Original Zinn: Conversations on History and Politics [9780060844257]

Overview

The acclaimed historian and author of the classic A People’s History of the United States offers a deeply personal look at the events, issues, and people that matter to us all

Based on Howard Zinn's interviews on public radio with host David Barsamian, Original Zinn brings into focus a wide range of foreign policy and domestic issues central to our lives today and showcases Zinn at his most engaging and provocative.

Touching on such diverse topics as the American war machine, civil disobedience, the importance of memory and remembering history, and the role of artists—from Langston Hughes to Dalton Trumbo to Bob Dylan—in relation to social change, Original Zinn is Zinn at his irrepressible best, the acute perception of a scholar whose impressive knowledge and probing intellect make history immediate and relevant for us all.

In these candid conversations, Zinn applies his unparalleled historical lens to the urgent questions of our time:

• Critical Thinking: Go beyond mainstream narratives as Zinn challenges official histories and reveals the hidden stories of US foreign and domestic policy.
• Social Movements: Explore the power of ordinary people, from the civil rights struggle to the anti-war movement, and the vital importance of civil disobedience.
• Dissenting History: Discover the crucial role of artists in social change, with Zinn’s analysis of figures from Langston Hughes to Bob Dylan.
• Activism and Resistance: Listen in on unscripted interviews where Zinn dismantles the myth of American exceptionalism and champions a history of resistance.