Dont know much about history; everything you need to know about American history but never learned

Title of the book: Don't know much about history; everything you need to know about American History but never learned

Author: Kenneth C Davis

Publisher: Harper Perennial 

Publishing Date: 2004

ISBN:  9780060083823

Summary:

Who really discovered America? What was "the shot heard 'round the world"? Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: Did he or didn't he?

From the arrival of Columbus through the bizarre election of 2000 and beyond, Davis carries readers on a rollicking ride through more than 500 years of American history. In this updated edition of the classic anti-textbook, he debunks, recounts, and serves up the real story behind the myths and fallacies of American history.

Author Info:

(From goodreads)

Kenneth C. Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of the Don't Know Much About® series of books and audios for adults and children. The first title in the series, Don't Know Much About® History became a New York Times bestseller in 1991 and remained on the paperback list for 35 consecutive weeks. It has since been revised several times and now has more than 1.6 million copies in print. The 30th anniversary edition of the book has been published with a new preface, "From an Era of Broken Trust to an Era of Broken Democracy."

He is, according to Publishers Weekly, "a go-to guy for historical insight and analysis."

AMERICA'S HIDDEN HISTORY also became a New York Times bestseller on publication. A NATION RISING also uses dramatic narratives to tell the "stories your textbooks left out."

His book, THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF AMERICA AT WAR (May 5, 2015) was called "searing" analysis by Publishers Weekly.

Kenneth C. Davis’s success aptly makes the case that Americans don’t hate history, just the dull version they slept through in class. But many of them want to know now because their kids are asking them questions they can’t answer. Davis’s approach is to refresh us on the subjects we should have learned in school. He does it by busting myths, setting the record straight and always remembering that fun is not a four-word letter word.

His recent book, IN THE SHADOW OF LIBERTY: THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF SLAVERY, FOUR PRESIDENTS, AND FIVE BLACK LIVES looks at the lives of five people enslaved by four of America's most famous Presidents and the role of slavery in American history and the presidency. In May 2018, his book MORE DEADLY THAN WAR: The Hidden History of the Spanish Flu and the First World War was published.

In October 2020, his book STRONGMAN: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy was published by Holt. It was named a "Best Book of 2020" by Kirkus Reviews and the Washington Post.

Personal Opinion:

In truth this book deserves somewhere between 1 and 2 stars. But my memories of reading it are filled with frustration and let's say anger. I read it a few years ago- I forgot what year- and it definitely took me back to high school, but it wasn't a fun history experience. I think more than anything, it was frustrating. Some of my main complaints about the book are lack of maps ( seriously...) very little unifying ideas but instead it was random. And knowledge, I didn't learn anything new. Perhaps because it was edited/written  in early 2000s, and was written originally  in the 90s, there was very little attention to diversity. And even then, no attention to what I was seeking. Seriously if you are having trouble with USA history, then get this book. But if you are looking for somehing more in depth, look elsewhere 

2 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)