Book

Lies My Teacher Told Me : Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong / James W. Loewen.

Summary:

Americans have lost touch with their history, and in Lies My Teacher Told Me Professor James Loewen shows why. After surveying eighteen leading high school American history texts, he has concluded that not one does a decent job of making history interesting or memorable. Marred by an embarrassing combination of blind patriotism, mindless optimism, sheer misinformation, and outright lies, these books omit almost all the ambiguity, passion, conflict, and drama from our past.In this revised edition, packed with updated material, Loewen explores how historical myths continue to be perpetuated in today's climate and adds an eye-opening chapter on the lies surrounding 9/11 and the Iraq War. From the truth about Columbus's historic voyages to an honest evaluation of our national leaders, Loewen revives our history, restoring the vitality and relevance it truly possesses. Thought provoking, nonpartisan, and often shocking, Loewen unveils the real America in this iconoclastic classic beloved by high school teachers, history buffs, and enlightened citizens across the country.

Record details

ISBN: 9780743296281
ISBN: 0743296281
Physical Description: xix, 444 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Edition: Touchstone trade paperback edition.
Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster, 2007.

Content descriptions

General Note:	"A Touchstone book." "Completely revised ad updated"--P. [1] of cover.
Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 363-436) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	Introduction: Something has gone very wrong --Handicapped by history: the process of hero-making -- 1493: the true importance of Christopher Columbus -- Truth about the first Thanksgiving -- Red eyes -- "Gone with the wind": the invisibility of racism in American history textbooks -- John Brown and Abraham Lincoln: the invisibility of antiracism in American history textbooks -- Land of opportunity -- Watching big brother: what textbooks teach about the federal government -- See no evil: choosing not to look at the War in Vietnam -- Down the memory hole: the disappearance of the recent past -- Progress is our most important product -- Why is history taught like this? -- What is the result of teaching history like this? -- Afterword: The future lies ahead--and what to do about them.