The Modern Scholar

Rethinking Our Past: Recognizing Facts, Fictions, and Lies in American History

By: Professor James W. Loewen

Narrated by: Professor James W. Loewen

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

You will get the most from this course by reading or listening to Professor Loewen's book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. Within that book are many facts about American (and world) history to which most people have simply never been exposed. Nationalist history by textbook authors and the descendants or biographers of the famous and infamous have given history students a very skewed vision of our true history - indeed, the true history of mankind. This course is designed to enlighten and encourage you to consider the factual basis of many of our most-cherished yet glossed-over stories and the real-life characters who populate them. From archaeological misinformation to investigations into the nature of modern public policy, Professor Loewen challenges you to consider the history of what "was" rather than what has been told by standard teaching methods and textbooks.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2004 James M. Loewen (P)2004 Recorded Books

Not (Re)thinking

Any additional comments?

I am in my late sixties and believe that anyone who thinks these lectures rethink American history or reveal lies or fictions that have not been common knowledge for many, many years must be decades older than I. I concede that I did not finish listening to the lectures because I could not stop laughing at the possibility that the lecturer really thought that what he was saying was in any way new news to any significant percentage of the educational lecture audience.

Bias, Semantics, and an IRRITATING Reader...

Any additional comments?

This is written and performed by a Black man, his perspective and historical points may be valid...but his presentation is all about the evil, greedy Caucasian versus the ever downtrodden Black peoples and Native Americans. I listened to the entire piece and am so disappointed. I am not a prejudiced person, but I am sick of the race card and the continued harping on something no one alive suffered and no one alive perpetrated. Get a life, own it, live it to the best of your ability. People of all colors suffer hardships and persecution, they overcome, they succeed. I can't recommend it.

Jumping on the band wagon

Unfortunately Professor James W. Loewen, in his passion to force his point, cherry picks historical facts to support his theoretical agenda. He appears to be either proud of his bias or unconcerned with it, and step far a field from the responsibilities of teaching.

He speaks of past prejudice, hate, and lies, yet does not see his own hate and prejudice that he infuses in his lectures.

I was saddened by his misuse of authority.

Misleading title

What would have made The Modern Scholar better?

non biased Facts

Would you listen to another book narrated by the narrator?

No

Any additional comments?

This book should be titled Black History. The whole history of the US is recast in how it pertains to blacks and racial issues. In the first chapter he references blacks/whites at least 100 times, claims that history books were written by white supremacist and the KKK, and then claims that when he asked a question of one of history classes as to what the reconstruction period was, 16 out of 17 said it was the period after the civil war when blacks took over the state governments, messed it all up, and then it had to be taken back over by whites to fix. Now if he had claimed that 16 students had said they had no idea what it was, that I would have believed. But to say 16 out of 17 made the previous statement gives you an idea of what sort of glasses he is wearing to interpret the facts.

As an example of one of the great pieces of legislation from this time he referenced the Homesteading act, which allowed people who went bankrupt to keep their home. I believe taking something without paying for it is the definition of stealing and I hardly think that the poor guy who lent the person the money to buy the house thought it was a great idea. But that sums it up. If this is the sort of statements you like, then this book is for you. Or if you are looking to root out some oppression from the past and recolor all of history with it, then you may like this book as well.