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hopeandcoffee 's review for:
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
by James W. Loewen
This book was a captivating summary of what my high school American history class SHOULD have taught as well as what it probably did teach. It was a fascinating read, covering the truth and complexity behind America's less than glamorous past, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in race issues, class struggles, and a fascinating treatment of historical struggles. My only real complaint is that the chapters aren't broken down into sections, which makes some of the transitions abrupt.
Entwined with fascinating, but often blood curdling, historical details, the main thrust of the book is that by leaving out the stories and ideas behind history, primarily to emphasize the "good" and "right" qualities of the dominating culture, history textbooks fail to teach anything meaningful and fail to capture students' attention long enough to teach them anything at all.
The result is scary. A recent poll (from the 90s) revealed that for the first time in history, young white adults are less tolerant than those over 30. Unlike similar books in this genre, this one provides little hope for change or guidance for protest. The profit motive is the main reason that textbooks have failed so miserably; it's no shock that the intolerant protest more loudly from America's school boards when a book presents more balanced information.
Entwined with fascinating, but often blood curdling, historical details, the main thrust of the book is that by leaving out the stories and ideas behind history, primarily to emphasize the "good" and "right" qualities of the dominating culture, history textbooks fail to teach anything meaningful and fail to capture students' attention long enough to teach them anything at all.
The result is scary. A recent poll (from the 90s) revealed that for the first time in history, young white adults are less tolerant than those over 30. Unlike similar books in this genre, this one provides little hope for change or guidance for protest. The profit motive is the main reason that textbooks have failed so miserably; it's no shock that the intolerant protest more loudly from America's school boards when a book presents more balanced information.