Zinn's greatest work. Fascinating, Frightening, Reality. This cartoon book is completely historically accurate. Zinn's work is impeccable; he has received rave reviews from the NY Times for his People's History of the United States.

A must read. I will be giving this book to many friends.

unlike the displeased idelogues who gave this book a one star rating I will actually review the book.

the book provides many important facts about american history that largely go unnoticed in public schools.

the book moves beyond history as a national monument that is heavily sanitized and politicized to reflect the values of private and state power, and clearly points to the mounting skeletons in our closet.

enough information is provided in comic book form that if a reader wants to read further in more scholarly directions they will know what to look for and verify the validity of the information Zinn provides.

This was a great read. Seeing history through comic images was unusual and fun. The history is obviously biased, but I learned a lot that I had not known.

I was honestly disappointed when I saw it was a "comic book".
But after reading the first few pages I realized it was just as good as the full original people's history of the u.s.
I think it is very accessible for high school students and for someone who suspects they have an interest but not willing to put forth the time and effort to read the original non-graphic form.
I recommend it as "light" heavy reading.
Neil Gahn

It takes a while to get through the book, because you can't take too much at one sitting. Make sure you've got your meds. We killed the Indians, but you know that, and dominated the Chinese of the canneries and the railroads, and enslaved the blacks, and shot the people who joined unions, locked up the Japanese ... hey but that's only in this country. You should see what we've been doing on in the rest of the world.

This book is pure left-wing propaganda, absolute rubbish. The author and illustrator are clearly biased. They hate every American who they cannot classify as a "worker". They cannot distinguish political, economic and social ideas. Their principal authority for their propaganda is the discredited pseudo-historian Howard Zinn. They arbitrarily reject the almost unanimous world opinion that Americans are a moral people. That is why so many non-Americans wants to emigrate to the U.S. If young readers want to experience what life in America was like during 1968, they should read, but not buy, this book. During that critical year in U.S. history, people actually believed this kind of propaganda. Someone should tell the author and illustrator that they cannot capture their misspent youth by regurgitating ideas from the 1960s.

As a high school history teacher, I am drooling at the opportunity to include this in my curriculum. Yes, Zinn's politics fall heavy on the left but his unique perspective combined with this comic book stylization will make this dramatically compelling and engaging for a high school audience.

this book should be on every coffee table
the truth made easy reading for all
great addition to Howard Zinn a people history of the U.S.
it gives us hope

Howard Zinn, best known for his excellent "A People's History Of the United States," here dives into the graphic novel format with "A People's History Of American Empire" which looks at the long history of U.S. aggression going back to 1898. Some reviewers are already crying fowl, claiming Zinn is some sort of anti-American Liberal, but if you actually read the material you realize Zinn is a champion of American values and is simply documenting a side of American history that is not readily discussed or explored in your average textbook or in the histories written by those who march step by step with rigid. traditionalism.

"A People's History Of American Empire" uses stunning illustrations, classic texts and recorded history in photos and documents to compile a chronicle of America's role in the world through the years. Zinn, Mike Konopacki and Paul Buhle begin with massacre of America's indigenous population, then they look at America's early imperial adventures in the Philippines and Cuba, always with a great eye for capturing key moments with epic visuals and clear, precise dialogue. The information and facts are nicely processed and presented, any reader will easily be able to digest historical events with both clarity and insight.

What is so great about Zinn's work here is that he gives the Third World a real voice. Some nationalist reviewers are probably angry or confused because this isn't a book giving the usual pomp and glory to figures like Teddy Roosevelt, Churchill or Kennedy, instead the book allows us to meet giants of history that sadly, most Americans have no idea existed. We learn about Nicaragua's liberation icon, Augusto Sandino and Iran's Mohammed Mossadegh, who nationalized his nation's oil, provoking a CIA-backed coup. Through pictures, dialogue and illustrations, we see history through the eyes of those we usually consider "backwards" or "underdeveloped," when in fact, their countries of full of heroic titans and great struggles for freedom and democracy. We are raised to only believe in the greatness of the red, white and blue, but we never bother to listen to what the citizens of the nations we intervene in have to say. We like condemning Soviet crimes or aggression, but we never bother to look at our own history in places like Central America or Iran.

The book also looks at little-known U.S. history as the struggles of immigrants, anti-war activists during World War 1 and the writings of characters like Emma Goldman are explored. We meet heroic domestic characters who again, are brushed aside in general histories like the black soldiers who refused to fight in Vietnam, this again makes the work a valuable resource.

"A People's History Of American Empire" might anger readers for what it has to say, but it is all supported by facts. Consider the sections on Reagan's brutal wars in Central America, the Mozote massacre carried out by U.S.-backed troops in El Salvador is well documented as well as the Contra terror war against Nicaragua's elected Sandinista government. Equally well-documented is the CIA's coup against Iran's elected government which is expertly documented here in a clear, visual style that allows the reader to understand what happened and how events lead to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Zinn does not make excuses for radical Islamists, but he does look at how U.S. foreign policy aided in inflaming regional tensions.

This is a valuable illustrated work because it doesn't just give us wonderful art, it presents ideas, information, facts and history with that art. "A People's History Of American Empire" is no less than the secret history of the United States, secret only because nationalism or ignorance keep us from fully discussing our history. Like the best works, it entertains and illuminates, informs and moves. A valuable teaching tool and a must for collectors of pop scholarship.

Ugh. It's come to this. No longer able to brainwash college students Zinn has created a book to further his left-wing agenda on the pre-literate and the illiterate. I am so glad that he found the time to devote a few pages of his comic book to promoting Howard Zinn, Civil Rights Activist and Left Wing Hero.

Only good as an example of the neo-Marxist school of historical thought.

This book is everything I thought it would be and more. I recommend it to all but be prepared to become angry with the stories Zinn shares. The service by the vendor was great too. It was in perfect shape and delivered quickly.

This is basically a graphic version of a Peoples History. If you enjoy this, then you might want to actually read a Peoples History. Will open you eyes.

We have all been through history classes, and most are usually boring. This is a quick read, with a new way to look at history. This takes Howard Zinn's A People's History to the next level. The comic book style makes reading accessible to everyone. The title alone drew me in. When I received the book I couldn't believe how quick the reading went. I have shared with numerous friends, and the cool part is that we are all seminary students. I highly recommend this book for another view of American history.

This cartoon book is modeled on other cartoon books that have taken serious subjects and boiled them down to childish antics, such as Maus (The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale), Persepolis (Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood) and Palestine (Palestine: The Special Edition). Perhaps this reflects the readership of Mr. Zinn. But one wonders: can't those who hate America and complain about the American 'empire' read adult books that can be taken seriously and fully address the subject? There is a large genre now on the 'American empire' and this book is not original. But it has several original ways to portray the march of this 'empire'. It blames 'war profiteers' and 'corporations' for all of the imperialism. It cannot ever bring itself to show one good positive contribution of America. Thus the Civil War simply isn't included lest Zinn would have to admit that, well, yes, half a million American died freeing the slaves. He would have to admit that America was the only country in the world in which people went to war to end slavery. For the segment on World War Two there is no mention of American troops liberating the concentration camps. There is no mention of how America helped save the world from the Nazi menace and free Asia from Japanese imperialism. Instead there is only the 'war profiteers' and German victims in Dresden. This is typical rubbish and anti-American hatred that cannot give credit where credit is due. Rather than blaming the League of Nations and Italy for the destruction of Ethiopia and Italy's war against that African country this comic book blames America, a country that was in the midst of a depression and isolationist at the time. The book even has the gall to blame America for the Spanish Civil War and Franco's victory, perhaps forgetting that thousands of Americans went and volunteered and died fighting for the Republic in Spain and perhaps also forgetting that in the end the Republic was destroyed by Stalin's use of terror against its leadership. This is a conspiratorial book that offers up tripe in the form of comics in order to make people hateful towards the U.S. Zinn's sympathy must be with those people who have attacked America such as Hitler, Japanese imperialism and Islamism. How sad.

Seth J. Frantzman

A quick read of the prolog will let the reader know the viewpoint of the author. It is a shame this book is for sale in the history section of booksellers rather than current events or, even better, religion. The book's intention is to advocate the case for and possibility of a permanent end to war.

Conflict has been a part of human society from the beginning. Any objective historian understands this simple fact. Humans have not evolved past warfare either: witness the 20th century - the bloodiest century in human history. You can see anger, selfishness and fear displayed in the faces of babies and toddlers. Watch any political contest, even between the most "leftwardly evolved" leaders and you'll see they will do whatever it takes to defeat their fellow human.

The reason why this book has an audience is due to the sheer success the United States has enjoyed in warfare and its ability to maintain a formidable military. It appears that the lack of violence on the scale of World War II would indicate that we have perhaps turned the corner on our violent past and overcome our nature. Those who would initiate further conflicts are holdovers from the past that have yet to die out.

Sadly, those who believe human society has evolved past warfare don't seem to be able to point to the cause of this evolution. Nor can they answer the question what are the "evolved" to do when they live with, and are perhaps outnumbered, by the non-evolved?

Those with experience dealing with spoiled children can see the same mental and emotional processes at work. A spoiled child cannot imagine doing tasks that their parents do for them. Many will tell you that's something for parents to do or that they can't do it. Some can't even imagine doing it. They feel they are better than those children who have to do those tasks and look down on them.

Howard Zinn and his choir are simply the spoiled children and the U.S. government is the parent. He and is ilk will be quickly forgotten along with the rest of history's pacifists once the parent is no longer able to take care of them.

My concern is for those semi-educated public school teachers who see a "history book" in graphic novel format and seize upon selected articles to share with their students without any idea that the book is preaching a particular viewpoint.

Educators like Howard Zinn are important because they present the view of history from the left of center or left wing point of view. What he tells is part of the story of America but it is not THE story of America. Mr. Zinn finds sinister motives in everything our country has done or is doing.

This is a very hateful, venomous angry book. It's premise is that anything and everything American is evil simply by virtue of being American. No justification for such a premise is really explained. Instead, the cartoonist simply spends his spreading hateful half-truths and outright histrical inaccuracies for the purpose of creating a false imression that the US is an "empire", a notion that discredits the work from the beginning.

Essentially, this is for the "I hate America" crowd what Hitler did to for anti-Semitism. It's the exact same techiniques of waging a propaganda war using "true lies". The author learned at least THAT portion of history correctly, I see.

This book absolutely blew me away. I'm a big Howeard Zinn fan and remember using his book "A People's History of the United States" in high school for research projects.

This book takes Howard Zinn's arguments and presents them in a graphic adaptation that makes history come alive. There's real emotion in this book and it's a true page turner. During much of our own history we have been imperialistic and have taken advantage of the rest of the world to advance our own agendas, without regards to the suffering these actions have caused in many countries around the world. Let's turn back to compassion, collaboration and start promoting real sustainable development. In an election year this book should be convincing enough!

I just picked up this book today, and I don't often just start reading a book then buy it, but this one was well worth it. A brutal expose of the injustice going on in America, and perpetuated by it. Not just an expose of the "Rich Elite" and their hold on our supposed Democracy, but all those they've hurt to make an extra dishonest dollar as if they did not have enough already.

The word "propaganda" has an almost universally negative connotation. Whenever we use it, we generally mean to refer to systematic and deliberate misinformation. But it's worth remembering that the word is etymologically derived from the same root as the word "propagate," to increase or grow. Propaganda, as the word was originally used, is simply a means of spreading the news, of getting the word out to large numbers of people, of disseminating information that needs to be disseminated.

It's in this original sense of the word that A People's History of American Empire is propaganda. Using the medium of the comix or graphic novel, Howard Zinn, Mike Konopacki, and Paul Buhle get the word out about a side of U.S. history that almost never gets taught in public schools, and about which many Americans even today remain clueless. Their treatment is entertaining and accessible--which means that it has a potentially huge audience--but neither patronizing nor simplistic--the book contains an extensive bibliography, and references both graphics and narrative claims. It's ideal for folks who have neither the time nor inclination to read Zinn's bulky classic A People's History of the United States, from which much of the volume is mined.

The format is ingenious. Zinn (wonderfully drawn, by the way) is the up-close narrator of the book. He begins by expressing bewilderment that the U.S. response to 9/11 has followed the same old violent pattern that the U.S. (and, of course, not only the U.S.) has typically adopted when threatened. This response, Zinn argues, ultimately only makes matters worse because it does nothing to get to the root causes of unrest. It is "an old way of thinking," one that tragically keeps following the same destructive script, and Zinn proceeds throughout the rest of the book to chronicle its many historical manifestations, ranging from the Wounded Knee massacre to the invasion of Cuba, Hawaii, the Philippines, and Central American nations such as El Salvador and Nicaragua (according to a list published by the State Department in 1962, the U.S. militarily intervened 103 times in foreign countries between 1798 and 1895). Zinn also discusses governmental and big business response to domestic workers' strikes (the Pullman strike and the Ludlow massacre, for example), and draws a connection between this "internal" imperialism and the "external" variety.

Of particular interest are Zinn's treatments of what he calls the "cool war," a culture and ethnic battle over black music in the 1950s, and the current Iraq War.

Another especially interesting feature of the book is its inclusion of Zinn's life story (derived from his autobiographical You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train) which traces his childhood poverty (and tenderness for his parents), his radicalization, his repudiation of violence following his service in World War II, his activism at Spelman College (which led to his dismissal), and his anti-war work--including the famous peace mission to Vietnam--during the Vietnam conflict.

Although the story of the insidious partnership between state and money is shocking and even horrifying at times, Zinn ends the book on an upbeat note. There's much to be hopeful about, he insists, when one considers the extraordinary achievements of the last fifty years. Legal racial apartheid in the U.S. was ended; the Vietnam war was stopped by public protests; velvet revolutions throughout Europe and South Africa succeeded in overthrowing tyranny in relatively bloodless fashion. So "to be hopeful in bad times is not foolishly romantic," Zinn concludes. "It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness" (p. 263).

Both of those messages deserve propagation.