Product Description

Almost everything you know about American history is wrong, because most textbooks and popular history books are written by left-wing academic historians who treat their biases as fact. But fear not, Professor Thomas Woods has written the perfect antidote. This delightful book--funny and inviting, but factually sound--shatters the myths about American history and separates fact from fiction.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7364 in Books
• Published on: 2004-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 270 pages

Amazon.com Review
Claiming that most textbooks and popular history books were written by biased left-wing writers and scholars, historian Thomas Woods offers this guide as an alternative to "the stale and predictable platitudes of mainstream texts." Covering the colonial era through the Clinton administration, Woods seeks to debunk some persistent myths about American history. For instance, he writes, the Puritans were not racists intent on stealing the Indians' lands, the Founding Fathers were not revolutionaries but conservatives in the true sense of the word, the American War Between the States (to even call it a civil war is inaccurate, Woods says) was not principally about slavery, Abraham Lincoln was no friend to the slaves, and FDR's New Deal policies actually made the Depression worse. He also covers a wide range of constitutional interpretations over the years, particularly regarding the First, Second, Ninth, and Tenth amendments, and continually makes the point that states' rights have been unlawfully trampled upon by the federal government since the early days of the republic. Though its title is more deliberately provocative than accurate, Woods' attack on what he sees as rampant liberal revisionism over the past 25 years proves to be an interesting platform for a book. He's as biased as those he rails against, of course, but he does provoke thought in an entertaining way even if he sometimes tries to pass off opinion as hard facts.

This quick and enjoyable read is packed with unfamiliar quotes, informative sidebars, iconoclastic viewpoints, and a list of books "you're not supposed to read." It is not a comprehensive or detailed study, but that is not its aim; instead, it offers ideas for further research and a challenge to readers to dig deeper and analyze some basic assumptions about American history--a worthy goal that Woods manages to reach. --Shawn Carkonen

From Publishers Weekly
This book is not so much politically incorrect as it is contrarian, as well as utterly contemptuous of anything supported by Liberals or "Intellectuals." At every opportunity, Woods quotes government leaders, media sources and "distinguished" academics who have said something that he feels backs up his view. That view is, by and large, classically conservative, with a focus on states’ rights and small government. Any flaws in or missteps by politicians become instant basis for rejecting them wholesale (i.e., Lincoln’s racial views; the fact that JFK’s two major books were ghostwritten), as Woods dredges up accusations both familiar and long-forgotten. The historical coverage is hardly comprehensive, since Woods focuses on telling the "truth" about issues Liberals have allegedly distorted, like the New Deal and the Civil Rights movement. Some ideas that he claims are controversial are anything but: most people know the Civil War was not fought primarily to abolish slavery, and it’s no secret that Stalin starved his people. Woods writes with zeal, and speckles his narrative with suggestions for further reading labeled "Books You’re Not Supposed to Read" (which are mostly Right-wing revisionist histories) and "PC Today" boxes containing a grab-bag of conservative gripes and assertions (i.e. "It is not true, as most people believe, that the Indians had no conception of land ownership and did not understand what they were doing when they sold their land to the Puritans"). Diehard Republicans may find this book an inspiring corrective to supposedly Liberal-biased history texts, but others will be put off by Woods’s cherry-picking approach and supercilious tone.
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From the Inside Flap
Everything well, almost everything you know about American history is wrong because most textbooks and popular history books are written by left-wing academic historians who treat their biases as fact. But fear not: Professor Thomas Woods refutes the popular myths in The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History. Professor Woods reveals facts that you won't be or never were taught in school, tells you about the "Books You're Not Supposed to Read," and takes you on a fast-paced politically incorrect tour of American history that will give you all the information you need to battle and confound left-wing professors, neighbors, and friends.

Customer Reviews

it's no secret
"...and it's no secret that Stalin starved his people." maybe it's no secret. neither is it a secret that mao murdered millions of innocent chinese. but it is very un-pc to acknowledge such things, because it leads into dangerous un-pc areas the progressive thought police want to keep you away from. Students might get the wrong ideas about unimportant things such as communism and communist aggression, mccarthyism, nationalism, american sovereignty, private property, freedom and gun ownership; things which really aren't issues in today's world in which we are all citizens of the global village.

Politically Incorrect Guide to American History
I am a history lover and always want to hear the truth. A lot was left out of my history classes when I was a kid. I am glad to see a book like this on the market. It is past time to get the truth out to the children of today instead of the watered down information that is out there now.

Dispenses with modern "Court Historians"
Our perception of history shapes our view of politics and economics. So, it should come as no surprise that US history textbooks of the past hundred years have portrayed the strong national government as a laudable development in the evolution of modern politics.

Professor Woods casts a critical eye upon the state sanctioned history as told by leftist/rightist historians and focuses on the simple truth.

The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History is informative, well written, and academically rigorous.

My one criticism of the book is its length. The publisher set an 80-thousand word limit for Dr. Woods, and since his writing style is such a joy to read, one is left wanting more...much more.

But fear not, one of the greatest contributions of this work is Professor Woods' 10-page bibliography filled with reference works and resources that will help you continue your studies.

Some of the highlights of 'The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History' include:

1. The origins of religious freedom in the colonies
2. The founding fathers weren't the Godless radicals of the french revolution...in fact, they were conservatives, seeking to preserve ancient rights
3. The states ratified the constitution with the understanding that they could leave the compact at will.
4. The Tenth Amendment - Cornerstone of the Constitution
5. The roots of big government - the "general welfare clause" was NOT a clause at all.
6. What was the difference between the Republicans and the Federalists?
7. Did Lincoln fight to "save the union?" or "free the slaves?"
8. Why big business is good
9. What did Wilson do that got us into WWI? Why did he want war?
10. The truth about the Great Depression and the New Deal...Roosevelt was NOT a student of economics.
11. FDR, an imperial president that lied to get us into war.
12. Commies in the government? You mean McCarthy was actually RIGHT?..."at long last sir, have you no decency?"
13. Who was the real JFK?
14. Why LBJ and the "great society" wer both miserable failures.
15. The '80's...charitable giving during the "decade of greed"
16. Why Michael Milken was the good guy.
17. Budget cuts were a myth
18. "The era of big government is over"...Yeah, whatever!

This is a rousing read. Historical truth is infinitely more fascinating than the propaganda of mainstream history textbooks currently treated by the academy as "textus receptus."

If you are a would-be student of American history, you should pick up a copy of this book. It will let you put your 'foot in the water' so to speak, and start you down a path of joyous discovery. Well, let me amend that slightly...not all the discoveries I've made have been joyous. But the unvarnished truth is better to be had than the lies that cost the lives of millions.