The People's History & the Cold War

[rbollinger at austin.rr.com]

Joseph, 

count me as someone else who has read it... it was required in one of my classes at the University of Texas at Austin in the early 80's... and I'm glad I did... in fact I've been meaning to make another run through it... maybe I will over the holidays as a result of this exchange...



Rob Bollinger
Austin

"I don't live in Texas - I live in Austin" - Molly Ivins

---- Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net> wrote: 
> Zinn tells you stuff that happened that most histories neglect. The good evil line is supplied by the reader. He doesn't tell you what to think.  Who here beside myself  and Bekah has actually read  A People's History of the United States?   It is a single compact but important book that has successfully done what it set out to do, having an actual impact on public thought and awareness of history. When Wellintown, who has never even claimed to have read this book, does anything remotely as impressive I might consider  his opinion as something other than the cranky hackery he projects. By the way The Book's title is not The People's history..., it is A People's History of the United States.  The difference is important. 
> On Dec 21, 2011, at 10:53 AM, Paul Mackin wrote:
> 
> > On 12/21/2011 9:58 AM, alice wellintown wrote:
> >>> Well, the lady ain't said nothing yet, re: Zinn, not really
> >> Just clouds, but the gentleman sees a whale and doth protesteth too
> >> much, methinks, and in so doing doth not so much see design wherein
> >> none is but fails to see the double design of the lady's true love.
> >> Zinn does nothin what aint been done
> >> overmuchandbymanybeforehimandbetter. Tis sad that it has come to this;
> >> the humanities in tatters and rags, strewn like leaves of grass over
> >> dead white men and dead white Others, but that is war and all is fare
> >> is fowl when flies find vanity in a pile that trips to the bar and
> >> slurs her goodnight dear gentlemen...godbuy and goodnight.
> >> Ale is all the stuff to drink
> >> you poets
> >> her story is bunk.
> >> 
> > What about the argument that People's History's easy-to-read style and clear-cut demarcation between good and evil make the book something high school students or college freshmen might actually be induced to read, whereas otherwise they would never read a book with history in the title at all?  (history majors excluded of course)
> > 
> > P
>