Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen
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Summary
This national best-seller and American Book Award winner is an entertaining, informative, and sometimes shocking expose of the way history is taught to American students. James W. Loewen, a distinguished critic of history education, puts 12 popular textbooks under the microscope. What he finds is a proliferation of blind patriotism, mindless optimism, misinformation, and flat-out lies filling the pages.
I was really hoping to read a genuine history book, but what I got instead were fragmented snippets of historical events that seemed to be presented primarily to push a political agenda that is even more left-leaning than liberal.
I understand that history can sometimes be dull without a touch of personal opinion, but the unrelenting propagandistic style of this book was truly repulsive.
To make matters worse, the narrator didn't do much to improve the experience. If the tone of the written text was a bit condescending, once it was spoken aloud, it became downright nauseating.
While it is true that secondary school history books often present an overly positive and incomplete narrative, the constant emphasis on this theme throughout the entire volume seemed excessive. Even if this book were given away for free, it wouldn't be worth the money.
This book has a clear liberal perspective on history, no doubt about it. Certain parts were quite intriguing. However, as the narrative delves deeper into the 20th century, it becomes more and more evident that the book heavily leans towards a liberal bias. It's quite disheartening, to be honest.
I really enjoyed the first section of this book. It effectively exposes the myths perpetuated by our textbooks and provides eye-opening information. However, I felt that the author missed an opportunity to include even more valuable information to rectify the inaccuracies found in our schoolbooks. Unfortunately, when the author delves into race and social class, he falls into the same traps he condemns the publishers for. His presentation of information is misleading and flawed, undermining his credibility. He fails to address the negative impact of unions, despite highlighting their achievements. As someone who has taught using these textbooks, I mostly agree with his critique of the education system. However, his views on social and racial issues are simply incorrect. He approaches the problems with the school system from an insider's perspective, which limits his understanding of the larger issues. While he offers ideas and a vision for improvement, he neglects to explore the underlying causes and necessary solutions. Furthermore, his reliance on questionable studies weakens his arguments. He also fails to discuss the mentality of "dumbing down" our schools to ensure all students feel deserving of passing grades. Ultimately, this book seems more like an attempt to push a political agenda prevalent in academia rather than addressing the actual source of the problem: a flawed academic mentality.
If you're into history and want a global outlook, you absolutely need to get your hands on "Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong." This is hands down one of the most impressive history books I've ever laid eyes on. The author did an outstanding job, and the narration is top-notch as well. Don't miss out on this gem!
I'm aware that there are history enthusiasts who will absolutely adore this book. And I also acknowledge that there are conspiracy theorists who will be fascinated by it. However, personally, I struggled to continue reading it because there are so many other captivating (fiction) books beckoning me. I only managed to get through 2 hours of 'Lies My Teacher Told Me' and have no qualms about deleting it from my palm pilot. If you're seeking an action-packed read, this is not the right book for you. I get the feeling that the narrator himself secretly craves a more thrilling storyline deep in his heart...
After discovering this fact in "Lies My Teacher Told Me," I asked my colleagues about it and not a single person had any idea that there was any controversy surrounding Betsy Ross and the first flag. It may not have any direct impact on topics like economics, international relations, or human rights, but it definitely leaves you feeling foolish. At 60 years old, it's like finding out that Santa Claus isn't real all over again.
But the myth about Betsy Ross is just the beginning of the misinformation we're fed about American history. It only gets worse from there. From Christopher Columbus to Woodrow Wilson to our involvement in wars, the history we were taught is embarrassing, inaccurate, and even dangerous.
"Lies My Teacher Told Me" is hands down one of the most enlightening and educational books I've ever read. It's a must-read for anyone interested in current events and curious about why the rest of the world doesn't see the United States the way we do.
While I wasn't particularly fond of the narrator and there were moments where the book seemed to get caught up in educational politics, the information provided is so crucial that these annoyances were simply minor frustrations.
This audiobook is incredibly engaging and the narrator does a fantastic job. However, it's not the best choice for listening in the car because you'll likely find yourself wanting to take notes on things to further investigate later. While I was listening to this book, I ended up borrowing a bunch of history books from the library and had a blast discussing the author's perspectives with my friends. It's particularly interesting to explore the idea that you can still be proud of a country that has a history of questionable actions. I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I discovered that even British books censor Helen Keller's political views, and I was genuinely disturbed by the quotes from Columbus' letters. This book offers a truly thought-provoking and entertaining take on history writing.
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