Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
by James Loewen
Reviewed by Thomas Hansen, Ph.D
James Loewen does a great job here of presenting some very interesting and different perspectives on some of the most important events, persons, wars, and traditions in American history. In fact, what he provides here is a lot of information that is the exact opposite of what is reported in the great majority of the high school history books. In some cases, the truth is not presented at all in those textbooks.
Writing this book did cause some large waves at the time, as I remember. I had heard about the book but never read it. I came across a copy the other day and had to see what was so shocking and revealing and other-worldly about Loewen’s revelations about US history.
Experiencing it now, I can see why it was so iconoclastic back when it appeared. The book dispels a huge number of myths and explains how high school US history books are meant to paint a White,
ethnocentric, idyllic, patriotic, and just plain false account of so many things in our past. The way the history books have discussed Native Americans, Blacks, racism, wars, and so many covered up facts and realities is incredible.
I would recommend the book to all those readers who wish to be better informed about the truth about our history and who wish to get the basic information they need to be able to do their own research on the people and places whose pictures have been painted very differently from what one will expect once you get the real explanations of what went on in the past.
Woodrow Wilson, Helen Keller, and others are not presented the same way here as they are in typical high school history books. I urge you to read this book and embark on some interesting research
journeys to get a different version of history. It is an enjoyable and unsettling book, at the same time.
Certainly all teachers should read this book, and obviously teachers of American history need to have this one on their shelf if they are going to engage in discussions with other professionals who want to know the truth. Why textbooks are so general and vague is a theme addressed throughout this revealing book. How we as educators can figure out a way to teach students about the truth of so many magical and mythical stories is a challenge. There has been so much written in the attempt to use a glorifying approach to American history.
Loewen is a good writer and presents his information here completely and through the use of references. Note that he has a long bibliography and is funny and sarcastic throughout the book (e.g., pp. 14, 15, 16). He is not afraid to write down some very controversial and clear information in this book. For example, he includes five key images of the Vietnam War with their explanations (p. 242). Loewen also spells out the most important question regarding why we fought the Vietnam War (p. 248).
Loewen sure did stir things up. I recommend you read this book… see if you agree or disagree… certainly interesting to considering some challenging and different perspectives on some of the most important events, persons, wars, and traditions in American history. Yet another good book to make us think!
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