Rating: 
Summary: Excellent review of US history textbooks
Review: By exposing a few areas where the most commonly used U.S. history textbooks "get it wrong" - completely wrong - and exploring the possible reasons why, Mr. Loewen has not only produced a well-written, fascinating expose, but also a well-thought-out discussion of the reasons why our history has become distorted and, in many cases, fictional. Mr. Loewen has no axe to grind, and this book will truly make you think - and also take what you read elsewhere with a grain of salt.
Rating: 
Summary: fascinating- makes you question what you learned
Review: Did not bore me with needless details. This book cuts straight to the chase, debunking a lot of history which we assumed was written in stone. It made me question what I learned in school as a child and made me seek out more information on various topics. Highly recommended for the soft core history enthusiast, who is curious about our true history.
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Summary: The truth must be told.
Review: I highly recommend this book. What I take away from it is that the need for civic myth and religion is so great that it has caused our nation's history text books to be severely warped by the omission of much information that is contrary to our national ideals and myths. In contrast to the history books, the author quotes primary sources as to what many historical figures thought at various points in their lives. These thoughts are frequently far from admirable but still, that is not a justifiable reason to deny that they occurred. We learn best from the complete truth, the least from omissions and lies. True history is a mess, filled with bad and good, sure steps and missteps, winners and losers, knowables and unknowables. Good history provides it all, and leaves the weighing of it up to the reader, not the author. Thus, this book argues by example in favor of good history.
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Summary: This Book Makes You Think
Review: As someone from the Show-Me state, I like this book.Whether you like this book or not, just look at how many reviews it has. The author has succeeded in making some people actually think. I used one of the text books he discussed (American Pageant), and still have it because I enjoyed it so much. However, he made me look at it in a new light. What I was most disappointed about was what my textbook had left out, such as entire military campaigns. I love military history. Don't the Americans who served in these campaigns have a right to be remembered? One thing I don't understand is why some people believe this book is leftist. The author discusses the possible connection of Castro in the assasination of John F. Kennedy. Why would a leftist do that? He discusses a time when we sent troops into Russia. In light of recent events, why wouldn't we all want to know more about that experience? Depending on who takes Yeltsin's place, we may have to do it again. I just wonder if some of the people criticizing this book even read it. The author clearly wants to improve American education and make Americans think for themselves and read the original sources rather than blindly trust textbooks designed to make schoolboards happy.
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Summary: An Excellent Book. Should Be Read By Everyone.
Review: Even if you think you're well acquainted with American history, you're in for a surprise. The information contained in this book is that which every American should know. It truly shows how relevant the study of history is to an adequate understanding of todays issues. Some readers may try to characterize this book as a leftist diatribe. I assure you, I've read many leftist critiques of our society and it's history, and this book is definitely not a leftist critique. It is remarkably even handed in it's treatment of all sides of the issues it addresses. Apparently some people don't like hearing the truth, but that is precisely why the history taught in schools is so inadequate (disgraceful is a more appropriate discription). Loewen is not concerned with promoting a single point of view. He is first and foremost a teacher. One who understands how important the truth is to an adequate understanding of the issues facing us today and to our ability to effectively deal with them.
Rating: 
Summary: Good ideas don't make up for poor writing.
Review: Having learned the hard way (poor marks), I learned some time ago that good ideas do not compensate for poor writing. While Loewen has some legitimate gripes regarding the state of the teaching of history, I cannot understand why his editors allowed the publication of such a manuscript. From poor use of the language, to spotty annotation, to haphazard construction, it was difficult to enjoy a book full of errors that, as an undergraduate, I would not have been allowed to commit. Futher, his suggestions for helping the situation (of teaching history) were presented in such a way as to go almost unnoticed. If you're going to complain, you better have a strong argument for how to fix the problem. Right to the end (a point I had not even realized I had reached. Again, weak construction.), I had to strain to find the direction and specific point of the book. It is a nobel argument, and one well worth further research. I'd just prefer better writing.
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Summary: CENSORSHIP IS UNAMERICAN!!!
Review: This book should definitely be required reading for allAmerican students. It is eye-opening, thought-provoking, andbrilliantly written and argued. American students should also be taught how to use their libraries to research the original source material (such as that referenced by this author) and encouraged to draw their own conclusions about our American history.
Rating: 
Summary: Aging leftist rants about past glories
Review: James W. Loewen, one of the last of the leftist jedi knights, is having difficulties dealing with the reality of history as it is tought toi America's youth. He and his borderline socialist proclivities try to decry any of the myth and magic pertaining to America's past. He attempts to humble our founding fathers while glorifying the historical unknowns simply because their meaningless lives are not dignified by a three day weekend as they would have turn 300 years old. Regardless of Leowen's so-called statistics (he warns us to never believe any statistics), and an endorsement by the only other historian who still claims Kennedy was killed by the military-industrial-complex -- Howard Zinn, his book is without focus or cohesive point of view. I warn anyone from paying the $14 for this book when you can sit around at a soup-kitchen and hear the same halucenogenic babble from a wandering vagabond
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Summary: PC Leftist Bull for ex-hippie history teachers
Review: This is just more dead-white male bashing from PC Thugs. At times, Loewen makes sense, but most of the time its just boring, reactionary ranting and sucking up to ex hippies. My own history teacher worships the book like its the bible, and this is totally nonsense because the majority of the books is completely opinated, leftist oriented, and filled with plenty of Loewen's own lies and made up facts. I'm sick of people blinded by the left (or right) in their pursuit of history.
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Summary: All this book is is new left BS to please ex-hippies
Review: This book is the rant of a man wo is fed up with the way that contemporary history teachers teach their classes. He wrote a long and exceedingly boring text to please aging hippies who want to enstil the age old fire into the younger generation of history students. As a book is is poory composed and the chapters are disconnected. If zero stars were possible, that is what I would give this book. I plead with any teacher not to assign this book to any of their young ideological stustory students.
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