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A review by bookstolivewith
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A few weeks ago, I made a post discussing how I had never heard the word anti-racism before. However, Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen— which literally won an anti-racism award — uses the word nonchalantly & frequently as an established term, & I really had to process the fact that I could have had that information, that word since at least 2014. I didn’t want it though — I didn’t want to read this book, had zero interest in it until now; I’ve come to terms with that & I’m moving forward.
That being said, this book is an incredible insight into American history — not only does it break down & break apart some of the more pervasive nationalistic myths embodied in American history, it also provides “new” information & advice for publishers, teachers (Loewen has been both a teacher & a textbook author since the 1970s, so he knows what he’s talking about), students & Americans to figure out how to move forward with this “new” information & spread the word.
It’s in no way comprehensive, but Loewen touches on everything from Columbus’ invasion of America to the Iraq War & how our interpretation of history is just as affected by the present moment as it is by the past. For me those were some of the most interesting moments — to see how history was rewritten, even when contemporaries of the event knew exactly what was going on (this especially applies to the Reconstruction era).
It also addresses how textbooks are failing & damaging American students of all socioeconomic classes & races, & how we need to be more honest with our past in order to make history interesting for everyone, not just white dudes (who, as Loewen points out, still often aren’t that interested). He specifically asks us to engage in & wrestle with big questions & embrace the idea that history is in not really linear, or concrete, or fixed and fated. There are so many great points and quotes, I underlined like half the book, I’m pretty sure!
If you’ve been looking for more information about American history, love doing research or are just a history buff, this is definitely for you! It’s highly readable, despite how dense it is, & just totally enrapturing.
That being said, this book is an incredible insight into American history — not only does it break down & break apart some of the more pervasive nationalistic myths embodied in American history, it also provides “new” information & advice for publishers, teachers (Loewen has been both a teacher & a textbook author since the 1970s, so he knows what he’s talking about), students & Americans to figure out how to move forward with this “new” information & spread the word.
It’s in no way comprehensive, but Loewen touches on everything from Columbus’ invasion of America to the Iraq War & how our interpretation of history is just as affected by the present moment as it is by the past. For me those were some of the most interesting moments — to see how history was rewritten, even when contemporaries of the event knew exactly what was going on (this especially applies to the Reconstruction era).
It also addresses how textbooks are failing & damaging American students of all socioeconomic classes & races, & how we need to be more honest with our past in order to make history interesting for everyone, not just white dudes (who, as Loewen points out, still often aren’t that interested). He specifically asks us to engage in & wrestle with big questions & embrace the idea that history is in not really linear, or concrete, or fixed and fated. There are so many great points and quotes, I underlined like half the book, I’m pretty sure!
If you’ve been looking for more information about American history, love doing research or are just a history buff, this is definitely for you! It’s highly readable, despite how dense it is, & just totally enrapturing.