Lies My Teacher Told Me: Amazon.co.uk: J. Loewen: Books

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Synopsis
Criticizes the way history is presented in current textbooks, and suggests a fresh and more accurate approach to teaching American history.

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63 Reviews

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4.2 out of 5 stars (63 customer reviews)

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let's stop encouraging mindless conformity, 30 Aug 1999

By A Customer

Whether or not they agree with all of Loewen's analyses, most people would admit that high school American history texts are pretty boring. Loewen focuses on the problem; publishers are afraid to offend anyone, so textbooks see the government as altruistic, past leaders as cardboard heroes and US history as a constant progression towards some idealistic goal. The books tend to leave out direct quotes from speeches and other primary sources, they fail to make connections between the past and present, and they gloss over the recent past. Loewen's point is not that we have to agree with all his viewpoints but that we need to train students to think. Teachers can't do so if the entire class, by seeing history as a bunch of isolated facts to be memorized, is being put to sleep.

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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good critique, but also well worth reading US history, 27 Jun 2001

By	R. J. M. Baines "rupert" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong (Hardcover)

Two books in one.

A critique of how history is taught in US (though I bet much of this is relevant elsewhere...), with "Disneyfied" propaganda replacing facts - or more important - eliminating open debate & analysis. That is intriguing, but I got bored after a few chapters: there is a limit to the number of times you need to be told the same point.

Much more interesting, is the way that the book is constructed as a dozen chapters on episodes from US history. These make a very interesting view of US history, from Columbus, through to Vietnam.

I would recomend it anyone looking for a concise, opinionated, iconoclastic history of USA. Similar to Zinn "People's History" but a lot shorter & pithier (if less scholarly)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book. Should Be Read By Everyone., 5 Jul 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong (Hardcover)

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.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Lies My Teacher Told Me by J. Loewen. Very good.
The book "Lies my teacher told me: everything your American History Textbook got wrong" is by James W. Loewen. It covers many issues about patriotism and related topics. Read more

Published 23 months ago by E. R. CURRY

4.0 out of 5 stars America the beautiful
After reading this book I became more aware of things as I read them. Started questioning and not getting answers. Read more

Published on 19 Jul 2006 by Helen Greely

1.0 out of 5 stars Politically-correct lock-step nonsense
This hyper-politically-correct tome will win the affection of academia, with their hatred of power (real or perceived) and hostility toward the very idea of dispassionate truth... Read more

Published on 30 Aug 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars The evidence is compelling!
This is an excellent book that should be read by every American. The references are also excellent. Read more

Published on 23 Aug 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars the real history emerges
With all the bias that exists in our history classes, this gives a more accurate desription about American histroy and how it should be thought. Read more

Published on 29 Jul 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent review of US history textbooks
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. Read more

Published on 24 Jul 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars fascinating- makes you question what you learned
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. Read more

Published on 21 Jul 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars The truth must be told.
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... Read more

Published on 19 Jul 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars This Book Makes You Think
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. Read more

Published on 6 Jul 1999

3.0 out of 5 stars Good ideas don't make up for poor writing.
Having learned the hard way (poor marks), I learned some time ago that good ideas do not compensate for poor writing. Read more

Published on 2 Jul 1999

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Lies My Teacher Told Me (Paperback)

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	81% buy the item featured on this page: Lies My Teacher Told Me 4.2 out of 5 stars (63)
	12% buy Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Text Book Got Wrong 4.0 out of 5 stars (3) �14.69
	7% buy History in Practice (Hodder Arnold Publication) 2.3 out of 5 stars (3) �17.09