“If you don’t know history, it is as if you were born yesterday.” -Howard Zinn
Jenners and I have decided to read Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States…mostly because it’s been sitting on both of our shelves for way too long. (Confession: I actually had a copy for years, I got rid of it, and then after Zinn’s death I bought it again. What a dork.)
However, since this is a long-ass book (sorry, Howard, but it’s true) and neither one of us is frothing at the mouth to finish it any time soon, we’re going to take a leisurely route through history. And we’d love it if you’d join us.
In other words, it’s a readalong! A People’s Readalong!
I actually considered naming it the “Have Some Zin with Your Zinn Readalong,” but considering the length of the book (and the readalong), we’d all be in a state of perpetual drunkenness.
The plan is to read a chapter a week. We’ll start reading next week (or feel free to start now), with the first chapter due on Monday, January 16th. There are 25 chapters (and an afterword that we’ll just include with that last chapter), so if all goes well, we should be able to put this readalong to bed by July 9th.
My plan is to post on the week’s chapter every Monday. That post will also serve as a check-in post. Feel free to post about your thoughts whenever you’d like, or to just leave comments on my post. This is a super casual readalong, so you won’t be kicked out of the country if you’re not on task.
Have I talked you into joining us?
I had not hear much about this book, but I will be interested in hearing you and Jenners talk about it, and it might just inspire me to pick it up and give it a whirl. Good Luck to the two of you!
zibilee´s last [type] ..Ready Player One by Ernest Cline — 384 pgs
It’s kind of a big deal in revisionist history circles. I think I bought my first copy when I was actually a history major in college. I just never read it.
I think I will cheer you on from the sidelines… go go Jill! Go go Jenners! WOOT! WOOT!
Sheila (Book Journey)´s last [type] ..Morning Meanderings… an exciting Blog Unveiling!
Wimp.
I will join u. I was so priveleged to march next to zinn through Boston in protest prior to the invasion of Iraq
I think I might do this with ya’ll…just ordered my copy
Patti Smith´s last [type] ..2011 Challenge Wrap Up
Yes!!!!!!!!! (I’m just a wee bit excited that there are now three of us.)
I read this years ago, and its an interesting book – on the bright side, he has fairly straightforward language throughout. It was interesting – terribly biased, but he points out WHY its biased, and it makes an interesting premise for a book. There’s ayoung people’s version that is supposedly quite good if you don’t want to read the big one
NOW you tell us. Hmph.
I’ve been pretty impressed with what I’ve read of Zinn so far. He seems pretty easy going for an activist guy…in other words, he didn’t take himself so seriously that I won’t be able to stand it.
Yeah good point about seriousness
- when one considers how short of a time we have on the planet & how difficult it can be to effect even the smallest change in the world…may as well enjoy some of the time we have here.
Damn … why didn’t we find the young people’s version? I’m actually kind of excited to read this on a super casual basis. I’m heading off to my blog to spread the word as well.
Jenners´s last [type] ..Take A Chance Challenge 3 Winner
I know. If I didn’t already own the big people’s version, we’d be having a kiddie readalong.
Lord, I hope I didn’t order the kids’ version
Patti Smith´s last [type] ..Top Ten Tuesday – Books I’m Looking Forward to Reading in 2012
Hmmmm, a young person’s version, you say? Hmmmm.
Nah, I just can’t commit! I have a heavy heavy January already.
But then, I wonder if the library has a copy…
Care´s last [type] ..In 2012, I hope to…
January, shmanuary. Start reading in February. You have til July to catch up. Pleeeenty of time.
I’ve thought of reading this one several times, though I’ve heard he’s very biased (as mentioned above). However, apparently he was a neighbor and very good friend of Matt Damon’s parents and Damon is a huge fan of his. This is one of his favorite books. (I read all of that in an article once upon a time).
I’m considering joining you in this considering it’s so leisurely. Is your first check in on Monday, or are you starting to read the actual book on this coming Monday? Another trip to the bookstore for another chunkster? Leave it to Jill to make me do it.
Wallace´s last [type] ..Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life With John F. Kennedy
That explains why Matt Damon was involved in the movie version where they read famous excerpts from history. I have that DVD on hold at the library.
And the first check in/chapter isn’t due until the 16th. You can start reading whenever.
I didn’t even know there WAS a movie version. Must look into that. The Book Loft didn’t have a copy in, so they ordered me one… it’ll be here Tuesday so I’ll start on then.
Wallace´s last [type] ..Schoolgirl by Osamu Dazai
This intrigues me … adding it to my list!
Stephanie´s last [type] ..Thoughts on Blogging
Have been wanting to read this for ages, but it would be disastrous for me to attempt two read-alongs at the same time
JoAnn´s last [type] ..Wondrous Words Wednesday
Having realized I don’t like read-a-longs last year, I now realize I don’t like them for fiction. I rarely read nonfiction, but I’ve had this book on my physical shelf since the late 1990′s and on my Kindle for two years; it’s time to read it. I’m in! I’ll post about it tomorrow. Thanks for hosting!
nomadreader´s last [type] ..book review: The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar
Count me in! I read the graphic novel adaptation of the book last year and loved it. Thanks for hosting this!
Vasilly´s last [type] ..Otherwise
My boyfriend purchased a copy of this last year and we’ve both been meaning to pick it up. I’m going to try and convince him to try and follow along as well. Right now I’m hoping I can do it. Great idea!
Beth´s last [type] ..My Year in Reading: 2011
Ok, I decided to join and I picked up a copy today! I’m a little concerned about the revisionist thing, though… I need to do some research about it.
I’d love to join in for a re-read. If I can pick up a newer version maybe I’ll jump in in February..my copy was published in 1980. I had the pleasure of seeing Zinn speak several times and the amount of information he had in his head was amazing. I miss him and can’t wait to read what you both think of this book.
gavin´s last [type] ..Anathem by Neal Stephenson
Dont get all hung up by hanging a “revisionist” label on Zinn. Keep an open mind. The first few pages about Columbus have been enough already to curl my hair compared to the spoonfed pablum served up in school.
I’m in! My book arrived yesterday. My son learned about Columbus’ evil in high school – I sure didn’t. One more reason for him to feel superior to his aging mother.
Kim´s last [type] ..Book Blurb Friday – 01/06/12
For those replying here concerned about BIAS and REVISIONISM, I would encourage y’all to skip to the afterward in this book where Zinn addresses these concerns. One of the words, synonyms, that Zinn uses for BIAS is “Viewpoint”. Zinn’s viewpoint about Christians and Christianity is very BIASED and as a Christian myself, it could be very easy for me to cast the book aside and label it as “anti-Christian” without considering the merits of the research and Zinn’s viewpoint. I am sure that most on this blog would agree with Zinn that the Spaniard’s in Columbus’ crew treatment of the Indians in Haiti was absolutely anything but “Christian”……e.g. “cutting pieces of flesh off of Indians to test the sharpness of their blades” ???????????????? make me barf………. I don’t know about you, but that bias or viewpoint was never presented to me in school.
I originally read Jenners post regarding this readalong a few days ago and honestly, it stuck with me. I’ve always been a fan of learning about the “real” story rather than what we’ve been told in the textbooks. I’m off to check if my library has a copy and/or get it for my iPad. I will also be joining in the Readalong and can’t wait for the conversations to begin!
Stacy (A Novel Source)´s last [type] ..Weekend Cooking: Molten Brownie Bites from 400 Calorie Fix
I have an old copy but plan on picking up the latest version so I can join you. Our middle school library has the Young People’s version and the students love it.
gavin´s last [type] ..Sunday Salon – Announcing A Monthly Poetry Event
Man, why didn’t you do this a year ago when I was trying to get people to read it along with me?????
Kari´s last [type] ..Thoughts on 2011 and Looking Forward to 2012
because none of us wanted to admit back then that you had one bad ass terrific idea. take comfort in the fact that you were a year ahead of the curve…
This is a favorite of mine and I am so down with re-reading it again. Can’t wait to start!
If any of us have started reading it yet, the first Chapter about Columbus, the Spaniards and the Indians Columbus encounters in the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic etc, there are a couple of pages within this chapter where Zinn sort of goes off on a tangent and philosophizes about history and his view on how history can be told by various angles by emphasizing certain facts, de-emphasizing other facts, omitting certain facts, etc. etc. So my take is that almost all historians have bias.
Also, if any of us has worked for a corporation where profit trumps ethics, it struck me from what Columbus did way back then is a lot like how corporations work today. One thing Zinn doesn’t EMPHASIZE is that Columbus took years to get the money to make his first trip. His drive for GOLD described by Zinn in order to repay investors, strikes me very much like corporations today. Anything, for that quarterly profit report to Wall Street. The same forces that drive people today, drove Columbus to do what he did to Satisfy his stockholders.