[mrsfrenchy]

<p>Does anyone have any good book or documentary recommendations for learning 'real' american history as an adult, if you've been taught some version of the "American Myth" throughout your schooling?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>refer to this thread if you're confused as to what i'm referring to:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1279672/concerned-about-history-classes-in-north-american-schools#post_16049656">http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1279672/concerned-about-history-classes-in-north-american-schools#post_16049656</a></p>

 

[Chamomile Girl]

<p>I would start with Howard Zinn's <em>A People's History of the United States</em> and Ronald Takaki's <em>A Different Mirror.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I also really enjoyed <em>The Open Veins of Latin America</em> for info about American Imperialism Latin America.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And although it pains me to say it there is lots of good stuff (including bibliographies for further reading) on Wikipedia.  Especially about American Imperialism  and CIA involvement in places like the Congo and Chile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Documentary: <em>Why We Fight</em> is a great documentary about the US military industrial complex.  <em>The Lives of Henry Kissinger</em> is supposed to be good but I have not seen it.  <em>Atomic Cafe</em> rocks.  <em>The Fog of War</em> is a great look at the Vietnam fiasco...uses interviews with RObert MacNamera.</p>

 

[la mamita]

Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. Should be required reading for all US citizens...<br><br>
I have heard good things about Unequal Sisters: A Multicultural Reader in US Women's History, but haven't read it personally.<br><br>
I'm sure there are other good ones out there.

 

[A&A]

<p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Founding Myths:  Stories that Hide Our Patriotic Past</span></p>
<p> </p>

 

[mamadelbosque]

<p>Just another vote for Zinn's A Peoples History of the United States </p>

 

[elanorh]

<p>It's broader than just American history, but <em>Guns, Germs, and Steel</em> is a good book about the development of culture/civilization on the various continents (does a good job of dispelling the myth that Europeans were simply smarter and harder workers and therefore 'entitled.'). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have not read Zinn's book, but it's on my list. </p>

 

[althara]

<p>I second the recommendation for <em>A Different Mirror.</em> It is a fabulous collection of essays.</p>

 

[~Boudicca~]

<p><span><img alt="notes2.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/notes2.gif"></span></p>

 

[Imogen]

<p>I should put Howard Zinn's book on my MUST read list of 2011.. I've been meaning to buy it for years!</p>

 

[St. Margaret]

<p>Subbing.  Lies My Teacher Taught Me (or is it Told Me?) is another good one, sort of about how text books screw things up and teach the myth and whatnot; I found it very helpful for deconstructing where I had misinformation and gaps and stuff.  I had the Zinn books on my wishlist but I should really get them from the library sometime...  thanks for the other recs!  I have Guns, Germs, and Steel just sitting on my TBR shelf, borrowed from my mom a while back.  That makes me happy that it's a good book because they use it in my school district (where I teach English).  Looking back, we got some good history instruction but a lot of BS too, at my hometown schools.  This issue is actually the first thing that started DH and I checking out homeschooling, even before we had DD </p>