History Lessons
How Textbooks from Around the World Portray US History
Published on 4. July 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-1-59558-082-5 (ISBN)
Description
A "fascinating" look at what students in Russia, France, Iran, and other nations are taught about America (The New York Times Book Review).
This "timely and important" book (History News Network) gives us a glimpse into classrooms across the globe, where opinions about the United States are first formed.
History Lessons includes selections from textbooks and teaching materials used in Russia, France, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Canada, and others, covering such events as the American Revolution, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Iran hostage crisis, and the Korean War-providing some alternative viewpoints on the history of the United States from the time of the Viking explorers to the post-Cold War era.
By juxtaposing starkly contrasting versions of the historical events we take for granted, History Lessons affords us a sometimes hilarious, often sobering look at what the world thinks about America's past.
"A brilliant idea." -Foreign Affairs
This "timely and important" book (History News Network) gives us a glimpse into classrooms across the globe, where opinions about the United States are first formed.
History Lessons includes selections from textbooks and teaching materials used in Russia, France, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Canada, and others, covering such events as the American Revolution, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Iran hostage crisis, and the Korean War-providing some alternative viewpoints on the history of the United States from the time of the Viking explorers to the post-Cold War era.
By juxtaposing starkly contrasting versions of the historical events we take for granted, History Lessons affords us a sometimes hilarious, often sobering look at what the world thinks about America's past.
"A brilliant idea." -Foreign Affairs
Reviews / Votes
"The American invaders...accompanied by their puppets, finally waged the war...The bastards who crossed the 38th parallel at dawn were stoking the flames of war, jumping around like mad men, yearning to invade the North." - North Korean textbook on the Korean War "A provocative, timely and surprisingly readable book." - WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD"More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 208 mm
Width: 139 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
506 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-59558-082-5 (9781595580825)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Dana Lindaman is a Ph.D. candidate in Romance Philology at Harvard University, focusing on the formation of French identity in secondary school textbooks. Kyle Ward is assistant professor of history and political science at Vincennes University in Indiana. He is the author of In the Shadow of Glory.