A People's History of the United States

Highlights from the Twentieth Century

By: Howard Zinn

Narrated by: Matt Damon

THE CLASSIC NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Read by Matt Damon and Howard Zinn

""A wonderful, splendid book—a book that should be read by every American, student or otherwise, who wants to understand his country, its true history, and its hope for the future."" –Howard Fast

Historian Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States 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 street, the home, and the workplace.

Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, it 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 Zinn shows, many of our country's greatest battles—the fights for a fair wage, an eight-hour workday, 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 features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history. This edition also includes an introduction by Anthony Arnove, who wrote, directed, and produced The People Speak with Zinn and who coauthored, with Zinn, Voices of a People’s History of the United States.

A must listen for learning “American” history

While Matt Damon’s readings were bland and difficult to discern when switching history topics, the topics themselves are nonetheless what has been left out of “regularly taught” American history.
Howard Zinn’s recitation was much better and I appreciate his acknowledgments of the shortcomings of even his tellings of American history. Still a very good and important listen.

Zinn Comes Through in a Big Way!

I really enjoyed reading Howard Zinn’s, People’s History of the United States, in the way that he made history come alive and be fun to read. I like history in general, but he could be at times somewhat drudgery reading through various depictions of a particular author’s description of historical events. Zinn doesn’t really good job in keeping you captivated by the way he delivers the information, with not over doing it on the details, but becoming a very good storyteller.

Even though the United States history only goes back several hundred years, this book is still chock-full of information about the familiar characters that have made up our history. The book also is up-to-date and current in regards to talking about the New Millennium, the “War on Terrorism” and recent events within the last 10 years.

This is recommended reading for anyone who even has the slightest interest in the history of the United States and what has gone to make this country great, in spite of the trials and tribulations and challenges that we continue to go through.

expected more from the title

i thought it would go deeper into the founding of the country. Good, but mostly a people's history of the 2nd half of the 20th century.

Exceptional. A wonderful compilation of facts and history. Easy to follow and clear and understand. It fills in the gap for us

W. A wonderful way to chat with friends,
Almost way to be certain how we got where we are today.

Listen to it. Now. Do it.

A beacon of fair representation in history. Brace yourself for some rage, fury and frustration.