A Young People's History of the United States

By: Rebecca Stefoff, Howard Zinn

Narrated by: Jeff Zinn

A Young People's History of the United States brings to US history the viewpoints of workers, slaves, immigrants, women, Native Americans, and others whose stories, and their impact, are rarely included in stories for young people. A Young People's History of the United States is also a companion volume to The People Speak, the film adapted from A People's History of the United States and Voices of a People's History of the United States. Beginning with a look at Christopher Columbus’s arrival through the eyes of the Arawak Indians, then leading the reader through the struggles for workers’ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights during the 19th and 20th centuries, and ending with the current protests against continued American imperialism, Zinn in the volumes of A Young People's History of the United States presents a radical new way of understanding America’s history. In so doing, he reminds listeners that America's true greatness is shaped by our dissident voices, not our military generals.

©2007 Howard Zinn. Previously published as a two volume set. (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Zinn Givjng Truth & Not So Zen History

It’s appreciated that the atrocities done by primarily white men are exposed to all. Would like Zinn to give more explanation how laws & policing are used to keep minority groups disenfranchised and stifle economic opportunities. This is recommended reading for every public, charter, private, or home school.

used terms “Blacks” and “slaves” to refer to people that were enslaved

I know this is 6 years old, but I can’t imagine sharing this with my kiddos because of the oppressive language used to describe people that were enslaved. Each time I hear the terms, it’s like someone keeps scratching their nails down a chalkboard.

Even though I desperately want my kiddos to have access to this view of history, the use of the terms that white supremacists used erases the humanity and agency of people that were enslaved. I don’t want my kids to be acclimated to those terms.

Finally, of course tweens aren’t interested in hearing an adult lecturing at them—whether about history or anything else. Please consider issuing a revised infotainment-style audio version with less oppressive language and with a tween-aged narrator.

Amazingly Insightful!

Thought you knew US history? Great listen for another perspective of our past. I'm going to use the book for lessons in critical thinking for my US History students!

Learned a lot

I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining and easy to digest. I enjoy some history here and there but I enjoy it much more when it’s to the point and this wasn’t too wordy or so in detail that it missed the big picture. It could easily be read and understood by a teenager or adult alike.

Revealing

Unfortunately, this shows that from Columbia's first step on this land, Amarica has been ruled by violence toward all, war mongering, and the search for riches. This resulted in cruelty and lies to almost wipe out the Indians and take their land. The government has frequently lied and the congress has fallen in line. The poor and sick and non-white have been sacrificed for the war machine.