Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your History Textbook Got Wrong

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Summary: A quote from book that says it all
Review: This is an excellent read. Perhaps a short quote from the book will best reveal it's thesis: "Indeed history is the only field in which the more courses students take, (in High School) the stupider they become." As a parent with two childred in grade school I have taken a whole new approach to my discussions of history with them. This should be required reading for grade school history teachers.

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Summary: Shocking; superb.
Review: Engaging and lucid, Loewen's analysis of the foibles of history teaching in U.S. public schools helped me in the process of re-evaluating my understanding of United States history and government. Would have blown my mind if I hadn't read Howard Zinn first. BTW, Amazon ships this book quickly at a good price -- I got it two days after ordering.

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Summary: The author forgot what his own title was.
Review: This book starts off on the right track. It corrects or fills in parts of early American history; Colubus, Revolutionary war, Civil war ect. BUT then it takes turn to push the authors own political agenda. The author believes that high school history should be used to push students toward his views. It is full of the usual jabs at the Reagan/Bush admin. with little supporting material to back up the claims. This author should have stuck to the title. Or the book should be retitled "Lies I Would Tell You if I Were Your Teacher"

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Summary: If you hated history class--this book will tell you why.
Review: Whether you are passively interested in politics or history or an old pro, you will learn something from this book. Even those who hated history class will not be able to put this book down as it exposes why American students are lied to in the classroom and what those lies are.

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Summary: If you liked this, you will also like...
Review: I would like to recommend another book that nicely complements this one, "Made in America" by Bill Bryson. Bryson is mainly a travel writer, and his works use a nice blend of astonishing facts and wry wit to capture his reader's attention. "Made in America" also takes a look at some fallacies of history as taught in American schools, and extrapolates that into a fun discourse on the genesis of American culture. Check out Bryson's works here at Amazon.com. Meanwhile, this book was a captivating read that would be great supplementary reading for history classes across the country

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Summary: Exciting, easy-reading account of America's REAL history
Review: Written in a breezy style that makes history come alive, this book is an eye-opener for anyone who learned American history in public schools. Loewen uses primary sources -- documents written by the people involved in the events -- to show how textbooks whitewash history, turning flawed, conflicted human beings into mythic heroes, and carefully avoiding controversy and conflict. Controversy and conflict, of course, being what really shapes events

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Summary: Everything you should have learned in high school.
Review: Loewen has done the dirty work for us. He has reasearched the "facts," he has examined the common American history textbooks in use today in high schools, and he has shown the difference between the two. Beyond that, Loewen's book should be taken as opinion, and therefore does not receive the highest rating. The book's excellent treatments of national heroes like Woodrow Wilson and Christopher Columbus, the examination of racism, the discussion of the social systems and the government, and the insights as to what textbooks could do more of are beneficial. Read this book to obtain a clearer understanding of American history and the shortfalls of what high school students learn as American history. Don't just read it as another history book which can be glanced at, memorized, and forgotten, because Loewen's points stick in the mind like a needle in the eye

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Summary: Breaks down all the thought barriers that school enforces.
Review: This is one of those books that will change your outlook on society as well as everything you know. The first history book I was able to read through thoroughly without losing interest. Loewen brings to light many facts that are often... obscured by by general consensus

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Summary: A must read for all!!
Review: This book is an astonishing, close-up look at the misrepresentation of American history in classical textbooks as well as in the classroom. It sheds light on lost, misinterpreted, and outright ignored facts about many of the people whom we've been taught to admire in our history. You do not know the truth until you read this book

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Summary: A stunning look at lies we were all taught in history class.
Review: This book surprised me with the amount of things I still didnot know. I consider myself well informed and I read deeply about somany of the lies we are fed in this society. Still it is quite a page turner from the first story to the next. Ok, here is a pop quiz, what did Helen Keller do? I have been asking my friends this question since I read this book. I'll give you a hint, she did a whole lot more than the little lie story you learned in school! You will be glad you read this book and want to buy copies for all of your friends that like to be well informed in this age of misinformation. Dance in the Light, We need it Now!