Photo Credit: Troy Johnson, AALBC.com
Howard Zinn, professor emeritus at Boston University, is a
historian, playwright, and social activist. The author of numerous books, he has
received the Lannan Foundation Literary Award for Nonfiction, and the Eugene V.
Debs Award for his writing and political activism. In 2003 he was awarded the
Prix des Amis du Monde Diplomatique.
Howard Zinn has been fighting for progressive causes since the 1930s, when he
began organizing workers in the New York City shipyards. He later embarked on an
enduring career teaching political science first at Spelman College and then at
Boston University.
Over the years, the celebrated firebrand wrote numerous eye-opening books
advocating economic and social justice, perhaps most significantly, A People's
History of the United States, an incendiary work which turns many of the
prevailing myths about America on their heads. Presented from the perspectives
of assorted minorities and women, it, for example, portrays leaders of slave and
Indian revolts like Nat Turner, John Brown and Geronimo as heroes, and
once-revered, fat cat Presidents like Washington and Jefferson as exploitative
slave owners guilty of expansionist ethnic cleansing.
Besides teaching and writing, Professor Zinn repeatedly risked life and limb by personally participating in the civil rights, ant-war and other activist movements.
Howard Zinn & Walter Mosley - Excerpt from Conversation, July 21st 2007 at the Harlem Book Fair (11:22 mins)
A
People's History of the United States 1492 - Present
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ISBN: 0060838655
ISBN-13: 9780060838652
Format: Paperback, 729pp
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People's History of the United States is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of -- and in the words of -- America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, working poor, and immigrant laborers.
This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
Since its original landmark publication in 1980, A People's
History of the United States has been chronicling American history from the
bottom up, throwing out the official version of history taught in schools --
with its emphasis on great men in high places -- to focus on the street, the
home, and the, workplace.
Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People's
History is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of --
and in the words of -- America's women, factory workers, African-Americans,
Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers. As historian Howard
Zinn shows, many of our country's greatest battles -- the fights for a fair
wage, an eight-hour workday, child-labor laws, health and safety standards,
universal suffrage, women's rights, racial equality -- were carried out at the
grassroots level, against bloody resistance. Covering Christopher Columbus's
arrival through President Clinton's first term, A People's History of the United
States, which was nominated for the American Book Award in 1981, features
insightful analysis of the most important events in our history.
Revised, updated, and featuring a new after, word by the author, this special
twentieth anniversary edition continues Zinn's important contribution to a
complete and balanced understanding of American history
Impeach the President:
The Case Against Bush and Cheney
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ISBN: 1583227431
ISBN-13: 9781583227435
Format: Paperback, 208pp
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
"They can say that Homeland Security and FEMA are on the job, but New Orleans proves them wrong. They can claim they're winning the war on terror and the war in Iraq, but everyday the facts belie their claims. They can assure us that they're protecting our civil liberties and doing everything by the book, but nearly every week brings fresh revelations of their lawbreaking."
'from the Conclusion
In the face of the extraordinary
and unprecedented threat the White House and its allies present to civil
liberties, civil rights, the Constitution, international law, and the
future of the planet, this persuasive collection makes the case that a
drastically different political dynamic must be created right now.
Impeach the President is a comprehensive analysis of a criminal
administration. It unearths the stories behind voter fraud in 2000 and
2004, the overt lies used to justify pre-emptive war on Iraq, the
extensive, ongoing commission of war crimes and torture, the tragic
failures in the lead-up to and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and
lesser-known but equally alarming offences of propaganda and
disinformation, illegal spying, environmental destruction, and the
violation of the separation of church and state. Loo and Phillips
chillingly reveal the full threat behind the radical right-wing force
that has taken over the most powerful office in the world.
The collection includes a striking introduction by Howard Zinn and
contributions from Dennis Loo, Peter Phillips, Judith Volkart, Dahr
Jamail, Jeremy Brecher, Jill Cutler, Brendan Smith, Larry Everest, Greg
Palast, Nancy Snow, Barbara J. Bowley, Mark Crispin Miller, Kevin Wehr,
Richard Heinberg, Lyn Duff, Dennis Bernstein, Bridget Thornton, Lew
Brown, Andrew Sloan, Cynthia Boaz, and Michael Nagler.
Impeach the President issues a clarion call for a popular movement
even more powerful than the antiwar movement of the 1960s. As the
authors write in the preface, "Governments do not fall of their own
weight; they must be driven out."
The Darker Nations: A
People's History of the Third World
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Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: New Press (January 28, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1565847857
ISBN-13: 978-1565847859
A landmark study that offers an alternative history of the Cold War from the point of view of the world's poor.
"Europe" is morally, spiritually indefensible. And
today the indictment is brought against it'by tens and tens of thousands
of millions of men who, from the depths of slavery, set themselves up as
judges.''Aim' C'saire, Discourse on Colonialism
Here, from a brilliant young writer, is a paradigm-shifting history of
both a utopian concept and global movement'the idea of the Third World.
The Darker Nations traces the intellectual origins and the
political history of the twentieth century attempt to knit together the
world's impoverished countries in opposition to the United States and
Soviet spheres of influence in the decades following World War II.
Spanning every continent of the global South, Vijay Prashad's
fascinating narrative takes us from the birth of postcolonial nations
after World War II to the downfall and corruption of nationalist
regimes. A breakthrough book of cutting-edge scholarship, it includes
vivid portraits of Third World giants like India's Nehru, Egypt's
Nasser, and Indonesia's Sukarno'as well as scores of extraordinary but
now-forgotten intellectuals, artists, and freedom fighters. The
Darker Nations restores to memory the vibrant though flawed idea of
the Third World, whose demise, Prashad ultimately argues, has produced a
much impoverished international political arena. 12 b/w photographs.
A Young People's
History of the United States, Vol. 1: Columbus to
the Robber Barons
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ISBN: 1583227598
ISBN-13: 9781583227596
Format: Hardcover, 192pp
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
Age Range: Young Adult
Praise for A People's History of the United States:
"Professor Zinn writes with an enthusiasm rarely encountered in the
leaden prose of academic history, and his text is studded with telling
quotations from labor leaders, war resisters and fugitive slaves. There
are vivid descriptions of events that are usually ignored."
'Eric Foner, The New York Times Book Review
Howard Zinn's first book for young adults is a retelling of US history
from the viewpoints of slaves, workers, immigrants, women, and Native
Americans with color images, a glossary, and primary sources. Volume one
begins with a look at Christopher Columbus' arrival through the eyes of
the Arawak Indians and leads the reader through the strikes and
rebellions of the industrial age.
A
Young People's History of the United States, Vol. 2:
The Spanish-American War to the War on Terror
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ISBN: 1583227601
ISBN-13: 9781583227602
Format: Hardcover, 256pp
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
Age Range: Young Adult
In volume two, Howard Zinn's lively, clear prose guides the reader through the wars and revolutions of the twentieth century. Zinn continues his retelling up to the policies and resistances that have characterized the war on terror and that shape the United States of America today. Includes a final chapter updating our country's history to the present moment.
Just
War: by Howard Zinn
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ISBN: 8881585723
ISBN-13: 9788881585724
Format: Textbook Paperback, 72pp
Publisher: Charta
Edition Number: 1
by Howard Zinn, Strada, Gino Strada, Moises Saman (Photographer)
From the author of the classic college campus favorite and perennial seller A People's History of the United States comes a short, intense polemic on the political direction of those United States, towards what seems to Zinn like perpetual war. Just War is based on a lecture given in Rome, where, as Zinn addressed an Italian audience, a public known for its negative opinions of recent American foreign policy, he could be direct about his own feelings. "I come from a country which is at war, as it has been almost continuously: and for that I feel shame." His rousing call to the only "just war," the "war against war," which concludes that "perhaps it will take a combination of factors to end war: but we must all play a part," is a must-read for those who know and trust his work, and, for those concerned about current events and looking for strong and morally driven persepctives, it is an excellent introduction to a great thinker
You Can't Be Neutral
on a Moving Train
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ISBN: 0807071277
ISBN-13: 9780807071274
Format: Paperback, 224pp
Publisher: Beacon Press
The acclaimed author of A People's History of the United
States brings to life more than 30 years of American social history by
telling the stories behind his politically engaged life.
From the Publisher
"An inspiring autobiography . . . in the tradition of Martin Luther King's 'Letter from a Birmingham Jail.' "
'Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air, National Public Radio
Beacon Press is proud to publish a new edition of the classic memoir by one of our most lively, influential, and engaged teachers and activists. Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States, tells his personal stories about more than thirty years of fighting for social change, from teaching at Spelman College to recent protests against war.
A former bombardier in WWII, Zinn emerged in the civil rights movement as a powerful voice for justice. Although he's a fierce critic, he gives us reason to hope that by learning from history and engaging politically, we can make a difference in the world.
"A teacher who committed his politically engaged life to the belief that love is a command to action."
'Colman McCarthy, The Washington Post
"A powerful, politically electric book from one of the most engaging social critics in the nation."
'Jonathan Kozol
"Zinn explains his involvement in the struggles for civil rights, against war and in support of organized labor. . . . These are lively tales."
'The New York Times Book Review
A Power Governments Cannot Suppress
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ISBN: 0872864758
ISBN-13: 9780872864757
Format: Paperback, 308pp
Publisher: City Lights Books
"Thank you, Howard Zinn. Thank you for telling us what none of our
leaders are willing to: The truth. And you tell it with such brilliance,
such humanity. It is a personal honor to be able to say I am a better
citizen because of you."
Michael Moore, director of the film Fahrenheit 9/11, and author of the
New York Times bestseller, Stupid White Men ...and Other Sorry Excuses
for the State of the Nation!
"This strong, incisive book by Howard Zinn provides us with a
penetrating critique of current U.S. policies and embraces the sweep of
history. Zinn's inspired voice sets him apart ... which is why so many
of us look to Howard as a modern-day Thoreau. As always with Zinn's
work, A Power Governments Cannot Suppress leaves us with the faith that
citizens have what it takes to confront power and to reverse the
dangerous and unjust acts of our government."
Jonathan Kozol, author of The Shame of The Nation: The Restoration of
Apartheid Schooling in America
"Find here the voice of the well-educated and honorable and capable and
human United States of America, which might have existed if only
absolute power had not corrupted its third-rate leaders so absolutely."
Kurt Vonnegut, author of A Man Without a Country
"Howard Zinn is a unique voice of sanity, clarity and wisdom who reads
history not only to understand the present but to shape the future.
...Profoundly insightful... A Power Governments Cannot Suppress should
be read by every American, over and over again."
Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun Magazine, author of The Left Hand of
God: Taking Back our Country from the Religious Right
"This brilliant new book-like Howard Zinn'spresence, and his whole life,
is the best possible antidote to political despair. Read it, and rejoin
the struggle for a human world and a foreign policy that's good for
children."
-Daniel Ellsberg released the Pentagon Papers in 1971 and is author of
Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers
A Power Governments Cannot Suppress, is a major new collection of essays
on American history, class, immigration, justice, and ordinary citizens
who have made a difference. Zinn addresses America's current
political/ethical crisis using lessons learned from our nation's
history. Zinn brings a profoundly human, yet uniquely American
perspective to each subject he writes about, whether it's the abolition
of war, terrorism, the Founding Fathers, the Holocaust, defending the
rights of immigrants, or personal liberties. Written in an accessible,
personal tone, Zinn approaches the telling of U.S. history from an
active, engaged point of view. "America's future is linked to how we
understand our past," writes Zinn; "For this reason, writing about
history, for me, is never a neutral act."
Zinn frames the book with an opening essay titled "If History is to be
Creative," a reflection on the role and responsibility of the historian.
"To think that history-writing must aim simply to recapitulate the
failures that dominate the past," writes Zinn, "is to make historians
collaborators in an endless cycle of defeat." "If history is to be
creative, to anticipate a possible future without denying the past, it
should, I believe, emphasize new possibilities by disclosing those
hidden episodes of the past when, even if in brief flashes, people
showed their ability to resist, to join together, and occasionally win.
I am supposing, or perhaps only hoping, that our future may be found in
the past's fugitive moments of compassion rather than in its solid
centuries of warfare."
Buzzing with stories and ideas, Zinn draws upon fascinating,
little-known historical anecdotes spanning from the Declaration of
Independence to the USA PATRIOT Act to comment on the most controversial
issues facing us today: government dishonesty, how to respond to
terrorism, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the loss of our liberties,
immigration, and the responsibility of the citizen to confront power for
the common good.
Considered a "modern-day Thoreau" by Jonathon Kozol, Zinn's inspired
writings address the reader as an active participant in history making.
"We live in a beautiful country," writes Zinn, in the book's opening
chapter. "But people who have no respect for human life, freedom, or
justice have taken it over. It is now up to all of us to take it back."
Featuring essays penned over an eight-year period, A Power Governments
Cannot Suppress is Howard Zinn's first writerly work in several years,
an invaluable post-9/11-era addition to the themes that run through his
bestselling classic, A People's History Of the United States.
Howard Zinn is a veteran of World War II and author of many books and
plays, including the million-selling classic, A People's History of the
United States.
The Twentieth Century: A People's History
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Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1 edition (February 4, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060530340
ISBN-13: 978-0060530341
Containing just the twentieth-century chapters from
Howard Zinn's bestselling A People's History of the United States, this
revised and updated edition includes two new chapters -- covering
Clinton's presidency, the 2000 Election, and the "war on terrorism."
Highlighting not just the usual terms of presidential administrations
and congressional activities, this book provides you with a
"bottom-to-top" perspective, giving voice to our nation's minorities and
letting the stories of such groups as African Americans, women, Native
Americans, and the laborers of all nationalities be told in their own
words.
Original Zinn: Conversations on History and Politics
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ISBN: 0060844256
ISBN-13: 9780060844257
Format: Paperback, 167pp
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Edition Number: 1
Historian, activist, and bestselling author Howard Zinn
has been interviewed by David Barsamian for public radio numerous times
over the past decade. Original Zinn is a collection of their
conversations, showcasing the acclaimed author of A People's History of
the United States at his most engaging and provocative.
Touching on such diverse topics as the American war machine, civil
disobedience, the importance of memory and remembering history, and the
role of artists'from Langston Hughes to Dalton Trumbo to Bob Dylan'in
relation to social change, Original Zinn is Zinn at his irrepressible
best, the acute perception of a scholar whose impressive knowledge and
probing intellect make history immediate and relevant for us all.
