A Young People's History of the United States

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

My reading of Chains and Forge has had me thinking about injustice in our country, and there is no

better book to point out who has suffered, and gained, in our American story than Howard Zinn. His basic premise is that the story of our nation is not the story we've been taught. It's not a story of equality and liberty and community. Instead, it's a story of an elite few manipulating the poor many, giving them small, superficial concessions designed to keep them from revolting against a system that allows them to get richer and richer. It's a story of these elite pitting one impoverished group against another, of racism and prejudice, and, most of all, of injustice. It's a vision of our nation's past that gives one pause when considering our new political order. Even if you don't agree with Zinn's take on history, his argument should make you consider how the current administration might fit into -- or rebut -- his argument. I very much appreciated the way Zinn adapted his book for younger readers, making very complex topics accessible to all. This should be required reading -- as long as students have the opportunity to disagree with him.