Most Popular Books by Howard Zinn

Howard Zinn establishes LaGuardia''s tenure in Congress as a vital link between the Progressive and New Deal eras, offering a lively and informative account of his many formative legislative battles and his political philosophy.

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, leading toward 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 perspectives, it is an excellent introduction to a great thinker.

A Young People''s History of the United States brings to US history the viewpoints of workers, slaves, immigrants, women, Native Americans, and others whose stories, and their impact, are rarely included in books for young people. A Young People''s History of the United States is also a companion volume to The People Speak, the film adapted from A People''s History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History of the United States. Beginning with a look at Christopher Columbus’s arrival through the eyes of the Arawak Indians, then leading the reader through the struggles for workers’ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and ending with the current protests against continued American imperialism, Zinn in the volumes of A Young People’s History of the United States presents a radical new way of understanding America’s history. In so doing, he reminds readers that America’s true greatness is shaped by our dissident voices, not our military generals.

A “well-chosen anthology of the radical historian’s prodigious output,” from A People’s History of the United States and lesser known sources (Kirkus Reviews). When Howard Zinn died in early 2010, millions of Americans mourned the loss of one of the nation’s foremost intellectual and political guides; a historian, activist, and truth-teller who, in the words of the New York Times’s Bob Herbert, “peel[ed] back the rosy veneer of much of American history to reveal sordid realities that had remained hidden for too long.” A collection designed to highlight Zinn’s essential writings, The Indispensable Zinn includes excerpts from Zinn’s bestselling A People’s History of the United States; his memoir, You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train; his inspiring writings on the civil rights movement, and the full text of his celebrated play, Marx in Soho. Noted historian and activist Timothy Patrick McCarthy provides essential historical and biographical context for each selection. With a foreword by Noam Chomsky and an afterword from Zinn’s former Spellman College student and longtime friend, Alice Walker, The Indispensable Zinn is both a fitting tribute to the legacy of a man whose “work changed the way millions of people saw the past,” and a powerful and accessible introduction for anyone coming to Zinn’s essential body of work for the first time (Noam Chomsky).

Leading intellectuals discuss the effects of the Cold War on academic freedom, intellectual life, and dissent in the academy.

Presents a collection of lessons and activities for teaching American history for students in middle school and high school.

Don''t you ever wonder: why is it necessary to declare me dead again and again? The premise of this witty and insightful "play on history" is that Karl Marx has agitated with the authorities of the afterlife for a chance to clear his name. Through a bureaucratic error, though, Marx is sent to Soho in New York, rather than his old stomping ground in London, to make his case. Zinn introduces us to Marx''s wife, Jenny, his children, the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin, and a host of other characters. Marx in Soho is a brilliant introduction to Marx''s life, his analysis of society, and his passion for radical change. Zinn also shows how relevant Marx''s ideas are for today''s world. Historian and activist Howard Zinn is the author of the bestselling A People''s History of the United States and numerous other writings. He recently received the Eugene V. Debs and Lannan Foundation awards for his writing and political activism. He is also the author of Emma, a play about Emma Goldman, in the anthology Playbook (South End Press). Praise for Marx in Soho: "An imaginative critique of our society''s hypocrisies and injustices, and an entertaining, vivid portrait of Karl Marx as a voice of humanitarian justice - which is perhaps the best way to remember him."-Kirkus Reviews "A cleverly imagined call to reconsider socialist theory... Zinn''s point is well made; his passion for history melds with his political vigor to make this a memorable effort and a lucid primer for readers desiring a succinct, dramatized review of Marxism."-Publishers Weekly "Even in heaven it seems, Karl Marx is a troublemaker. But in the deft and loving hands of activist/author/historian Howard Zinn, the historical figure... is also a father, a husband and a futurist possessing a grand sense of humor."-ForeWord "A witty delight that will engage both new and old acquaintances of the Marxian corpus.... Even conservatives will find Zinn''s [book]... an intelligent and diverting read. Recommended for academic and public libraries alike."-Library Journal

World-renowned historian Howard Zinn has turned to drama to explore the legacy of Karl Marx and Emma Goldman and to delve into the intricacies of political and social conscience perhaps more deeply than traditional history permits. Three Plays brings together all this work, including the previously unpublished Daughter of Venus, along with a new introductory essay on political theater, and prefaces to each of the plays.

Miners, musicians, and "counter girls" go on strike in this people''s history of work in the early 20th century by three acclaimed historians.

"Political power," says Howard Zinn, "is controlled by the corporate elite, and the arts are the locale for a kind of guerilla warfare in the sense that guerillas look for apertures and opportunities where they can have an effect." In Artists in Times of War, Zinn looks at the possibilities to create such apertures through art, film, activism, publishing and through our everyday lives. In this collection of four essays, the author of A People''s History of the United States writes about why "To criticize the government is the highest act of patriotism." Filled with quotes and examples from the likes of Bob Dylan, Mark Twain, e. e. cummings, Thomas Paine, Joseph Heller, and Emma Goldman, Zinn''s essays discuss America''s rich cultural counternarratives to war, so needed in these days of unchallenged U.S. militarism.

Here, in the magisterial yet plain-spoken style of A People''s History of the United States, is historian Howard Zinn''s long-awaited telling of these last six years of United States history, a time when catastrophic machinations of war have dictated our foreign and domestic policy, and when voices of resistance have appeared in the unlikeliest places. Perhaps more than any other American, Howard Zinn has helped us understand ourselves by deepening our understanding of our own history.

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.

A Young People''s History of the United States brings to US history the viewpoints of workers, slaves, immigrants, women, Native Americans, and others whose stories, and their impact, are rarely included in books for young people. Volume 1 begins with a look at Christopher Columbus’s arrival through the eyes of the Arawak Indians, then leads the reader through the earliest struggles for workers’ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights during the 18th and 19th centuries. Volume 2 picks the thread up in the early 20th century, covering both World Wars, Vietnam, the Black Rights movement, and ending with the current protests against continued American imperialism. Zinn presents a radical new way of understanding America’s history. In so doing, he reminds readers that America’s true greatness is shaped by our dissident voices, not our military generals. A Young People''s History of the United States is also a companion volume to The People Speak, the film adapted from A People''s History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History of the United States.

Interviews focusing on the last century take a look at history from the standpoint of the ordinary people of the country.

Howard Zinn''s cogent defense of civil disobedience.

Collected here is a brief history of America told through stories applauding the enduring spirit of dissent. To celebrate the millionth copy sold of his book, A People''s History of the United States, Howard Zinn drew on the words of Americans—some famous, some little known—across the range of American history. These words were read by a remarkable cast at an event held at the 92nd Street Y in New York City that included James Earl Jones, Alice Walker, Kurt Vonnegut, Alfre Woodard, Marisa Tomei, Danny Glover, Harris Yulin, Andre Gregory, and others. From that celebration, this book was born. Here in their own words, and interwoven with commentary by Zinn, are Columbus on the Arawaks; Plough Jogger, a farmer and participant in Shays'' Rebellion; Harriet Hanson, a Lowell mill worker; Frederick Douglass; Mark Twain; Mother Jones; Emma Goldman; Helen Keller; Eugene V. Debs; Langston Hughes; Genova Johnson Dollinger on a sit-down strike at General Motors in Flint, Michigan; an interrogation from a 1953 HUAC hearing; Fannie Lou Hamer, a sharecropper and member of the Freedom Democratic Party; Malcolm X; and James Lawrence Harrington, a Gulf War resister, among others.

Howard Zinn''s personal, historical, and political views on the significance of the U.S. bombings of Royan and Hiroshima

En ésta, su más famosa obra, Howard Zinn nos presenta una perspectiva lúcida e imprescindible de la historia de los Estados Unidos. Desde el primer encuentro entre los indígenas americanos y Cristóbal Colón, hasta las aposionadas protestas en contra de la invasión de Irak del 2003, Zinn nos enfrenta con el otro lado de la historia de los Estados Unidos. Lleno de humor, calidez y respeto por aquellos que se han dejado fuera de la historia prevaleciente, La otra historia de los Estados Unidos de muestra la importancia de las experiencias de afroamericanos, mujeres, indígenas, obreros e inmigrantes en la formación del país. La nueva edición de la La otra historia incluye un análisis de la presidencia Bush, escrito por el autor antes de su muerte, en el cual discute la controversia de la elección presidencial del 2000, las deciciones que se tomaron tras los ataques del 11 de septiembre del 2001, la reación del pueblo americano y la elecciones legislativas del 2006.

La brillante y conmovedora historia del pueblo estadounidense para lectores de escuela intermedia y secundaria, ahora revisada y actualizada para el centenario del nacimiento de Howard Zinn. La historia del pueblo de Estados Unidos para jóvenes cuenta las historias de obreros, personas esclavizadas, inmigrantes, mujeres, personas negras, latinoamericanos, asiaticoestadounidenses, indígenas estadounidenses y otros que comúnmente son excluidos de libros de texto pero que constituyen parte de la fuerza impulsora de la historia de nuestra nación. Comenzando con un vistazo a la llegada de Cristóbal Colón desde la perspectiva de los indígenas arahuacos, atravesando las luchas por los derechos civiles, derechos de los trabajadores y derechos de las mujeres a lo largo de los siglos diecinueve y veinte y concluyendo con los movimientos sociales actuales que exigen acción contra el cambio climática y justicia racdeial, Zinn propone una nueva y radical manera de comprender la historia de los Estados Unidos. Al hacerlo, les recuerda a los lectores que el camino de los Estados Unidos puede ser trazado por el pueblo en vez de los generales militares o los políticos. Esta edición revisada y actualizada incluye nuevos capítulos sobre la historia de los latinos en los Estados Unidos de Ed Morales, así como también actualizaciones y revisiones cortas a lo largo del texto de Rebecca Stefoff.

Cette histoire des États-Unis présente le point de vue de ceux dont les manuels d’histoire parlent habituellement peu. L’auteur confronte avec minutie la version officielle et héroïque (de Christophe Colomb à George Walker Bush) aux témoignages des acteurs les plus modestes. Les Indiens, les esclaves en fuite, les soldats déserteurs, les jeunes ouvrières du textile, les syndicalistes, les GI du Vietnam, les activistes des années 1980-1990, tous, jusqu’aux victimes contemporaines de la politique intérieure et étrangère américaine, viennent ainsi battre en brèche la conception unanimiste de l’histoire officielle. Auteur d’Une histoire populaire des États-Unis et d’une vingtaine d’ouvrages consacrés à l’incidence des mouvements populaires sur la société américaine, Howard Zinn (1922–2010) a été tour à tour docker, bombardier, cantonnier et manutentionnaire avant d’enseigner à la Boston University. Militant de la première heure pour les droits civiques et contre la guerre du Vietnam, il a conçu son métier d’historien comme indissociable d’un engagement dans les luttes sociales.

Pocos hombres han sido tan fieles al compromiso con la vida, la libertad y sus semejantes desfavorecidos como Howard Zinn. Parece improbable que un profesor de historia se vea involucrado, o incluso sea protagonista, de tantas peripecias y aventuras como él lo fue. Bombardero en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, profesor en una institución para mujeres afroamericanas durante la lucha por los derechos civiles en el sur de los EE.UU., activista antibélico y enviado a Hanoi durante la Guerra de Vietnam, protector del hombre que sustrajo los Papeles del Pentágono… Estas y otras son las estaciones de una vida intensa y plena de compromiso con la vida y las personas que le llevaron innumerables veces a la cárcel y fueron la causa de numeroso intentos de descrédito. Una vida vivida, nunca neutral ni objetiva. Porque solo los objetos pueden ser objetivos, mientras que los sujetos solo podemos poseer el intransferible néctar de la subjetividad. La historia del siglo XX vista a través de los ojos y vivencias de uno de los historiadores más eminentes del mundo. Unas memorias que se leen como una novela de aventuras que nos enseñan cómo en tiempos convulsos, en los que parece que el mundo carece de asideros fiables y referentes, pueden existir seres humanos comprometidos y esperanzados que nos recuerden el papel protagonista del ciudadano y su infinita fuerza para cambiar las cosas. “Si estás abrumado y enojado por las atrocidades de nuestro tiempo, esto inspirará a una nueva generación de activistas y personas comunes que buscan esperanza en la oscuridad”. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. “El trabajo de Howard Zinn literalmente cambió la conciencia de una generación”. Noam Chomsky. Un libro poderoso y políticamente electrizante de uno de los críticos sociales más atractivos”. Jonathan Kozol. "Una historia y un hacedor de historia para darnos esperanza". Alice Walker. "¡Toma este libro! ¡Empieza a leerlo! Te garantizo que no te detendrás. El maestro más influyente que he tenido continúa enseñándonos sobre la vida, la humanidad y la esperanza". Marian Wright Edelman."

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. Zinn shows that many of our country''s greatest battles

A Young People''s History of the United States brings to US history the viewpoints of workers, slaves, immigrants, women, Native Americans, and others whose stories, and their impact, are rarely included in books for young people. Volume 1 begins with a look at Christopher Columbus’s arrival through the eyes of the Arawak Indians, then leads the reader through the earliest struggles for workers’ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights during the 18th and 19th centuries. Volume 2 picks the thread up in the early 20th century, covering both World Wars, Vietnam, the Black Rights movement, and ending with the current protests against continued American imperialism. Zinn presents a radical new way of understanding America’s history. In so doing, he reminds readers that America’s true greatness is shaped by our dissident voices, not our military generals. A Young People''s History of the United States is also a companion volume to The People Speak, the film adapted from A People''s History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History of the United States.