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The Skeptic's Guide to American History
Travel back in time and examine many commonly held myths and half-truths about American history and prompt yourself to think about what really happened in the nation's past - as opposed to what many believe happened. These lectures demonstrate how reconsidering some of the most popular notions of U.S. history can yield new (and sometimes startlingly different) interpretations of political, social, economic, and military events. But more than just debunking commonly accepted accounts, you'll be able to replace these misconceptions with insightful truths. Exploring both America's history and the verdicts that have been rendered about some of its most enduring figures - including George Washington, John Adams, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and many others - these lectures investigate a wide-ranging list of questions. What impact did other nations have on the American Revolution? Has George Washington always been revered as president? Do we now understand the true blunders in America's Vietnam policies and tactics?
In exploring these and other questions, these lectures prove themselves to be a delightful intellectual experience that will allow you to rethink not just the facts of U.S. history, but also their meaning.
In exploring these and other questions, these lectures prove themselves to be a delightful intellectual experience that will allow you to rethink not just the facts of U.S. history, but also their meaning.
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 13, 2013
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April 21, 2022
Mark Stoler, a renowned historian, sets out to debunk a list of commonly held myths and half-truths about American history, unpicking these with facts and analysis which show them up to be the falsehoods he always knew them to be. The list he produced of subjects and events is rather eclectic but did include a few areas I’m particularly interested in – especially a couple concerning the American Civil War. This audiobook comprised a series of lectures, each lasting 30 – 40 minutes.
It quickly became apparent that some knowledge of American history is a prerequisite here as Stoler isn’t looking to explain the history here but rather to challenge the interpretation of the outcome of a series of steps he references but does not explain (typically this might be a legal change introduced by the government of the day, a specific battle - or series of battles - or any other event which might have prompted an important action or reaction). Each section had a theme or a question, but I found some of the early lectures hard going as I just didn’t have enough background knowledge to fully appreciate or challenge the professor’s analysis.
When it came to areas in which I did have some knowledge I was somewhat surprised to find that the arguments put forward, whilst firmly set in logic and underpinned by plenty of historical detail, didn’t really debunk myths or half-truths so much as take a side in what had always been, in my view, a lively debate. One example of this was his lecture entitled Did Slavery Really Cause the Civil War? In short, there was really nothing new here. So after picking my way through quite a few I decided to skip the remainder. In truth, I found it all rather disappointing.
It quickly became apparent that some knowledge of American history is a prerequisite here as Stoler isn’t looking to explain the history here but rather to challenge the interpretation of the outcome of a series of steps he references but does not explain (typically this might be a legal change introduced by the government of the day, a specific battle - or series of battles - or any other event which might have prompted an important action or reaction). Each section had a theme or a question, but I found some of the early lectures hard going as I just didn’t have enough background knowledge to fully appreciate or challenge the professor’s analysis.
When it came to areas in which I did have some knowledge I was somewhat surprised to find that the arguments put forward, whilst firmly set in logic and underpinned by plenty of historical detail, didn’t really debunk myths or half-truths so much as take a side in what had always been, in my view, a lively debate. One example of this was his lecture entitled Did Slavery Really Cause the Civil War? In short, there was really nothing new here. So after picking my way through quite a few I decided to skip the remainder. In truth, I found it all rather disappointing.
May 13, 2019
What's a book? Is it whatever you can check off as "currently reading" on Goodreads? Do e-books count? Do audiobooks? What about a podcast series like Serial?
Where's the line?
What about an essay of just a couple dozen pages? It's not really a book ... or is it?
If I set a goal of reading 75 books, as I have this year, and one or more of my entries is made up of a series only available on audio, does that count? Or should my "achievement" have an asterisk attached to it?
I know Goodreads, like the rest of social media, isn't policed, and a person would have to be a real dick to comment under someone's completed achievement "Nice try, Susan. Issues of Vogue magazine don't count. Neither do those romance "novels" you get for free on your Kindle."
A magazine is a magazine, not a book. I think we can all agree on that. But what about a short story? A single short story that might just happen to be squeezed in between two covers?
Like many classic short stories, Stefan Zweig's Chess Story is sold on its own and in short story collections. So if a single story counts as a "read", then a collection of 10 of Zweig's stories should count as ... 10?
Maybe that's the definition of a book, typed text on pages between two covers.
Last year, I reviewed Hans Christian Andersen's The Complete Fairy Tales, but as you'll see if you go to that link, nearly every review is a review for a different edition. That wouldn't ordinarily cause concern, but Andersen reportedly wrote 168 fairy tales and stories. There is, as far as I know, no single collection containing them all because if you tried to walk onto a plane with it, they'd make you check it in as luggage.
Which is to say, every collection of Andersen's stories contains different fairy tales. That means that although both Aliona and I checked off The Complete Fairy Tales as "Read", our editions most likely contained completely different stories. They must have, because Aliona gave her collection only 3 stars, and I know there is no way anyone who read the collection I did would have given it anything less than a 5. Or a 4, if a gun was being held to their head. Not 3. Because then I'd have to write Aliona and demand that she explain herself.
But, much to Aliona's relief, I don't think I have to do that because Aliona probably got a really shitty translation. Was it "The Princess ON the Pea" or "The Princess AND the Pea", Aliona? See, "on" is the correct translation of the original Danish, but almost all editions before Tiina Nunnally's have it as "and".
What about if someone goes on and checks off Princess and the Pea, ON ITS OWN, as read? I mean, surely that shouldn't count, right? The thing's like two full pages! 48, apparently, with pictures (I am much relieved to find that none of my Goodreads friends have marked this "Princess and the Pea" as read).
I mean, it's just laziness really, isn't it? Marking "Princess and the Pea" as read when it took you all of two minutes to read it. Perhaps this is something parents do when they find that they no longer have any time to read, indeed, that the only books they ARE reading are to their kids at night. But they don't want to feel left out, so they mark "Princess and the Pea" as read, in an effort to try and keep up with Jon(athan) Nakapalau who has set a reading goal of 365 books. 365!!! And guess what? He's already read 303! (probably up to 429 by the time you read this). I mean, what the heck, Jon? Way to make us all feel like losers! And no, I didn't check, but perhaps Jon has just read "Princess and the Pea" 303 times. That's highly probable I'd say.
Some years ago, the actor Richard Armitage signed a deal with audible to narrate a couple of Shakespeare novelizations. If you go to your local bookstore and try and get the first of these, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, you'll come up empty because there never was a physical book released. You can, however, download the e-book on your kindle.
Richard Armitage's second Shakespeare novelization, Romeo And Juliet, doesn't even have an e-book for you to download. It's available ONLY on audible in audiobook format. Does that, then, still count as a book? It does say it's a novel. I mean, the word is right there in the title. But is it? Really?
I admit it — I am a highly competitive person, and if I manage to get to 75 books at the end of the year, I will take some pride in that. But there should be some guidelines, shouldn't there?
"No Brendan, the whole point is to just try and get people to read. It's not a contest."
Really? The word "challenge" is right there. But ok, sure, whatever gets people to read more. But to openly admit this, to remove the competitive aspect of it, would threaten the entire enterprise, wouldn't it? Aren't we a society run on competition? God knows that for better or worse, social media certainly is (ok, for worse, most assuredly).
I do find that I absolutely am pushed to read more when I sign into my Goodreads to find that I'm two books behind schedule — as I am now, probably because I'm spending so much time writing this review when I should be reading — but if everyone you know is logging episodes of Game of Thrones (I mean, why not? How long until people are doing that?) why care anymore at all? How long until this entire thing comes crashing down and, with it, Goodreads itself?
We need some regulations, people! We need someone to tell us what can and can't be "read"!
With that said, I'm not sure whether or not you're familiar with "The Great Courses". They're not books, but a series of easily-digestible half-hour episodes about some various topic. They have courses on Shakespeare, Dante, Plato, King Arthur, the British Empire, and seemingly an endless list of other subject matter.
"The Skeptic's Guide to American History" might better be called, "American History: Fact and Fiction". If Mythbusters did a series on American History, it would probably sound something like this.
I've enjoyed all the entries in The Great Courses series, and this is no exception. They're all really well taught and I find that they're often better at keeping my attention while at the gym than any actual "books" are. That's because they don't have characters. It's just history, at least in this case.
It's no Hans Christian Andersen, but I think Aliona would probably like these too.
But is it reading? I'm marking this as "read" because I want to personally acknowledge that I finished it, for myself in other words. But is it "read"?
Ultimately, that's what the Reading Challenge depends on. Our own feelings on the matter. Whether we feel guilty about marking something as "read" that actually isn't a physical book, or whether we're ok with it, knowing that the 303 books Jon's read are all physical books.
Or are they, Jon? Anything you'd like to confess?
Where's the line?
What about an essay of just a couple dozen pages? It's not really a book ... or is it?
If I set a goal of reading 75 books, as I have this year, and one or more of my entries is made up of a series only available on audio, does that count? Or should my "achievement" have an asterisk attached to it?
I know Goodreads, like the rest of social media, isn't policed, and a person would have to be a real dick to comment under someone's completed achievement "Nice try, Susan. Issues of Vogue magazine don't count. Neither do those romance "novels" you get for free on your Kindle."
A magazine is a magazine, not a book. I think we can all agree on that. But what about a short story? A single short story that might just happen to be squeezed in between two covers?
Like many classic short stories, Stefan Zweig's Chess Story is sold on its own and in short story collections. So if a single story counts as a "read", then a collection of 10 of Zweig's stories should count as ... 10?
Maybe that's the definition of a book, typed text on pages between two covers.
Last year, I reviewed Hans Christian Andersen's The Complete Fairy Tales, but as you'll see if you go to that link, nearly every review is a review for a different edition. That wouldn't ordinarily cause concern, but Andersen reportedly wrote 168 fairy tales and stories. There is, as far as I know, no single collection containing them all because if you tried to walk onto a plane with it, they'd make you check it in as luggage.
Which is to say, every collection of Andersen's stories contains different fairy tales. That means that although both Aliona and I checked off The Complete Fairy Tales as "Read", our editions most likely contained completely different stories. They must have, because Aliona gave her collection only 3 stars, and I know there is no way anyone who read the collection I did would have given it anything less than a 5. Or a 4, if a gun was being held to their head. Not 3. Because then I'd have to write Aliona and demand that she explain herself.
But, much to Aliona's relief, I don't think I have to do that because Aliona probably got a really shitty translation. Was it "The Princess ON the Pea" or "The Princess AND the Pea", Aliona? See, "on" is the correct translation of the original Danish, but almost all editions before Tiina Nunnally's have it as "and".
What about if someone goes on and checks off Princess and the Pea, ON ITS OWN, as read? I mean, surely that shouldn't count, right? The thing's like two full pages! 48, apparently, with pictures (I am much relieved to find that none of my Goodreads friends have marked this "Princess and the Pea" as read).
I mean, it's just laziness really, isn't it? Marking "Princess and the Pea" as read when it took you all of two minutes to read it. Perhaps this is something parents do when they find that they no longer have any time to read, indeed, that the only books they ARE reading are to their kids at night. But they don't want to feel left out, so they mark "Princess and the Pea" as read, in an effort to try and keep up with Jon(athan) Nakapalau who has set a reading goal of 365 books. 365!!! And guess what? He's already read 303! (probably up to 429 by the time you read this). I mean, what the heck, Jon? Way to make us all feel like losers! And no, I didn't check, but perhaps Jon has just read "Princess and the Pea" 303 times. That's highly probable I'd say.
Some years ago, the actor Richard Armitage signed a deal with audible to narrate a couple of Shakespeare novelizations. If you go to your local bookstore and try and get the first of these, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, you'll come up empty because there never was a physical book released. You can, however, download the e-book on your kindle.
Richard Armitage's second Shakespeare novelization, Romeo And Juliet, doesn't even have an e-book for you to download. It's available ONLY on audible in audiobook format. Does that, then, still count as a book? It does say it's a novel. I mean, the word is right there in the title. But is it? Really?
I admit it — I am a highly competitive person, and if I manage to get to 75 books at the end of the year, I will take some pride in that. But there should be some guidelines, shouldn't there?
"No Brendan, the whole point is to just try and get people to read. It's not a contest."
Really? The word "challenge" is right there. But ok, sure, whatever gets people to read more. But to openly admit this, to remove the competitive aspect of it, would threaten the entire enterprise, wouldn't it? Aren't we a society run on competition? God knows that for better or worse, social media certainly is (ok, for worse, most assuredly).
I do find that I absolutely am pushed to read more when I sign into my Goodreads to find that I'm two books behind schedule — as I am now, probably because I'm spending so much time writing this review when I should be reading — but if everyone you know is logging episodes of Game of Thrones (I mean, why not? How long until people are doing that?) why care anymore at all? How long until this entire thing comes crashing down and, with it, Goodreads itself?
We need some regulations, people! We need someone to tell us what can and can't be "read"!
With that said, I'm not sure whether or not you're familiar with "The Great Courses". They're not books, but a series of easily-digestible half-hour episodes about some various topic. They have courses on Shakespeare, Dante, Plato, King Arthur, the British Empire, and seemingly an endless list of other subject matter.
"The Skeptic's Guide to American History" might better be called, "American History: Fact and Fiction". If Mythbusters did a series on American History, it would probably sound something like this.
I've enjoyed all the entries in The Great Courses series, and this is no exception. They're all really well taught and I find that they're often better at keeping my attention while at the gym than any actual "books" are. That's because they don't have characters. It's just history, at least in this case.
It's no Hans Christian Andersen, but I think Aliona would probably like these too.
But is it reading? I'm marking this as "read" because I want to personally acknowledge that I finished it, for myself in other words. But is it "read"?
Ultimately, that's what the Reading Challenge depends on. Our own feelings on the matter. Whether we feel guilty about marking something as "read" that actually isn't a physical book, or whether we're ok with it, knowing that the 303 books Jon's read are all physical books.
Or are they, Jon? Anything you'd like to confess?
December 11, 2014
Living through an era is much different from reading about the history of it. The more one learns about particular historical happenings, the more complicated their causes, occurrences and consequences become. Thus, there are plenty of misconceptions, myths and half-truths about American history to examine for accuracy and completeness.
These twenty-four lectures provide a fresh examination of American history to see what really happened as opposed to what many believe happened. The lecturer repeatedly observes that when historians interpret the past they often impose the values and understandings of their own day on to the past events. This can lead to incorrect conclusions.
People well read in American history will probably not learn much that is new from these lectures. Nevertheless the lectures do provide a concise articulation of how different people can arrive at different understandings of history. The following quotation is a good example of this from Lecture 8 titled “Did Slavery Really Cause the Civil War?” The Lecturer has just finished reviewing numerous causes of the Civil War that have been proposed over the years by different historians. Then the lecturer wraps it up as follows:
These twenty-four lectures provide a fresh examination of American history to see what really happened as opposed to what many believe happened. The lecturer repeatedly observes that when historians interpret the past they often impose the values and understandings of their own day on to the past events. This can lead to incorrect conclusions.
People well read in American history will probably not learn much that is new from these lectures. Nevertheless the lectures do provide a concise articulation of how different people can arrive at different understandings of history. The following quotation is a good example of this from Lecture 8 titled “Did Slavery Really Cause the Civil War?” The Lecturer has just finished reviewing numerous causes of the Civil War that have been proposed over the years by different historians. Then the lecturer wraps it up as follows:
"Interpretations are usually tied in some way to the era in which they were written. It’s far from accidental that the generation that fought the war would come to view it in the North as a moral struggle over slavery, and in the South as a more defensible support of state’s rights. Similarly it is far from accidental that the economic interpretation gained great popularity during the 1930s, the years of the great depression. Nor is it surprising that interpretations emphasizing fanatics and incompetent politicians should arise as people in the 1930s began to see World War I as an avoidable conflict, and who were simultaneously witnessing the rise of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Nor should we be surprised that all these alternative views to slavery as the cause of the war emerged in the decades of intense racism in the United States. Nor should we be surprised by the reemergence of slavery as a moral issue, and the question of race relations in the era of civil rights and in the years since World War II and the full revelation of Nazi racial atrocities. .... The emphasis of psychological interpretations in this same time period should not surprise us either. ...In other words, slavery was the cause but not in the simplistic way that one would usually think of it.
Nor should the emphasis on ideology that developed in the years of the cold war, which was an ideological conflict [be a surprise].... . It is important to realize that if one accepts the ideological approach then all the previous interpretations retain their validity. For even if there were no conspiracies in reality, no truly irreconcilable differences in economies and cultures, no basic disagreement over the nature of the Union, and no chance of slavery establishing itself in the territories; Americans North and South believed otherwise because of their ideology, and they acted on the basis of those beliefs.
Furthermore, ideology and perceptions are themselves products of all the general factors previously sited as causes of the war--Economics, culture, politics, political theory, moral values. And the common denominator linking all of these previously sited causes is SLAVERY. It was the base of the southern economy, southern culture, the conspiracy theories north and south, the fanaticism, politics, moral arguments, racism, conflicting definitions north and south of rights, and ensuing ideological conflicts. It is therefore the basic cause of the war. ..."
May 28, 2015
The Skeptics Guide to American History is a collection of fairly short lectures that take the listener from the Revolutionary War to the end of the Cold War. For the most part it's a history of politics and conflict and I found myself surprised more than once with Mark A. Stoler's perspective on the past.
It is anything but complete but offers an insight into America's history and dispels some of the myths that many Americans believe to be true.
As a non-American I found it particularly insightful and I think it's definitely worth the effort for Americans who have a high school knowledge of American history, but it's probably not really of much interest to academics and historians.
It is anything but complete but offers an insight into America's history and dispels some of the myths that many Americans believe to be true.
As a non-American I found it particularly insightful and I think it's definitely worth the effort for Americans who have a high school knowledge of American history, but it's probably not really of much interest to academics and historians.
January 5, 2014
This series of lectures starts off with the discovery of the North American continent and concludes it's critical analysis around the time of the Vietnam War. It is important to note this is not a set of lectures designed to build a foundational history, but to augment knowledge from a perspective that is not as biased by patriotism, ethnocentrism, or by time. In doing so, these lectures challenge long held beliefs and myths about American history, then proceed to explain their creation and persistence. When analyzing historical figures, a detailed look at the events that defined these persons to modern history is compared to the events that actually defined the person to his contemporaries. This not just a series of lectures on history, it is also a excellent guide on how to view history skeptically (and in doing so, more holistically). The author is an excellent orator and rarely interjects personal beliefs into the narrative, although he does do so by proxy with quotes from others. Even so, not only does he challenge his own interpretation of history, but encourages other's to do so. This is an excellent and informative effort, and highly recommended to those who enjoy history and those who consider themselves "patriots".
January 5, 2015
I have a friend who's a freshman congressman and have told him every member of congress should watch (or listen to) this course from The Great Courses. It's a different kind of survey course, in which each lecture takes on some popularly held belief or myth about America's past and examines in with a skeptic's eye. Many of the myths discussed are frequently cited by politicians today to support some viewpoint they are pushing.
While it's hardly realistic to think that congress would be affected by such scholarship, at least we as voters can educate ourselves so that we can weed through the B.S. on our own.
For me, the most thought-provoking was lecture 10 on the pre-regulatory "Laissez Faire" economics era that is widely believed to have spurred on the industrial revolution. Here the professor disputes the notion that the economic environment was "hands off." Explaining instead that it was very interventionist -- on behalf of big business. Fascinating in light of the strong anti-regulatory movements of the early 21st century.
Highly recommended series, and the Guidebook prepared by the professor that comes with the course includes a HUGE bibliography for further reading.
While it's hardly realistic to think that congress would be affected by such scholarship, at least we as voters can educate ourselves so that we can weed through the B.S. on our own.
For me, the most thought-provoking was lecture 10 on the pre-regulatory "Laissez Faire" economics era that is widely believed to have spurred on the industrial revolution. Here the professor disputes the notion that the economic environment was "hands off." Explaining instead that it was very interventionist -- on behalf of big business. Fascinating in light of the strong anti-regulatory movements of the early 21st century.
Highly recommended series, and the Guidebook prepared by the professor that comes with the course includes a HUGE bibliography for further reading.
September 9, 2019
This particular audiobook disappointed me. I consider myself a rather skeptical and critical person when it comes to myths of history, and this book certainly was hostile to at least some myths, but at the same time it struck me that the professor of this course was not nearly skeptical enough about the leftist myths of the contemporary historical community. Even as he commented that later generations would see things differently than we do, which is certain to be the case, the instructor did not do a very good job at showing himself above the sort of myths of woke history that have made totems out of various subaltern groups and individuals in history because they suit contemporary political agendas. Indeed, this author spends a lot more time talking about various patriotic myths and seems a bit too smug and self-assured as a skeptic when he is, as is often the case, not nearly skeptical enough, and not nearly enough concerned about the long-term ramifications of various historical decisions made by leaders, and certainly fear too dismissive of the importance of, for example, guilded-age and late antebellum presidents, even as he tries to promote the importance of others who have also been unfairly ignored.
This particular course was made up of twenty-four lectures of 30 minutes apiece on twelve discs. The author began by questioning religious toleration in the colonies (1) and discussing the American revolution as neither American nor revolutionary (2), then moved to discussing the lack of democracy in the Constitution (3) as well as the failures and accomplishments of Washington as a general and president (4). The instructor discusses the confusion about Hamilton and Jefferson (5), Jackson's role as an odd symbol of democracy (6), the enduring impacts of the Second Great Awakening (7) as well as the question of slavery as the cause of the Civil War (8). There are lectures on the turning points of the Civil War (9), the myth of laissez-faire (10), misconceptions about the original populists (11), and the strange history of labor in America (12). There are lectures about American isolationism and imperialism (13), as well as progressivism (14), Woodrow Wilson and his presidential ranking (15), the roaring twenties (16), Hoover and the Great Depression (17), and what Roosevelt's New Deal did (18), where the instructor is way too enthusiastic about what it managed to accomplish. There are lectures on misconceptions and myths about World War II (19), the Cold War (20), Vietnam (21), and some myths in general about American wars (22), before the instructor concludes with discussions on who matters in American history (23) and the obvious fact that history did not begin with us (24).
In listening to a class like this, it is easy to think of how it could have been better. Judging from the author's praise of John Quincy Adams' programs as a president and his consistent disdain for those who believe in the restraint of government--and his praise of Herbert Hoover and FDR in particular--it is clear that the author has some myths and misconceptions of his own that he needs to address before seeking to demythologize American history, namely his myth that government intervention in panics and depressions has worked out for the best. The author seems to be blinded by the potential for leaders to do things and dismissive of those leaders who worked within the system and did not attempt to draw too much attention or adoration to himself. This leads him to support the more authoritarian or personality-driven aspects of American history and to lament when people who did well are ignored in the narrative of history except by those who study history more in-depth, which demonstrates the way that the author is looking not for the appreciation of deep students of history but rather for changes in how history is viewed by the ordinary mass of Americans, which seems to be a quixotic sort of quest.
This particular course was made up of twenty-four lectures of 30 minutes apiece on twelve discs. The author began by questioning religious toleration in the colonies (1) and discussing the American revolution as neither American nor revolutionary (2), then moved to discussing the lack of democracy in the Constitution (3) as well as the failures and accomplishments of Washington as a general and president (4). The instructor discusses the confusion about Hamilton and Jefferson (5), Jackson's role as an odd symbol of democracy (6), the enduring impacts of the Second Great Awakening (7) as well as the question of slavery as the cause of the Civil War (8). There are lectures on the turning points of the Civil War (9), the myth of laissez-faire (10), misconceptions about the original populists (11), and the strange history of labor in America (12). There are lectures about American isolationism and imperialism (13), as well as progressivism (14), Woodrow Wilson and his presidential ranking (15), the roaring twenties (16), Hoover and the Great Depression (17), and what Roosevelt's New Deal did (18), where the instructor is way too enthusiastic about what it managed to accomplish. There are lectures on misconceptions and myths about World War II (19), the Cold War (20), Vietnam (21), and some myths in general about American wars (22), before the instructor concludes with discussions on who matters in American history (23) and the obvious fact that history did not begin with us (24).
In listening to a class like this, it is easy to think of how it could have been better. Judging from the author's praise of John Quincy Adams' programs as a president and his consistent disdain for those who believe in the restraint of government--and his praise of Herbert Hoover and FDR in particular--it is clear that the author has some myths and misconceptions of his own that he needs to address before seeking to demythologize American history, namely his myth that government intervention in panics and depressions has worked out for the best. The author seems to be blinded by the potential for leaders to do things and dismissive of those leaders who worked within the system and did not attempt to draw too much attention or adoration to himself. This leads him to support the more authoritarian or personality-driven aspects of American history and to lament when people who did well are ignored in the narrative of history except by those who study history more in-depth, which demonstrates the way that the author is looking not for the appreciation of deep students of history but rather for changes in how history is viewed by the ordinary mass of Americans, which seems to be a quixotic sort of quest.
July 4, 2020
“Furthermore, ideology and perceptions are themselves products of all the general factors previously cited as causes of the war--Economics, culture, politics, political theory, moral values. And the common denominator linking all of these previously sited causes is SLAVERY. … It is therefore the basic cause of the war.”
This book is many things but most importantly, what this book is NOT is an accurate representation of American history. Firstly, I purchased this audiobook using a free Audible credit I had and I bought it because of its catchy title. I am a skeptic for all things, particularly history, so the title naturally caught my eye.
Mark Stoler is many things but most importantly, what he is NOT is someone who understands American history. This at best a slightly unintentional genocide apologist book trying to use the fallacy and rhetoric of “anachronism” to justify the actions and beliefs of people in the past. More specifically, anachronism is a tool often used by historians and anthropologists to justify not using genocide to describe the actions of people of past because technically genocide did not come into existence as a legally accepted term until 1948 by the United Nations.
At worst, this audiobook is an attempt of revisionist history that completely neglects to give settler colonialism, the Doctrine of Discovery, and the genocide of indigenous people the rightful screen time they deserve when talking about American history. The American Civil War most certainly involved disagreements about slavery. But at the core were systemic extermination of indigenous people, land grabs, asserting dominance over others and nature through white supremacy, and rapacious means of extracting everything one could from the land without the consent of the indigenous peoples. Slavery was merely a byproduct of settler colonialism and while terrible, slavery is too often conflated as the reason for why conflicts and war started in America. It is the master narrative given time and time again and it is a cop-out to avoid the deeper discussions on colonization, white supremacy, and the Doctrine of Discovery the Christian faith ascribed as justification of asserting dominance over others and nature.
Mark’s message of “The skeptic’s guide to American history” is also muddied by his deep, long-lasting career in the US military. The US military is universally accepted as a genocide machine and continues to push content to perpetuate the idea that indigenous people no longer exist, that North America was a land without people and the pilgrims were a people without a land. This is not a skeptic’s book but rather plucking slight half-truths of US history. Colonialism never stopped in America, in fact the American government continues to wage land wars against indigenous peoples today (who are still very much alive and thriving).
This book is many things but most importantly, what this book is NOT is an accurate representation of American history. Firstly, I purchased this audiobook using a free Audible credit I had and I bought it because of its catchy title. I am a skeptic for all things, particularly history, so the title naturally caught my eye.
Mark Stoler is many things but most importantly, what he is NOT is someone who understands American history. This at best a slightly unintentional genocide apologist book trying to use the fallacy and rhetoric of “anachronism” to justify the actions and beliefs of people in the past. More specifically, anachronism is a tool often used by historians and anthropologists to justify not using genocide to describe the actions of people of past because technically genocide did not come into existence as a legally accepted term until 1948 by the United Nations.
At worst, this audiobook is an attempt of revisionist history that completely neglects to give settler colonialism, the Doctrine of Discovery, and the genocide of indigenous people the rightful screen time they deserve when talking about American history. The American Civil War most certainly involved disagreements about slavery. But at the core were systemic extermination of indigenous people, land grabs, asserting dominance over others and nature through white supremacy, and rapacious means of extracting everything one could from the land without the consent of the indigenous peoples. Slavery was merely a byproduct of settler colonialism and while terrible, slavery is too often conflated as the reason for why conflicts and war started in America. It is the master narrative given time and time again and it is a cop-out to avoid the deeper discussions on colonization, white supremacy, and the Doctrine of Discovery the Christian faith ascribed as justification of asserting dominance over others and nature.
Mark’s message of “The skeptic’s guide to American history” is also muddied by his deep, long-lasting career in the US military. The US military is universally accepted as a genocide machine and continues to push content to perpetuate the idea that indigenous people no longer exist, that North America was a land without people and the pilgrims were a people without a land. This is not a skeptic’s book but rather plucking slight half-truths of US history. Colonialism never stopped in America, in fact the American government continues to wage land wars against indigenous peoples today (who are still very much alive and thriving).
December 3, 2012
Come election time, you're going to want to have read this book in order to see through the garbage that's dished out as history by politicians. Ewing says, "Simple truths about history are lies about complex subjects." Every such truth has layers and layers of depth and breadth that no 30 second sound byte can capture. This book is good at exposing the myths, the disinformation, and the things that historians like myself have been deceived into believing. For example, I always thought that Herbert Hoover took a passive stance toward the Great Depression. He actually tried lots of remedies, some of which Franklin Roosevelt later took the credit for. The fact that we have a bad opinion of Hoover is largely due to the myths about him that Franklin Delano Roosevelt wanted to perpetuate. This is only one fascinating example from this marvelous book.
February 24, 2019
A great course indeed.
Professor Stoler dissects the many myths that continue to perpetuate in the US. From the Pilgrims to the Information Age and everything in between, he analyzes different events and the people involved and sheds light on the actual facts in a clear and concise manner.
I have to admit, a lot of what the Professor went over I did not know. I think its best to have at least a basic knowledge of US history to get the most out of this course. However, even if I wasn't too familiar with the Great Depression for example, I learned a good amount about it and have a foothold, albeit a slippery one, on the subject. Stoler does a good job at giving a basic overview on the events.
Overall, I enjoyed this course and I plan to further my reading about US history. Highly recommended!
Professor Stoler dissects the many myths that continue to perpetuate in the US. From the Pilgrims to the Information Age and everything in between, he analyzes different events and the people involved and sheds light on the actual facts in a clear and concise manner.
I have to admit, a lot of what the Professor went over I did not know. I think its best to have at least a basic knowledge of US history to get the most out of this course. However, even if I wasn't too familiar with the Great Depression for example, I learned a good amount about it and have a foothold, albeit a slippery one, on the subject. Stoler does a good job at giving a basic overview on the events.
Overall, I enjoyed this course and I plan to further my reading about US history. Highly recommended!
September 17, 2014
I found this to be very enlightening and interesting. The downside to buying this through audible.com instead of through the Great Courses is you don't have access to the lecture notes which would certainly be helpful to search out more information. But the price is so much better this way that it's hard to turn down.
This is a highly recommended.
This is a highly recommended.
October 24, 2016
One of my favorite Great Courses! I thought it might just be a big debunking mess but instead I thoroughly enjoyed Stoler's take on American misconceptions.
September 4, 2019
Terrific read on hearing “the other side” to many of the historical accounts we’ve heard in history classes growing up - and/or many of the things we’ve believed about our historical heroes and their accomplishments.
Stolen does a great job of offering a balanced approach - recognizing both the great achievements and morally admirable decisions of some of the historical giants we’re familiar with, as well as their tragic pitfalls and/or moral failures.
At the end, he even encourages his students to further study history and even be skeptical of his own material - so that they might catch something he hasn’t.
Very interesting approach. And a very good read.
Stolen does a great job of offering a balanced approach - recognizing both the great achievements and morally admirable decisions of some of the historical giants we’re familiar with, as well as their tragic pitfalls and/or moral failures.
At the end, he even encourages his students to further study history and even be skeptical of his own material - so that they might catch something he hasn’t.
Very interesting approach. And a very good read.
November 2, 2023
Personally speaking, I had a giant hollow in my repertoire of knowledge pertaining to American history and I believe that readers with a very limited knowledge like me, will find it illuminating.
I saw in comments that someone calls the professor as “mythbuster”.
With his engaging presentation style and well-structured lectures that were truly unbiased, he delivered the course diligently and deserves that name apparently.. 😊
I saw in comments that someone calls the professor as “mythbuster”.
With his engaging presentation style and well-structured lectures that were truly unbiased, he delivered the course diligently and deserves that name apparently.. 😊
August 12, 2020
This was a great refresher for American History, as well as informative about how to think skeptically about history. It goes in depth on some commonly held misconceptions, mostly ones that we were taught in middle school. Hopefully, most of these would have been discussed in your high school classes, but likely not all of them. It was very interesting, and I enjoyed it a lot.
March 28, 2019
An excellent survey of American history that doesn't really take political sides. This course is clearly meant to build upon existing historical knowledge, but I would have killed to have listened to it as a supplement while learning in the first place!
November 16, 2020
A very enlightening book that strives to place the good and bad sides of many of the "greatest hits" in American history next to each other to give a richer/truer picture of where we came from (and thus where we are going) as a nation.
March 29, 2022
I thought this was really good. I’ve always struggled to retain history, so I often wonder if books on history I like it’s only because I’m missing that some of it is “wrong” because I don’t know enough to find “errors” (or even biases). But overall, it seemed to make sense… e.g. “oh we don’t ever talk about that because…..”
I still struggle and will maybe retain two or three factoids or concepts… but it will be on the list of “maybe I can read it again” (which is unlikely given the list of books I want to read… but maybe if some of the ideas are repeated enough, even by other books, I’ll eventually retain more of it).
I still struggle and will maybe retain two or three factoids or concepts… but it will be on the list of “maybe I can read it again” (which is unlikely given the list of books I want to read… but maybe if some of the ideas are repeated enough, even by other books, I’ll eventually retain more of it).
March 25, 2018
really makes you think
November 29, 2018
Clear, concise, fascinating, and well delivered. Loved it!
February 8, 2020
I skipped several sections that did not interest me. The ones I listened to were educational.
October 5, 2017
For those of you out there looking for a no holds barred glimpse of certain aspects of American history, these lectures might be for you...might, I say, since one should be skeptical of sweeping statements such as this. My background in science has taught me that a person should tackle all questions by examining all the available data...leaving all preconceived 'notions' in their proper place. This is the approach taken by Dr Stoler as he examines common notions about commonly believed causes and effects...and our collective perceptions of them...that comprise US history. From the commonly held belief that this nation was founded on religious freedom and tolerance, to the myth of laissez-faire government, Slavery and the Civil War, presidential rankings (who were the good guys...who were the dunces),the World Wars, Vietnam, the Cold War...and more.
The good Dr, in his well-organized and clearly-presented roughly chronological lectures points to the data...the real facts...recorded at the times of their occurrence, rather than reconstructed or even revised 'facts' added by later historians, politicians or even your neighborhood gossip. He contends: "...human beings create history on the basis not of reality but their perceptions of reality, perceptions that are often FAR removed from what actually occurred. But what actually occurred is visible only with the hindsight that the study of history provides." (I thank applewood3's review for capturing that quote). History, therefore is capable of perpetrating myths on the under-educated, allowing them to make history what they want it to be, rather than what is was (is).
I very much recommend this course for those with a pretty good background of US history and a desire to learn more...
Sale and coupon, as always, applies.
The good Dr, in his well-organized and clearly-presented roughly chronological lectures points to the data...the real facts...recorded at the times of their occurrence, rather than reconstructed or even revised 'facts' added by later historians, politicians or even your neighborhood gossip. He contends: "...human beings create history on the basis not of reality but their perceptions of reality, perceptions that are often FAR removed from what actually occurred. But what actually occurred is visible only with the hindsight that the study of history provides." (I thank applewood3's review for capturing that quote). History, therefore is capable of perpetrating myths on the under-educated, allowing them to make history what they want it to be, rather than what is was (is).
I very much recommend this course for those with a pretty good background of US history and a desire to learn more...
Sale and coupon, as always, applies.
September 16, 2019
I was amazed how little I knew about post-civil war and early 20th century American political movements. I guess in my head it was WWI, the Great Gatsby , the Depression, WWII, and the Cold War, but had no idea what was churning among the people in the background.
March 7, 2020
A very scholarly course dealing with some common myths and misconceptions of American history. Professor Stoler is a true historian and obviously loves history for history's sake, and doesn't try to draw parallels as amateurs (myself included) often do. Having said all that though, there are some definite cons to this course. First, it is not a complete course on America's history, but rather on various misconceptions of that history and consequently there isn't anything said about some events or people. What is also obvious is Professor Stoler's liberal take on historical events, as he devotes one whole lecture as to how progressives of the early 20th century were not modern day liberals...some truth there definitely but many of the modern day radically liberal institutions had there beginnings as progressives. Planned Parenthood is one, and its founders were racist and were believers in eugenics. Stoler brings some of this out(not the eugenics part) to his credit but seems that he is trying harder than he should to cover for existing liberal institutions that go back to this era. He also makes the statement that putting Stalin in the same catagory as Hitler was a contributing factor to the starting of the Cold War. Perhaps he is right that it escalated tensions but when one considers the millions who perished under Stalin it only seems right to morally call him out. Stoler also seems to view the Cold War as largely America's fault for refusing to see communism as a legitimate form of government.
In conclusion, I still highly recommend this course. The final two lectures are excellent, 6-star worthy ones where Stoler shows that he is a true teacher by encouraging disagreement with his views. He also teaches that history is fluid and what our children and grandchildren will view as important will impact how they view and study history, which has to be a hard statement for a historian to make. Too often we want to believe that our historical viewpoint is flawless and without personal bias. I love the quote he repeats near the end of the course, "Keep in the company of those who are seeking the truth, but run from those who found it."
In conclusion, I still highly recommend this course. The final two lectures are excellent, 6-star worthy ones where Stoler shows that he is a true teacher by encouraging disagreement with his views. He also teaches that history is fluid and what our children and grandchildren will view as important will impact how they view and study history, which has to be a hard statement for a historian to make. Too often we want to believe that our historical viewpoint is flawless and without personal bias. I love the quote he repeats near the end of the course, "Keep in the company of those who are seeking the truth, but run from those who found it."
October 12, 2022
For most Americans, the history of the United States is built on a set of long-accepted beliefs about events, each of which resonates in the nation's collective memory. But what if those beliefs—however familiar—don't really tell the whole story? Our knowledge of history—or what we believe to be history—is the lens through which we view and interpret the world. And when that lens is distorted with misleading information, it has powerful effects on how we perceive the present and how we make decisions in the future, from choosing whom to vote for to interpreting the latest developments in today's news and opinion pieces.
To take a skeptical approach to American history is not to dabble in imaginative conspiracy theories or doubt the essence of the American experiment; rather, it's to reframe your understanding of this great nation's past and actually strengthen your appreciation for what makes American history such a fascinating chapter in the larger story of Western civilization.
Sorting through misconceptions, myths, and half-truths about America's past is also a chance to revisit some of the country's greatest episodes, figures, and themes from a fresh perspective and an opportunity to hone the way you think about and interpret the past, the present, and even the future.
In The Skeptic's Guide to American History, you can do just that. This bold 24-lecture course examines many commonly held myths and half-truths about American history and prompts you to think about what really happened in the nation's past—as opposed to what many believe happened.
Delivered by award-winning scholar and Professor Mark A. Stoler of The University of Vermont, these lectures demonstrate how reconsidering some of the most popular notions of U.S. history can yield new (and sometimes startlingly different) interpretations of political, social, economic, and military events. But more than just debunking commonly accepted accounts, you'll be able to replace these misconceptions with insightful truths.
See the Evolution of History
History, no matter how objectively it may be pursued, is still a profoundly subjective discipline and most emphatically not a science. History is also evolutionary, with every generation reinterpreting the past in light of its own problems, perceptions, and experiences.
Oft-repeated beliefs addressed in The Skeptic's Guide to American History include, to name only a few, these ideas:
The colonies rose up in united determination to defeat Great Britain and win independence.
The Civil War was fought over slavery and the Union's commitment to racial equality.
A policy of laissez-faire helped create the economic juggernaut that propelled America to world dominance.
Today's convergence of religion and politics represents a dramatic departure from the separation of church and state put in place by the Founding Fathers.
Exploring both the events of America's history and the verdicts that have been rendered about some of its most enduring figures—including George Washington, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George C. Marshall, Lyndon Johnson, and many more—The Skeptic's Guide to American History examines a wide-ranging list of questions, including these:
What impact did other nations have on the American Revolution?
Has George Washington always been revered as president? Why or why not?
What about America's other presidents? Which ones may have been underrated, and which overrated?
In what ways were the responses to the Great Depression by presidents Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt actually quite similar, and why have their subsequent reputations nonetheless differed so sharply?
Do we now understand the true blunders in America's Vietnam policies and tactics?
How did the use of historical analogies affect cold war policymakers? Was the cold war inevitable?
Rethink the Meaning of History
In addition to rethinking not just the facts of U.S. history, but also their meaning, Professor Stoler offers fresh insight into history itself as well as how historians think and work. He presents a realistic picture of what the craft of history is and the most important things one can get out of its study.
The Skeptic's Guide to American History is also extremely revealing about how misperceptions of events at the time they happened—including how prior beliefs and perspectives caused those misperceptions—can be exacerbated over the years and obscure future understanding.
For example, you learn how the obvious success of an early 19th-century effort to make George Washington the personification of a national identity for America has come at a price. For it has not only obscured the knowledge of his failings essential to a well-rounded understanding of the man, but also of many of his successes—some of which may be his most important contributions to American history.
Few Americans, for example, are familiar with what is known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, a politically motivated plot during the winter of 1782–1783 that might well have developed into a real coup, with anti-Washington elements in the army enlisted as catalysts. Professor Stoler takes you into the extraordinary meeting called by Washington when he learned of the plot, offering a portrait of leadership under pressure more revealing than any story of a cherry tree and hatchet ever could be.
Get a Fresh Perspective on Powerful Episodes
The above insights are but some of the many that make this course such an intriguing look into an American "history"so many of us take for granted, with eye-opening explorations of key themes and episodes, including these:
The ironic role played by the "cult of domesticity,"in which the moral battle by religious women on behalf of temperance also led to the birth of the reform movement that would ultimately give women the right to vote.
Why the Battle of Gettysburg—which at the time was not perceived as pivotal by either side—came to be seen as the "turning point"of the war, including the role played by Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in unintentionally elevating the battle in history's vision beyond the far more important Union victories at Antietam, Vicksburg, and Atlanta.
The origins of America's established war mythology, including the ideas that the United States does not start wars, but only responds to attacks, and that history reveals a pattern of America consistently "winning the war but losing the peace.”
Working in the same crystal-clear style that has earned him so many teaching awards—including The University of Vermont's George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award and the Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Award—Professor Stoler takes you on a challenging but intellectually invigorating journey through American history.
The Skeptic's Guide to American History is a journey that allows you to rethink not just the facts of U.S. history, but also their meaning. Just as important, Professor Stoler makes that process a delightful intellectual experience.
To take a skeptical approach to American history is not to dabble in imaginative conspiracy theories or doubt the essence of the American experiment; rather, it's to reframe your understanding of this great nation's past and actually strengthen your appreciation for what makes American history such a fascinating chapter in the larger story of Western civilization.
Sorting through misconceptions, myths, and half-truths about America's past is also a chance to revisit some of the country's greatest episodes, figures, and themes from a fresh perspective and an opportunity to hone the way you think about and interpret the past, the present, and even the future.
In The Skeptic's Guide to American History, you can do just that. This bold 24-lecture course examines many commonly held myths and half-truths about American history and prompts you to think about what really happened in the nation's past—as opposed to what many believe happened.
Delivered by award-winning scholar and Professor Mark A. Stoler of The University of Vermont, these lectures demonstrate how reconsidering some of the most popular notions of U.S. history can yield new (and sometimes startlingly different) interpretations of political, social, economic, and military events. But more than just debunking commonly accepted accounts, you'll be able to replace these misconceptions with insightful truths.
See the Evolution of History
History, no matter how objectively it may be pursued, is still a profoundly subjective discipline and most emphatically not a science. History is also evolutionary, with every generation reinterpreting the past in light of its own problems, perceptions, and experiences.
Oft-repeated beliefs addressed in The Skeptic's Guide to American History include, to name only a few, these ideas:
The colonies rose up in united determination to defeat Great Britain and win independence.
The Civil War was fought over slavery and the Union's commitment to racial equality.
A policy of laissez-faire helped create the economic juggernaut that propelled America to world dominance.
Today's convergence of religion and politics represents a dramatic departure from the separation of church and state put in place by the Founding Fathers.
Exploring both the events of America's history and the verdicts that have been rendered about some of its most enduring figures—including George Washington, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George C. Marshall, Lyndon Johnson, and many more—The Skeptic's Guide to American History examines a wide-ranging list of questions, including these:
What impact did other nations have on the American Revolution?
Has George Washington always been revered as president? Why or why not?
What about America's other presidents? Which ones may have been underrated, and which overrated?
In what ways were the responses to the Great Depression by presidents Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt actually quite similar, and why have their subsequent reputations nonetheless differed so sharply?
Do we now understand the true blunders in America's Vietnam policies and tactics?
How did the use of historical analogies affect cold war policymakers? Was the cold war inevitable?
Rethink the Meaning of History
In addition to rethinking not just the facts of U.S. history, but also their meaning, Professor Stoler offers fresh insight into history itself as well as how historians think and work. He presents a realistic picture of what the craft of history is and the most important things one can get out of its study.
The Skeptic's Guide to American History is also extremely revealing about how misperceptions of events at the time they happened—including how prior beliefs and perspectives caused those misperceptions—can be exacerbated over the years and obscure future understanding.
For example, you learn how the obvious success of an early 19th-century effort to make George Washington the personification of a national identity for America has come at a price. For it has not only obscured the knowledge of his failings essential to a well-rounded understanding of the man, but also of many of his successes—some of which may be his most important contributions to American history.
Few Americans, for example, are familiar with what is known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, a politically motivated plot during the winter of 1782–1783 that might well have developed into a real coup, with anti-Washington elements in the army enlisted as catalysts. Professor Stoler takes you into the extraordinary meeting called by Washington when he learned of the plot, offering a portrait of leadership under pressure more revealing than any story of a cherry tree and hatchet ever could be.
Get a Fresh Perspective on Powerful Episodes
The above insights are but some of the many that make this course such an intriguing look into an American "history"so many of us take for granted, with eye-opening explorations of key themes and episodes, including these:
The ironic role played by the "cult of domesticity,"in which the moral battle by religious women on behalf of temperance also led to the birth of the reform movement that would ultimately give women the right to vote.
Why the Battle of Gettysburg—which at the time was not perceived as pivotal by either side—came to be seen as the "turning point"of the war, including the role played by Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in unintentionally elevating the battle in history's vision beyond the far more important Union victories at Antietam, Vicksburg, and Atlanta.
The origins of America's established war mythology, including the ideas that the United States does not start wars, but only responds to attacks, and that history reveals a pattern of America consistently "winning the war but losing the peace.”
Working in the same crystal-clear style that has earned him so many teaching awards—including The University of Vermont's George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award and the Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Award—Professor Stoler takes you on a challenging but intellectually invigorating journey through American history.
The Skeptic's Guide to American History is a journey that allows you to rethink not just the facts of U.S. history, but also their meaning. Just as important, Professor Stoler makes that process a delightful intellectual experience.
July 11, 2019
I liked these 24 lectures on American History much more than I expected. Each lecture focuses on a single topic and goes into the detail necessary to show that the basic understanding that many Americans have about the topic is overly simplistic.
One thing that I feared from the title was that the lectures would adopt a very negative tone and simply try to tear down revered historical figures or events. Instead, the lecturer focuses on giving the listener a more complete understanding of the topic, and showing that any explanation that tries to boil something in history down to a catch phrase or other very simple explanation is insufficient to capture the important aspects of the topic.
I do not think that I held many of the misconceptions that the lecturer uses as the start of each lecture, but the discussion was of such quality that I feel like I learned a lot. I actually started listening to the lecture series again immediately upon finishing it in hopes that more of it will stick in my mind that normally would with only one reading. I have contemplated doing this before with other books, but this is the first time that I have actually done it.
One thing that I feared from the title was that the lectures would adopt a very negative tone and simply try to tear down revered historical figures or events. Instead, the lecturer focuses on giving the listener a more complete understanding of the topic, and showing that any explanation that tries to boil something in history down to a catch phrase or other very simple explanation is insufficient to capture the important aspects of the topic.
I do not think that I held many of the misconceptions that the lecturer uses as the start of each lecture, but the discussion was of such quality that I feel like I learned a lot. I actually started listening to the lecture series again immediately upon finishing it in hopes that more of it will stick in my mind that normally would with only one reading. I have contemplated doing this before with other books, but this is the first time that I have actually done it.
December 24, 2018
This series of short, topical lectures about the myths of American history was really interesting to listen to and very informative. I found I didn't personally subscribe to many of the so-called myths, but the in-depth descriptions of the events and false perceptions was captivating. I was a bit concerned about bias on either side of the political fence, but I detected none of that in the lectures. The series increased my appetite for learning more about American history.
December 31, 2020
You have to read this! Listen to it! Or whatever you can do to get your hands on this unbiased account of American history.
Ok, I understand we often hear “unbiased” only to find.....there is bias. In the case of these lectures this is true. You can clearly identify the definitions Mark uses throughout the lectures and he is very specific by what he means when he discusses all topics. His details and neutral view on history is fascinating.
I highly recommend this audiobook!
Ok, I understand we often hear “unbiased” only to find.....there is bias. In the case of these lectures this is true. You can clearly identify the definitions Mark uses throughout the lectures and he is very specific by what he means when he discusses all topics. His details and neutral view on history is fascinating.
I highly recommend this audiobook!
May 22, 2019
Great lecture that does what you would suppose based on the lecture series title. A pleasant surprise is that it doesn't take a predictable "conservatives are wrong" approach on everything. There are times when the libertarian, democratic, and conservative republican takes on history are called into question. The best take away: History does NOT repeat, but human behaviors do.
February 9, 2016
This course tries to undo some of the revisionist history that pervades our general knowledge of our country's beginnings. My favorite lecture was the one about the battles of the Civil War that were much more important to Gettysburg.
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