The Concise Untold History of the United States

By: Oliver Stone, Peter Kuznick

Narrated by: Michael David Axtell

A companion to Oliver Stone’s ten-part documentary series of the same name, this guide offers a people’s history of the American Empire: “a critical overview of US foreign policy…indispensable” (former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev); “brilliant, a masterpiece!” (Daniel Ellsberg); “Oliver Stone’s new book is as riveting, eye-opening, and thought-provoking as any history book you will ever read. It achieves what history, at its best, ought to do: presents a mountain of previously unknown facts that makes you question and re-examine many of your long-held assumptions about the most influential events” (Glenn Greenwald).

In November 2012, Showtime debuted a ten-part documentary series based on Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick’s The Untold History of the United States. The book and documentary looked back at human events that, at the time, went underreported, but also crucially shaped America’s unique and complex history over the 20th century. The book and documentary looked back at human events that, at the time, went underreported, but also crucially shaped America’s unique and complex history over the twentieth century.

From the atomic bombing of Japan to the Cold War and fall of Communism, this concise version of the larger book is adapted for general audiences. The Concise Untold History of the United States covers the rise of the American empire and national security state from the late 19th century through the Obama administration, putting it all together to show how deeply rooted the seemingly aberrant policies of the Bush-Cheney administration are in the nation’s past and why it has proven so difficult for Obama to change course.

In this concise and indispensable guide, Kuznick and Stone (who Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Garry Wills has called America’s own “Dostoevsky behind a camera”) challenge prevailing orthodoxies to reveal the dark truth about the rise and fall of American imperialism.

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even though i agree with the persoective presented, it seemed to be somewhat biased.

Wisdom

I hope my sons will read this book - an informative, humble and wise look on history and future.

Eye Opening

Both political parties have succumbed to the trappings of empire and military might. This book examines the moral divide between who we believe we are and what our government does behind closed doors.It should be required reading.