World Famous Comics: Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned (Don't Know Much About...)
Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned (Don't Know Much About...)
By: Kenneth C. Davis Publisher: HarperCollins Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: HarperCollins Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 678 Publication Date: April 13, 2004 Release Date: April 13, 2004
Who really discovered America? What was "the shot heard 'round the world"? Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: Did he or didn't he?
From the arrival of Columbus through the bizarre election of 2000 and beyond, Davis carries readers on a rollicking ride through more than 500 years of American history. In this updated edition of the classic anti-textbook, he debunks, recounts, and serves up the real story behind the myths and fallacies of American history.
Amazon.com Review: Finally, someone who tells history like it was, without the old textbook gloss that's put so many students into premature naptime and misinformed the few who stayed awake. Davis corrects the myths and misconceptions from Columbus up through the Clinton administration, and shows that truth is more entertaining than propaganda.
"Don't Know Much About.." Series is Excellent! I've read all of the books in the "Don't Know Much About.." series. If you're interested in getting a rather thorough overview without becoming an expert, these books are for you. They are so easy to read, that I couldn't but them down.
Very Flawed Effort The book attempts to make history interesting and debunk many misconceptions. The initial writing starts off strong, then quickly falls into the following traps:
1) Opinionated. The author injects strong opinions where it's not needed or supported. For example, he likes to mention the "myth" of American opportunity, even right after sections about prominent figures that started from very poor backgrounds. Every motivation is boiled down to greed and racism, even the abolitionist movements.
2) Inaccuracy. This is a deal-killer for historical books. Facts are frequently wrong, which is a problem since there are no sources cited. For example, the "small and unprepared" Polish army in WW2 consisted of 900,000 men and had been industrializing and training three years before the NAZI invasion.
3) Tireless racial notes. The author never misses an opportunity to point out a person's racism or antisemitism, even though that was the rule as opposed to the exception in pre-1960's thinking. The book should have been titled "Greed and Racism in American History."
4) Dubious choices of inclusion. Why does Whitewater, Watergate, and Iran-Contra occupy passages as large as the Vietnam war? Far too much attention is given to meaningless detail in the later sections. What about the failed equal rights amendment, the fall of unions, and the airline strike?
5) Failure to connect the dots. "Historical inevitability" is a phrase I never want to hear again. It's a cop-out term when the author can't come up with a good reason for something.
The book isn't a total loss. Several ridiculous theories are debunked and some interesting anecdotes are included. But once you're past the revolution, you get a tireless sermon of greed, racism, and uninteresting, disjointed text.
What was the point of the Afterward, other than to lament America's violence?
I can't recommend this book to anyone.
What i learned about history I am in the process of reading this book for my AP class. As a summer reading book and the third one I've read this summer, i was not expecting much from this book. I was pleasantly surprised upon completing the first chapter. Kenneth C. Davis writes in such a way, that you feel he is talking to you. As a book about history you would think it to be very dull and boring, but as i said before, his style of writing makes reading all the more endearing. Plus his "Must read" notations are surprisingly interesting, and I have to say, choices I would actually read.
A Built-In Bias Book
In terms of objectivity, this book has little to offer. Bias in the modern sections is easily spotted. Read the sections that describe Ronald Reagan as an incompetent dolt and Bill Clinton as a brilliant but flawed politician. If his bias is so readily apparent in these modern passages, then what kind of bias is probable in sections where a reader is less able to discern his 'slant' on history to suit hisown agenda. Historians should offer up facts and figures and weave from a variety of sources to come up with a solid profile of history. Davis has an ax to grind for the liberal camp. At the end of the book, he refers to Howard Zinn, a hard left historian, who offers a 'necessary corrective' in his books.
If you're looking for history books, keep looking.
A Good Starting Point If the last time you read about history was decades ago in high school, this is a good book to use as a brief overview. The 1-star reviews are primarily from politically conservative readers. Mr. Davis does lean somewhat to the left, but leaning to the right is just as error-prone ( i.e. the recent reviewer who whitewashed JD Rockefeller, using JDR's autobiography, no less, as one of her 3 sources ). The book is a fun read, and might just get you interested in reading more detailed, nuanced works.
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