<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Loved it, Loved it, Loved it!!!!
Review: Although packaged as an informative and entertaining take on little known facts of history, this is little more than a boilerplate liberal screed. I am a lover of unbiased history, as objective as humanly possible. I resent any author, liberal or conservative, spoon feeding me his/er philosophy and politics under the guise of "History", even in a supposedly lighthearted, non-scholarly book such as this. Any fan of revisionist history will love it. Let me save the prospective buyer some time. -Western culture is evil and corrupt. -Republicans are idiots. -The Catholic church is run by idiots. -Conservatives in general are idiots. -Republican presidents are idiots. -Ronald Reagan, in particular, was an idiot. -Supporters of the death penalty are idiots. -Opponents of liberal agenda items such as the ERA are idiots. -The Aztecs, Incas, and Native Americans were noble, peacable, civilized children of the earth. Their European competitors were wicked, despicable, craven monstrosities masquerading as human beings. -Western civilization didn't really invent anything, or make any significant contributions to the advancement of humanity. -The Nuclear bombing of Japan was an indefensible disgrace, done for no other reason than sheer racial hatred of the Japanese. In most of these cases, their are two sides to the argument, and room for reasonable people to disagree. But be warned, in this book one and only one side will be presented. For example, there is a wealth of information surrounding the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Unfortunately, much of this information is contradictory, and as time marches on, the truth becomes ever more difficult to separate from the lies. Even serious historical scholars disagree on this subject. But according to Mr. Stephens, it's plain as your nose that there was absolutely no military or political justification for it. It was a war crime on par with the crimes of the Germans, perpetrated solely out of racist hatred. Excuse me. that is what we call an OPINION, and honest people are careful to avoid confusing opinions with FACTS. Not all of the content specifically attacks western culture, but the leftward slant overall made me turn the book sideways to read it. No honest history buff will deny the ugly facts of history, the crimes that men have perpetrated on one another. But trivializing the acheivements of western society, while magnifying, distorting, and dwelling on the faults is not the answer. I have no desire to tear my own house down because its conception was less than pristine. By current standards, Lincoln was a racist, Jefferson was a sexist, knights were serial killers, and Joan of Arc was a raving lunatic. But a good historian knows better than to judge history by current standards. An honest historian presents history in context, in all of its morally ambiguous, muddled glory.
Rating: 
Summary: Skewed History 101
Review: Although packaged as an informative and entertaining take on little known facts of history, this is little more than a boilerplate liberal screed. I am a lover of unbiased history, as objective as humanly possible. I resent any author, liberal or conservative, spoon feeding me his/er philosophy and politics under the guise of "History", even in a supposedly lighthearted, non-scholarly book such as this. Any fan of revisionist history will love it. Let me save the prospective buyer some time. -Western culture is evil and corrupt. -Republicans are idiots. -The Catholic church is run by idiots. -Conservatives in general are idiots. -Republican presidents are idiots. -Ronald Reagan, in particular, was an idiot. -Supporters of the death penalty are idiots. -Opponents of liberal agenda items such as the ERA are idiots. -The Aztecs, Incas, and Native Americans were noble, peacable, civilized children of the earth. Their European competitors were wicked, despicable, craven monstrosities masquerading as human beings. -Western civilization didn't really invent anything, or make any significant contributions to the advancement of humanity. -The Nuclear bombing of Japan was an indefensible disgrace, done for no other reason than sheer racial hatred of the Japanese. In most of these cases, their are two sides to the argument, and room for reasonable people to disagree. But be warned, in this book one and only one side will be presented. For example, there is a wealth of information surrounding the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Unfortunately, much of this information is contradictory, and as time marches on, the truth becomes ever more difficult to separate from the lies. Even serious historical scholars disagree on this subject. But according to Mr. Stephens, it's plain as your nose that there was absolutely no military or political justification for it. It was a war crime on par with the crimes of the Germans, perpetrated solely out of racist hatred. Excuse me. that is what we call an OPINION, and honest people are careful to avoid confusing opinions with FACTS. Not all of the content specifically attacks western culture, but the leftward slant overall made me turn the book sideways to read it. No honest history buff will deny the ugly facts of history, the crimes that men have perpetrated on one another. But trivializing the acheivements of western society, while magnifying, distorting, and dwelling on the faults is not the answer. I have no desire to tear my own house down because its conception was less than pristine. By current standards, Lincoln was a racist, Jefferson was a sexist, knights were serial killers, and Joan of Arc was a raving lunatic. But a good historian knows better than to judge history by current standards. An honest historian presents history in context, in all of its morally ambiguous, muddled glory.
Rating:
Summary: the very best
Review: Awesome book. The best thing I like about the books is that, most of the details are quoted from the people, who lived the history, - and not what the writer thinks happened. In several places the author includes stories from each party involved in the event that made the history. For e.g. there is a detail account of what Fanny thought had happened at Fort Sully and also what the Native Americans had narrated. The book is a must buy, if you like to go into details.
Rating: 
Summary: Book collapses when dealing with the Aztecs
Review: It tries to show the Aztecs of the 16th century as so favorable (like that they had little crime and good mail system). These Indians were cannibals! Who, in their right mind, cares if they delivered mail well as they drank each other's blood and ate each other's flesh constantly? The Mexicans are definitely mostly idiots now to prefer cannibal king Montezuma the Second to Christian Conquerer Cortez.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it, Loved it, Loved it!!!!
Review: One of my favorite wacky history books. Several of the items
I had already come across in more serious tomes but lots of
fun stuff like a list of Presidental nicknames.
A great source of social history but remember to bring your
sense of humour with you!
<< 1 >>
| 
