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Howard Zinn, A People's History of the United States (1980)
The premise of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States can be seen in much of the current political discourse. It claims that those at the very top of the economic ladder exploit the majority of the population for their own gain. Zinn sought to tell an alternative version of history, one that focused on ordinary individuals rather than well-known figures. The book has been praised for its novel approach as much as it has been criticized. Historians have accused Zinn of ignoring important historical events when they do not suit his thesis. Nonetheless, the book has infiltrated popular culture as few histories have -- musician Bruce Springsteen said his dark and spare 1982 Nebraska album was influenced by Zinn's book. |