Most Popular Books by Howard Zinn

Historian, activist, and bestselling author Howard Zinn has been interviewed by David Barsamian for public radio numerous times over the past decade. Original Zinn is a collection of their conversations, showcasing the acclaimed author of A People''s History of the United States 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.

Howard Zinn''s cogent defense of civil disobedience with a new introduction by the author. In this slim volume, Zinn lays out a clear and dynamic case for civil disobedience and protest, and challenges the dominant arguments against forms of protest that challenge the status quo. Zinn explores the politics of direct action, nonviolent civil disobedience, and strikes, and draws lessons for today.

Miners, musicians, and "counter girls" go on strike in this people''s history of work in the early 20th century by three acclaimed historians.

Don''t you ever wonder: why is it necessary to declare me dead again and again? The premise of this witty and insightful "play on history" is that Karl Marx has agitated with the authorities of the afterlife for a chance to clear his name. Through a bureaucratic error, though, Marx is sent to Soho in New York, rather than his old stomping ground in London, to make his case. Zinn introduces us to Marx''s wife, Jenny, his children, the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin, and a host of other characters. Marx in Soho is a brilliant introduction to Marx''s life, his analysis of society, and his passion for radical change. Zinn also shows how relevant Marx''s ideas are for today''s world. Historian and activist Howard Zinn is the author of the bestselling A People''s History of the United States and numerous other writings. He recently received the Eugene V. Debs and Lannan Foundation awards for his writing and political activism. He is also the author of Emma, a play about Emma Goldman, in the anthology Playbook (South End Press). Praise for Marx in Soho: "An imaginative critique of our society''s hypocrisies and injustices, and an entertaining, vivid portrait of Karl Marx as a voice of humanitarian justice - which is perhaps the best way to remember him."-Kirkus Reviews "A cleverly imagined call to reconsider socialist theory... Zinn''s point is well made; his passion for history melds with his political vigor to make this a memorable effort and a lucid primer for readers desiring a succinct, dramatized review of Marxism."-Publishers Weekly "Even in heaven it seems, Karl Marx is a troublemaker. But in the deft and loving hands of activist/author/historian Howard Zinn, the historical figure... is also a father, a husband and a futurist possessing a grand sense of humor."-ForeWord "A witty delight that will engage both new and old acquaintances of the Marxian corpus.... Even conservatives will find Zinn''s [book]... an intelligent and diverting read. Recommended for academic and public libraries alike."-Library Journal

A Young People''s History of the United States brings to US history the viewpoints of workers, slaves, immigrants, women, Native Americans, and others whose stories, and their impact, are rarely included in books for young people. A Young People''s History of the United States is also a companion volume to The People Speak, the film adapted from A People''s History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History of the United States. Beginning with a look at Christopher Columbus’s arrival through the eyes of the Arawak Indians, then leading the reader through the struggles for workers’ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and ending with the current protests against continued American imperialism, Zinn in the volumes of A Young People’s History of the United States presents a radical new way of understanding America’s history. In so doing, he reminds readers that America’s true greatness is shaped by our dissident voices, not our military generals.

"Cohen presents an edited volume of Zinn''s diary, made available from his papers at NYU''s Tamiment Library ... Zinn''s diary entries focus on issues of race, class, democracy, and freedom that were of concern to him throughout his Atlanta years (1956-63)"--

Zinn''s compelling case against the Vietnam War, now with a new introduction. Of the many books that challenged the Vietnam War, Howard Zinn''s stands out as one of the best--and most influential. It helped sparked national debate on the war. It includes a powerful speech written by Zinn that President Johnson should have given to lay out the case for ending the war.

World-renowned historian Howard Zinn has turned to drama to explore the legacy of Karl Marx and Emma Goldman and to delve into the intricacies of political and social conscience perhaps more deeply than traditional history permits. Three Plays brings together all this work, including the previously unpublished Daughter of Venus, along with a new introductory essay on political theater, and prefaces to each of the plays.

A "well-chosen anthology of the radical historian''s prodigious output," from A People''s History of the United States and lesser known sources ( Kirkus Reviews). When Howard Zinn died in early 2010, millions of Americans mourned the loss of one of the nation''s foremost intellectual and political guides; a historian, activist, and truth-teller who, in the words of the New York Times''s Bob Herbert, "peel[ed] back the rosy veneer of much of American history to reveal sordid realities that had remained hidden for too long." A collection designed to highlight Zinn''s essential writings, The Indispensable Zinn includes excerpts from Zinn''s bestselling A People''s History of the United States; his memoir, You Can''t Be Neutral on a Moving Train; his inspiring writings on the civil rights movement, and the full text of his celebrated play, Marx in Soho. Noted historian and activist Timothy Patrick McCarthy provides essential historical and biographical context for each selection. With a foreword by Noam Chomsky and an afterword from Zinn''s former Spellman College student and longtime friend, Alice Walker, The Indispensable Zinn is both a fitting tribute to the legacy of a man whose "work changed the way millions of people saw the past," and a powerful and accessible introduction for anyone coming to Zinn''s essential body of work for the first time (Noam Chomsky).

"Political power," says Howard Zinn, "is controlled by the corporate elite, and the arts are the locale for a kind of guerilla warfare in the sense that guerillas look for apertures and opportunities where they can have an effect." In Artists in Times of War, Zinn looks at the possibilities to create such apertures through art, film, activism, publishing and through our everyday lives. In this collection of four essays, the author of A People''s History of the United States writes about why "To criticize the government is the highest act of patriotism." Filled with quotes and examples from the likes of Bob Dylan, Mark Twain, e. e. cummings, Thomas Paine, Joseph Heller, and Emma Goldman, Zinn''s essays discuss America''s rich cultural counternarratives to war, so needed in these days of unchallenged U.S. militarism.

Leading intellectuals discuss the effects of the Cold War on academic freedom, intellectual life, and dissent in the academy.

Here, in the magisterial yet plain-spoken style of A People''s History of the United States, is historian Howard Zinn''s long-awaited telling of these last six years of United States history, a time when catastrophic machinations of war have dictated our foreign and domestic policy, and when voices of resistance have appeared in the unlikeliest places. Perhaps more than any other American, Howard Zinn has helped us understand ourselves by deepening our understanding of our own history.

Presents a collection of lessons and activities for teaching American history for students in middle school and high school.

Interviews focusing on the last century take a look at history from the standpoint of the ordinary people of the country.

A Young People''s History of the United States brings to US history the viewpoints of workers, slaves, immigrants, women, Native Americans, and others whose stories, and their impact, are rarely included in books for young people. Volume 1 begins with a look at Christopher Columbus’s arrival through the eyes of the Arawak Indians, then leads the reader through the earliest struggles for workers’ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights during the 18th and 19th centuries. Volume 2 picks the thread up in the early 20th century, covering both World Wars, Vietnam, the Black Rights movement, and ending with the current protests against continued American imperialism. Zinn presents a radical new way of understanding America’s history. In so doing, he reminds readers that America’s true greatness is shaped by our dissident voices, not our military generals. A Young People''s History of the United States is also a companion volume to The People Speak, the film adapted from A People''s History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History of the United States.

From the classic A People’s History of the United States comes a history of America as told through dramatic readings that applaud the enduring spirit of dissent. Here, in their own words, are Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, Mother Jones, Eugene V. Debs, and many other Americans who were not afraid to speak out in support of their beliefs. Howard Zinn provides commentary throughout this uplifting volume, which can also be used as a play for high schools or colleges. Howard Zinn (1922-2010) was a historian, playwright, and activist. He wrote the classic A People’s History of the United States, which has sold more than two million copies and was featured in a documentary on the History Channel. His other writings include the play “Marx in Soho” and his autobiography You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train. He received the Lannan Foundation Literary Award for Nonfiction and the Eugene V. Debs award for his writing and political activism.

"Howard Zinn, an American historian, and Gino Strada, surgeon and founder of EMERGENCY (the Italian humanitarian society for the care and rehabilitation of civilian victims of war and anti-personnel mines), are in agreement with one another on the need to abolish war - all wars." "Zinn and Strada, speaking in Rome recently, captivated an audience of over a thousand people with their views on war. Zinn''s words are captured, unabridged, in this book." "Zinn''s message in Rome was simple but powerful. The photos that accompany the text in this volume are by Moises Saman, a photo-reporter who fights against war with his camera." "Howard Zinn said that if the human race is going to survive, it must declare wars taboo, as it did with cannibalism and slavery. Wars, he says, referring to Gino Strada''s experience in treating its victims, are essentially wars against civilians, many of them children. All of us, therefore, have a responsibility to work towards a time when we still struggle for justice, but without war."--BOOK JACKET.