History of the United States @ book

[Deleted]

Greetings fellow champions,

As the title may imply, I'm looking to acquire a really well written history book regarding the history of the United States; I've been searching a while now and I'm quite thorn about my findings, let's just say I'm not satisfied.I'd love to stumble upon a wide variety of history topics in regards to the US, prehistory, pre-Columbian era, up to "recent" events like Watergate, and in as much detail as possible.I'll keep looking myself, but I'd sure apreciate some extra help, maybe some of you already know a few good titles of the sort.
Feel free to debate on authors/books, and with your help I'll narrow it down in a coupple of days!

[cubby]

Try the People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn.

[eschatological]

As a self-avowed liberal, I love the People's History. But I don't think you can just pass it off as a normal history book like that. It's almost an anti-history, rejecting the idea that "history is written by the winners." Its critics would suggest it is wrong, but it is actually quite a scholarly work....but it doesn't pull any punches about American history, and that rankles some conservatives sometimes who like to think of this country as "the best, most freest, God-fearing country in the world," to paraphrase Sean Hannity.

A good read, but certainly not a conventional one.

[Deleted]

Thanks so much! I've narrowed it down to "People's History of the United States" so far, still looking for some more opinions, just in case - as I don't want to skip anything important (I'll be reading this one anyways, as it's quite original).

[Northy]

As a self-avowed liberal, I love the People's History. But I don't think you can just pass it off as a normal history book like that. It's almost an anti-history, rejecting the idea that "history is written by the winners." Its critics would suggest it is wrong, but it is actually quite a scholarly work....but it doesn't pull any punches about American history, and that rankles some conservatives sometimes who like to think of this country as "the best, most freest, God-fearing country in the world," to paraphrase Sean Hannity.

A good read, but certainly not a conventional one.

People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn is the best American history book around. Don't confuse unconventional with some sort of alternate history. The book is scholarly, accurate, and well-researched. As a History major at the University of Wisconsin, I give it my seal of approval. It deals with how things really were in this country rather that coating it in a layer of "God's chosen land can do no wrong" that a lot of history books and conservatives are all about.

I encourage you to read Howard Zinn's book not because it is "unconventional" but because it is true. Unconventional carries conotations that don't belong with regard to this book.

[eschatological]

Well, I'm a dirty hippie, I think unconventional is awesome.

A broader look at Western civilization in a similar contextualization, but with some sociology thrown in (IE, soft theories which could go either way) is Guns, Germs, and Steel. Love that book.

[kreationkin]

I would recommend American Insurgents, American Patriots. The book is pretty timeline specific to the beginning of the United States but provides a really interesting look at the creation of the country that doesn't follow the major players that history remembers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson so much as it tries to paint a picture based on the writings that we have to describe the more ordinary people that eventually became our first generation of countrymen/women. It's not going to cover 1753 to 1993 for you, but it will certainly not hurt if you're serious about developing a basic understanding of the country from foundation on.

[Razkul]

As a self-avowed liberal, I love the People's History. But I don't think you can just pass it off as a normal history book like that. It's almost an anti-history, rejecting the idea that "history is written by the winners." Its critics would suggest it is wrong, but it is actually quite a scholarly work....but it doesn't pull any punches about American history, and that rankles some conservatives sometimes who like to think of this country as "the best, most freest, God-fearing country in the world," to paraphrase Sean Hannity.

A good read, but certainly not a conventional one.

As a self-avowed libertarian, I find your "As a self-avowed liberal" VERY typical. Shame.

[eschatological]

As a self-avowed libertarian, I find your "As a self-avowed liberal" VERY typical. Shame.

I don't even know what this means? You're not shocked that as a liberal I read Howard Zinn? Neither am I.

[apepi]

Though it is not a history book or anything I do recommend you to read Common Sense by Thomas Paine if you have not read it.

[Deleted]

I recently read 'The Untold History of the United States' by Oliver Stone and Peter Kuzniack. Awesome book and highly recommend it.