Original Zinn: Conversations on History and Politics

By Howard Zinn, Arundhati Roy, David Barsamian

Book Overview

The acclaimed historian and author of the classic A People's History of the United States offers a deeply personal look at the events, issues, and people that matter to us all

Based on Howard Zinn's interviews on public radio with host David Barsamian, Original Zinn brings into focus a wide range of foreign policy and domestic issues central to our lives today and showcases Zinn 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.

In these candid conversations, Zinn applies his unparalleled historical lens to the urgent questions of our time:

Critical Thinking: Go beyond mainstream narratives as Zinn challenges official histories and reveals the hidden stories of US foreign and domestic policy.Social Movements: Explore the power of ordinary people, from the civil rights struggle to the anti-war movement, and the vital importance of civil disobedience.Dissenting History: Discover the crucial role of artists in social change, with Zinn's analysis of figures from Langston Hughes to Bob Dylan.Activism and Resistance: Listen in on unscripted interviews where Zinn dismantles the myth of American exceptionalism and champions a history of resistance.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060844256
• ISBN13: 9780060844257
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent read

This was an interesting read from a man who knows his history and politics. I especially love his opinions on war and he seems to always back his arguments up with solid reasoning. If you really want to be blown away, read The People's History of the United States.

Conversing with Zinn

Howard Zinn not only makes history worth reading - he makes history. Historian, political activist, octogenarian and bestselling author of A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, he has been interviewed by Alternative Radio's David Barsamian (alternativeradio.org) a number of times over the past decade; and this latest publication is a collection of eight radio interviews between 2002 and 2005, showcasing Zinn's current thought on such issues as the bombing of Afghanistan, the occupation of Iraq, the so-called War on Terror, civil liberties, militarism, modern warfare, imperialism, economic inequality, privatization and, of course, the role of civil disobedience in an undemocratic society. Although, in the words of some critics, Barsamian merely asks `softball questions,' this book is clearly not aiming to persuade or cajole the reader. Rather, the format is more like one of F.D.R.'s fireside chats, or a friendly dialogue between Socrates and Crito. However, these are not mere theoretical musing. After his experience as a W.W.II bombardier, Zinn has led an active career striving to bring about real, concrete social change as a teacher, veteran of the Civil Rights Movement and peace advocate. Zinn enthusiasts will find much originality in this book, up to and including the speech he gave at Spelman College in 2005, forty-two years after being fired for "insubordination." Zinn newcomers, on the other hand, might want to Start with A PEOPLE'S HISTORY in order to lay groundwork for much of the historical material discussed in this volume. Whatever you start with, though, you should definitely start. Nothing this man has touched should go unread.