's African American community told by the men and women who lived it. ... Read more

Product Description
For every calendar day, this book lists the important events in the history of North America's native peoples-over 5,000 events covering more than 5,000 years.

This Day in North American Indian History is a one-of-a-kind, fun-to-read book covering over 5,000 years of North American Indian history, culture, and lore. Wide-ranging and in-depth, it lists over 5,000 important events involving the native peoples of North America in a unique day-by-day format.

From the construction of Mayan temples in A.D. 715 to modern political activism and governmental legislation affecting native peoples-and everything in between-virtually every significant historical event in Indian history is listed. It also includes biographical sketches of prominent and lesser-known North American Indian leaders, chiefs, explorers, and their white counterparts, descriptions of migrations, the histories of tribes and ancient languages, and a list of the meanings of tribal names. Well-organized and comprehensive, the thousands of entries in This Day in North American Indian History weave an exciting and panoramic mosaic of North American Indian history. It is the most all-encompassing single-volume reference work on the subject available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

I Dare You to Read this One Day at a Time
This Day in American Indian History by Phil Konstantin is a fascinating resource for everyone interested in North American Indians.I think it would be especially useful for educators who want to include American Indian History in the classroom, but fear they have neither the time nor the resources to do it.Taking five minutes to select and read one event a day the class is a good way to raise awareness, open minds, and start discussions.

As the co-author of a reference book, American Indian Contributions to the World, I've learned to be very selective about the books I keep in my library.Phil has come up with an accurate and interesting volume that is filled with teachable moments.I couldn't put it down.This one is definitely a keeper.

A unique and original historical reference
This Day In North American Indian History: Important Dates In The History Of North America's Native Peoples For Every Calendar Day by Phil Konstantin (freelance writer and member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) is a unique and original historical reference. For each day of the calendar year, a momentous or significant occasion in Native American history is listed which occurred on that same day. Spanning over 500 years of recorded Native American culture, war, law, and societal change, This Day In North American Indian History is enhanced with a handful of black-and-white photographs, an extensive index, a bibliography, and three extended appendices (Tribal Names; Alternative Tribal Names; North American Indian Calendars). A meticulously compiled and "reader friendly" reference, This Day In North American Indian History is enthusiastically recommended as an informed and informative addition to any personal, academic, and community library Native American Studies collection.

Very interesting reading...
I have been to the author's website many times, and liked it. The book has lots more information than the website, which is massive. It is interesting to read about so many of these events. Most of the descriptions are short, but considering there must be over 5,000 events, that is understandable.

There are quite a mix of illustrations that match an event on their page.

The sections on the tribal name meanings and the Indian "moons" was both fascinating, and fun.

The index is one of the most comprehensive I have ever seen.

Saw it in museum in San Diego
I have been to the author's website many times. Having all of this information in one place is great. Yes, yes, yes, there is information on events in Canada. There are about 100 photos and they are matched to an event on the page where they appear. I really like the sections in the back which list tribal name meanings (Erie = cat people) and the "moon" names. If you are interested in North American Indian history, this is a great book. ... Read more

Product Description
“American History Revised is as informative as it is entertaining and humorous. Filled with irony, surprises, and long-hidden secrets, the book does more than revise American history, it reinvents it.” —James Bamford,
bestselling author of The Puzzle Palace, Body of Secrets, and The Shadow Factory
 
 
This spirited reexamination of American history delves into our past to expose hundreds ofstartling facts that never made it into the textbooks, and highlights how little-known peopleand events played surprisingly influential roles in the great American story. 
 
We tend to think of history as settled, set in stone, but American History Revised reveals a past that is filled with ironies, surprises, and misconceptions. Living abroad for twelve years gave author Seymour Morris Jr. the opportunity to view his country as an outsider and compelled him to examine American history from a fresh perspective. As Morris colorfully illustrates through the 200
historical vignettes that make up this book, much of our nation’s past is quite different—and far more remarkable—than we thought.
      We discover that:
 
• In the 1950s Ford was approached by two Japanese companies begging for a joint venture. Ford declined their offers, calling them makers of “tin cars.” The two companies were Toyota and Nissan.
• Eleanor Roosevelt and most women’s groups opposed the Equal Rights Amendment
forbidding gender discrimination.
• The two generals who ended the Civil War weren’t Grant and Lee.
• The #1 bestselling American book of all time was written in one day.
• The Dutch made a bad investment buying Manhattan for $24.
• Two young girls aimed someday to become First Lady—and succeeded.
• Three times, a private financier saved the United States from bankruptcy.
 
      Organized into ten thematic chapters, American History Revised plumbs American history’s numerous inconsistencies, twists, and turns to make it come alive again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

Entertaining Read, Undone by Silly Errors
This book is an easy, breezy read, intended mainly I think as an entertaining, contrarian survey of American historical trivia.You can read the little stories that interest you and skip over the parts that don't.

But the number of silly, easily detected errors just pile up in this book, and they are ultimately it's undoing.Here are just three examples:

1) Page 150: "Fortunately for America in 1836, the man (Martin Van Buren) who was president was a man whose previous jobs had been secretary of state and then vice president."Of course, Van Buren did not become president until March 4, 1837.In 1836, Van Burean was still vice president and Andrew Jackson was president.

2) Page 222: The story "From Secretary of State to the Presidency" lists 1912 as the year of the presidential face-off between Woodrow Wilson and Charles Evans Hughes.Of course, this contest took place in 1916.The election of 1912 famously pitting Wilson against William Howard Taft, Theodore Roosevelt and Eugene V. Debs.

3) Page 247: "In 1940 -- a good two years before the U.S. got into the war -- the Soviet Union was fighting the Germans."Of course, the Soviet Union didn't start fighting the Germans until June 22, 1941, when Germany launched its invasion.The Soviets, then, were at war with the Germans less than six months before the United States entered World War II.

And on and on it goes, errors that would jump out to even casual readers of history (and this book was written for the casual reader).Don't buy this book if you haven't already.

BETCHA DIDN'T KNOW THAT...
This book is a little bizarre, but it's filled with fascinating facts that make for awesome "I bet you didn't know..." conversations. Things you never learned at school because...well, just because. It's a very good short read, I found that a few pages before bedtime was sufficient for my history trivia fill, but Mr Morris has certainly collected a bumper book of interesting facts and tidbits of things you never knew, or perhaps didn't want to know...

What shouldn't be lost in all the facts is the fact (no pun intended) that so much is omitted from "conventional" history books, both educational and otherwise that a lateral look is often surprising in what it can show.

Definitely a good read!

Some startling errors made it into this book
It took me a very long time to read this book, because I could not resist checking each fact as I came across it, and there are a great many facts to check.Unfortunately, I often found them to be wrong.Other reviewers have listed some of the errors, but have nonetheless recommended the book and given it a high rating.I can't do that.For me, the many errors quite simply invalidate the book.A "Did you know that...?" anecdote is somewhat spoiled if it turns out that what the listener did not know is not true anyway.

I will content myself with just one example, one that I don't think another reviewer has mentioned yet, which is the reference (page xvi) to why the British drive on the left-hand side of the road.The author's explanation is:

"Back in the early days of the automobile, all cars had the steering wheel on the right.This was because most roads were unpaved, and the driver wanted to make sure he didn't drive off the path into the ditch.Then came along Henry Ford, who moved the steering wheel to the left.He foresaw the day of paved roads and fast cars, when the driver's main concern would be the oncoming traffic."

Now that makes no sense.The British drove their horse-drawn vehicles on the left long before the automobile arrived, and that tradition continued.So a steering wheel on the right would not have enabled the driver to see the ditch.So how can that explain why they drive on the left?Besides, it is simply not true that all early cars had the steering wheel on the right.

A book like this is of little use if you can't trust its accuracy.And you can't.
[PeterReeve]

Enjoyable read
While every history books contains the biases of the author, this one did a fairly good job of presenting alternative viewpoints to the often white washed history of the United States.It is suprisingly and deeply patriotic.You can tell how much the author loves this nation.

However, he does not hesitate to point out the failures of bureaucracy and the inanity of our former political, military, and business leaders.It also gives credit where it's due- to the unsung heros of our history who turned around key battles or single handedly financed our nation during it's indebted infancy.

It's not perfect, a couple of the conclusions fail the common sense test, but it's pretty obvious which ones if you read with a critical eye.In a nation where 5 states determine the textbook curriculum for 45 others, I recommend this book to anyone who wants more perspective than just school board approved history lessons.

Wake Up Our Students With This Book
This is a wonderful book, captivating, easy to read, and full of amazing research and revelations that change your thoughts about our nation's past. I loved it: once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. There are two ways this book can be read: sit down when you have a lot of time and read it from cover to cover and have a really good time, or keep it on your coffee table or in the 'throne room' and read one fascinating story after another.

When I came across this book in the bookstore, I was intrigued by one of the captions on the cover: "Our missile defense system was invented by a Hollywood sex goddess." This led me to buy the book and embark on a wonderful trip through American History by a writer who has a very creative way of looking at things. This book is fresh and compelling. In fact I feel it should be required reading for both high school and college students. It will jolt them out of their lethargy... it certainly did for me! ... Read more

Product Description
A historian debunks four-dozen PC myths about our nation’s past.

Over the last forty years, history textbooks have become more and more politically correct and distorted about our country’s past, argues professor Larry Schweikart. The result, he says, is that students graduate from high school and even college with twisted beliefs about economics, foreign policy, war, religion, race relations, and many other subjects.

As he did in his popular A Patriot’s History of the United States, Professor Schweikart corrects liberal bias by rediscovering facts that were once widely known. He challenges distorted books by name and debunks forty-eight common myths. A sample:

• The founders wanted to create a “wall of separation” between church and state
• Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation only because he needed black soldiers
• Truman ordered the bombing of Hiroshima to intimidate the Soviets with “atomic diplomacy”
• Mikhail Gorbachev, not Ronald Reagan, was responsible for ending the Cold War
America’s past, though not perfect, is far more admirable than you were probably taught. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

48 Liberal Lies
This should be required reading for anyone under the age of 60.In the 60's education, American History in particular, became something the Founding Fathers wouldn't recognize themselves in.Until our schools are made to teach the whole truth again it is up to us to see to it that our children, Kindegarten through college, know the truth good and bad. We have allowed this perversion of the truth to happen by not being involved with the schools and not reading the textbooks with their many misrepresentations, omissions and downright lies that our children are being taught from.

answering the wrong questions
Just to pick on one example, Lie #2 concerns the Spanish-American War, and mentions several other American wars on lands previously occupied by "brown people." Lie #2 says that were damned if we do (remain in occupation) and damned if we don't (withdraw our occupation forces). What it doesn't ask is what we were doing there in the first place. The assumption is that we as Americans have a right to send our military anywhere in the world our economic interests are being threatened. The author never questions that assumption.

Not in my schooling
The supposed things that this author is saying are taught in school certainly weren't when I was in school (over 40 years ago), nor were they taught in my son's schools. My DIL says that they are not taught these things in my Grandchildren's schools, either.

While having the facts set out is a good thing. Pretending that the facts were not taught, and that he is trying to set the record straight, is less than honest.

My advice is to read an actual history book. Don't let people like this tell you what is being taught when it is not.

Score: Schweikart- 48, Liberals- 0
Its amazing to see the ridiculous comments from people who are clearly conspiracy theorist liberals themselves trying to argue this, yet not one gave any specifics or facts. Many of these do seem like conspiracy theories, but little do the liberals know is that they actually originated from liberals! 9/11 truther movement came from the left, not the right, and the only reason it in the book, as the author stated, is that it was in far-left director Oliver Stone's movie.

In all seriousness, there were many lies in here that I had learned in school, at least half of them. Many critics claim they never heard these "conspiracies" in school, which is why the title is "that you PROBABLY learned in school" not "that you DEFINTELY learned in school."

One example that the critics don't seem to like is that one lie says Jefferson favored small government and was a pacifist. If any of the critics bothered to read this lie, they would know Schweikart states Jefferson did favor small government in most cases, and this chapter is mostly dedicated to disproving Jefferson being a pacifist.

The critics obviously didn't bother to read this book thoroughly, or maybe even at all. Schweikart sets the record straight and gives us a true look at some of the lies our youth is being taught in schools. He pulls examples from many of the mainstream textbooks used in class rooms. A must have for anyone with an open mind and not indocrinated by liberalism.

Great Corrective!
Great book! It's refreshing to read a history that isn't always bashing a)the U.S. Government or b) the American people (and capitalism in general). I've heard most of the these lies over the last several years and in many books (a few of which the author mentions) and seeing them handily refuted in print is very nice. It is a go-to reference book for information on many issues.

Some of the better lies exposed include:
- FDR knew about Pearl Harbor
- Truman used the a-bombs on Japan to intimidate the soviets.
- Nixon expanded the Vietnam War.
- Sept. 11th was a government conspiracy.
- Columbus killed millions of Indians.
- Mainstream news is fair and balanced.
- High School history books are not biased

Highly Recommended. ... Read more

Product Description

Respect yourself in the morning -- read One-Night Stands with American History!

This collection of little-known facts and anecdotes is American history with the boring parts left out. Richard Shenkman and Kurt Reiger have uncovered numerous stories about hoaxes, inventions, secrets, and rare incidents -- many involving the most famous and powerful people in America.

• President U. S. Grant was arrested for speeding in his horse carriage.
• J. Edgar Hoover refused to allow people to walk on his shadow.
• France shipped Louisiana twenty-five prostitutes because women were in short supply in 1721.
• H. L. Hunt won his first oil well in a game of five-card stud.

Even historians find that One-Night Stands with American History features fascinating stories they never knew. Now updated with facts and anecdotes from the last twenty years, this volume is a treasure trove of remarkable stories that will startle, entertain, and inform you. And the best part is that they're all true!

Customer Reviews (12)

Historic Stands
The book is OK and worth the money.I will get some useful tidbits from it.

Great for history buffs.
Loved this book so much that it is on my "gift list." Great short reading for bedtime, the bathroom, or other times when you have just a short amount of time to full. Plus, you learn lots of information about history.

Light, But Very Informative Reading
One Night Stands With American History should belong in every historian's library.It provides a somewhat irreverent (but documented nonetheless) portrait of the many pungent, perplexing, and prolific anecdotes present in American History.

Poor Title, Fun Read
The surprisingly interesting stories in this collection generally range from one-half to three pages in length.The anecdotes are all cited from other works, lending this collection some credibility despite the poor title.A great book for a bathroom reader.

Fun to read, fun to pass around
You'll be amused, you'll read some of these out loud to your friends, then they will enjoy it and pass it on.Very light, very fun. ... Read more

Product Description
An illustrated collection of essays on the history of African Americans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Overview of a Rich History
This book is filled with essays from a variety of writers and also contains some wonderful artwork and photography. It could be used as a coffee table book, also. If you don't know much about African-American history or want to know more, this book is a good place to start. ... Read more

Product Description
Gorn and Goldstein show us where our games and pastimes came from, how they developed, and what they have meant to Americans. The great heroes of baseball and football are here, as well as the dramatic moments of boxing and basketball. Beyond this, the authors show us how sports fit into the larger contours of our past. A Brief History of American Sports reveals that from colonial times to the present, sports have been central to American culture, and a profound expression of who we are. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

very informative
The book was quite informative in giving the reader a look into sports that is not often mentioned. ... Read more