A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

sam sanchez
Posts: 451 Joined: 08-09-05
Submitted by sam sanchez on 5 September, 2006 - 18:06.

Anyone read it? Is it any good? Just wanna check what its like before buying, so I thought someone might have an opinion?

Blacknred Ned "A world of ten million villages"
Posts: 526 Joined: 19-06-06
5 September, 2006 - 19:55

Fantastic read Sam! Thorough, consistent, gripping; the best of American history and no surprise that it wasn't on the reading list for my American history module when I was at Uni.

tea leaves
Posts: 13 Joined: 15-08-06 Location: London
5 September, 2006 - 21:18

just a good read, just read it

Steven. ""Best hair at Unison conference""
Posts: 1852 Joined: 27-06-06 Location: London
6 September, 2006 - 09:33

i'm going to be putting it online in the libcom library later today. but yeah it's fucking great.

Nemo "Desperately in need of a new tagline"
Posts: 678 Joined: 12-07-06 Location: Behind you!
6 September, 2006 - 09:52

I've been thinking about getting it for a while. But there are several (different!?) editions.

> This expensive one volume edition

> These two volumes work out cheaper, but are they the whole thing?

Anyone have any ideas which I should go for?

EDIT: Also there is a special edition for the 20th century, that has two new chapters, apparently.

Steve "J'aime une sorcière de prolétaire"
Posts: 1057 Joined: 27-06-06 Location: Preston Lancashire
6 September, 2006 - 09:55

The first one is the one to get. Check out ebay it's sometimes on there. Just to back up what everyone else says it's well worth reading.

jef costello "Beautiful, just like Nuremburg"
Posts: 9932 Joined: 09-02-06 Location: razorblade of apathy, shave me with your irony
6 September, 2006 - 10:11
John. wrote:
i'm going to be putting it online in the libcom library later today. but yeah it's fucking great.

Leave ebay alone guys, it'll be free and you can read it at work!

ticking_fool
Posts: 553 Joined: 12-03-05 Location: UK, Liverpool
6 September, 2006 - 10:14

Try www.abebooks.com as well. Just limit the search to books from the UK to keep the postage down. A quick search reveals a couple of copies of what looks like the American edition shipped from the US for a lot less (from www.Books2Anywhere.com for example - I won't post the link to the ABE search, it's ridiculous).

*edited to fix link

coffeemachine "Deny to working class children any common share in the immaterial and presently they will grow into men who demand with menaces a communism of the material."
Posts: 290 Joined: 31-03-06
6 September, 2006 - 10:15
jef costello wrote:
John. wrote:
i'm going to be putting it online in the libcom library later today. but yeah it's fucking great.

Leave ebay alone guys, it'll be free and you can read it at work!

it's already free!

http://www.historyisaweapon.org/zinnapeopleshistory.html

jef costello "Beautiful, just like Nuremburg"
Posts: 9932 Joined: 09-02-06 Location: razorblade of apathy, shave me with your irony
6 September, 2006 - 10:19

Cool. It's not quite stealing, but it'l do for today.

Nemo "Desperately in need of a new tagline"
Posts: 678 Joined: 12-07-06 Location: Behind you!
6 September, 2006 - 10:26

I think I'd rather read a paper copy, especially given the length of the book. Though the online version is good for previewing it, and searching for stuff.

Also, I kind of like the way Amazon sellers try to sell second hand copies of the book for more than a new one! They are rebelling against the capitalist laws of supply and demand, and competition! Kudos! groucho

sam sanchez
Posts: 451 Joined: 08-09-05
6 September, 2006 - 12:46

Cheers guys.

Steven. ""Best hair at Unison conference""
Posts: 1852 Joined: 27-06-06 Location: London
7 September, 2006 - 11:57

Now online in our library here:
http://libcom.org/library/peoples-history-of-united-states-howard-zinn

historyisaweapon
Posts: 2 Joined: 14-10-06
14 October, 2006 - 06:52

Hey you kids, get off my lawn!

Refused "wee fuck'n' strings"
Posts: 6378 Joined: 28-09-04 Location: Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
14 October, 2006 - 17:08
historyisaweapon wrote:
Hey you kids, get off my lawn!

Best first post ever or worst attempt at spam?

Joseph K. "the thinking man's idiot"
Posts: 8522 Joined: 14-03-06 Location: Brighton
14 October, 2006 - 18:07

i dunno i could do with a lawn ...