A People's History of the United States

Highlights from the Twentieth Century

By: Howard Zinn

Narrated by: Matt Damon, Howard Zinn

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

For much of his life, historian Howard Zinn has been chronicling American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version 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, Zinn's 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 - its women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, working poor, and immigrant laborers. Here we learn that many of our country's greatest battles - labor laws, women's rights, racial equality - were carried out at the grassroots level, against steel-willed resistance. This edition of A People's History of the United States features insightful analysis of some of the most important events in this country in the past 100 years.

Featuring a preface and afterword read by the author himself, this audio continues Howard Zinn's important contribution to a complete and balanced understanding of American history.

Also, listen to The People Speak, a celebration of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.

©1980, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2003 Howard Zinn (P)199, 2003 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Matt Damon's reading captures the spirit of the text. Like the book, Damon's voice has an edge to it. He expresses the author's outrage regarding the exploitation of certain groups in American history. He also communicates Zinn's admiration for the courage and determination demonstrated by protest leaders." ( AudioFile)

A must have

Howard's book is an intelligent and carefully crafted piece of American history. Truly a homage to the people which make this a great country.

Interesting but Disappointing

As others have noted, this "abridged" version is incomplete. Howard Zinn is a fascinating mind and this audio version of his book doesn't do his research and perspective justice. I will have to get the actual book and actually *gasp* READ it. What *IS* in the audiobook, however, is intriguing and sometimes mind-boggling.

Must Hear This!

This is the ideal gift for a high school senior, or anyone who has graduated from high school. The antidote to public school history (as currently taught)!

Whoa

This book brings to light a lot of the struggles that America faces and has caused. It's a book I will take in again and again.

A history from the loser's perspective

Where does A People's History of the United States rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's a bit depressing. All the stuff they didn't teach you in history class, but stuff they should have sprinkled in. Our history isn't as pretty as your school book tells you. Howard Zinn is a very liberal thinker. His history is pretty spot on, but he does sprinkle in some liberal lecturing. If you can stomach a bit of his lecturing I highly recommend this book it's shockingly eye opening. The struggles of the poor, black, women, native Americans, war protesters and draft dodgers are laid plain in this book. It covers the 1950-1990 ish. You should put Zinn's agenda aside and really listen to this. It will help you understand other peoples struggles and why they are the way they are. I expected a better performance from Matt Damon he was very plain and straight forward, but I do tend to favor other genres of books and don't listen to this style often.

Thought provoking perspective

I found this book disturbingly powerful, soul searching and convincing. The thesis is that government portrays the idea of a unified country with a common identity and and National Interest& in order to perpetuate a system where the rich stay rich and benefit greatly and the lower classes of people are kept subservient. The wars since WWII have been to perpetuate the interest of large corporations whose policies place greed above human life, working conditions rights and freedoms. Wars are fought by poorer classes of Americans and the myth of National Interest& is used to motivate them. Wars also serve to distract those being taken advantage of at home from realizing this fact. There are grave injustices against blacks, women, Latinos, gays etc in this country as well as the people in the countries that we attack. The money that could have been used to improve the plight of the underprivileged is instead being used to make arms for the military to fight these wars. The ultimate suffering is by children. Children killed and mutilated by wars, children born in poverty in this country and children of immigrants who are denied services in this country by the lack of social programs. This book makes you want to fight for social justice. I highly recommend this book.

USMC Veteran

If you are an American, you must listen to, and or read this book. If you are not American, please do not, because it will only piss you off even more.

It will ruin you forever... for the better

This book really rocks your world if you still believed everything they taught you at school about American History. It makes you want to go out and learn more... realizing how little we really know and brain-washed we all have been.

the second half is better

As much as I like Matt Damon, I really didn't like him reading this book. It sounds like he's falling asleep reading a long list of atrocities. The book gets much better when the author takes over about half way through. The message is pretty dark, that this country is on evil auto-pilot, and that it takes huge movements of people to change its course. My feeling is that we'll only change when someone takes away our TV's and french fries.

Great Work

Couldn't stop listening. A must listen if your interested in learning about America's Dark History.