A People's History of the United StatesA People's History of the United States
Score Classic
What it's about
Howard Zinn retells American history from the bottom up, through the people usually left out: Native Americans facing Columbus, enslaved people, workers on strike, women, immigrants, soldiers and protesters. In his telling, rights and progress weren't handed down by great leaders but won by ordinary people fighting for them.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Award finalist and has sold millions of copies, used in classrooms for decades. It made many readers see American history differently.
You'll love it if you liked
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American WestGood to know
It's openly partisan, and many historians criticize it as one-sided. It's best read alongside a more traditional history.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics70 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller58 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #77 of the 198 history books we rank
- #129 of the 762 classics we rank
- #418 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is A People's History of the United States worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Award finalist and has sold millions of copies, used in classrooms for decades. It ranks #418 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A People's History of the United States about?
Howard Zinn retells American history from the bottom up, through the people usually left out: Native Americans facing Columbus, enslaved people, workers on strike, women, immigrants, soldiers and protesters. In his telling, rights and progress weren't handed down by great leaders but won by ordinary people fighting for them.
How long does it take to read A People's History of the United States?
About 19 hours (768 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A People's History of the United States?
If you liked it, try The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson or Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown.