Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W Loewen

Lies My Teacher Told Me

by James W Loewen

Since its first publication in 1995, Lies My Teacher Told Me has become one of the most important - and successful - history books of our time. Having sold over two million copies, the book also won an American Book Award and the Oliver Cromwell Cox Award for Distinguished Anti-Racist Scholarship and was heralded on the front page of the New York Times in the summer of 2006. For this new edition, Loewen has added a new introduction that shows how inadequate history courses in high school help produce adult Americans who think Donald Trump can solve their problems.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4.5 of 5 stars

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Summary:

As adults, many of us have learned that the facts taught to us by our history books aren't always so accurate. Not only is there an inherent bias in the writing (history is told by the winners, and all that), but there's a lack of checking and a focus on heroification.

Lies My Teacher Told Me aims to delve into American history books, examining what they do – and don't cover. Likewise, it's meant to help open our eyes. History should be making us ask questions – not shut down.

Review:

I'm SO excited that Lies My Teacher Told Me is getting a graphic novel adaptation! I hope this makes it even more approachable to a larger audience. That said, I sat down and read the original novel in preparation for the graphic novel. Yes, I wanted to read and compare the book that compares history books. It seemed appropriate.

I was not disappointed. Lies My Teacher Told Me: A Graphic Novel Adaptation does a great job of focusing on the central points and concerns. It doesn't feel like it's heavily summarized or cut down. Additionally, the graphics and illustrations help to drive home many of the points.

I was hoping that some of the statistics would be updated for the graphic novel (since we all know things change so quickly), but I also understand why this may not have been feasible. I still hope that this adaptation helps put an informative and interesting book into more hands.

Highlights:
Graphic Novel Adaptation
American History
Analysis of American History Textbooks

Thanks to The New Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 11 March, 2024: Finished reading
  • 11 March, 2024: Reviewed