Larry Schweikart

Imagine if a conservative read Howard Zinn and then thought, "I could make something equally as horrible". This is a stocking stuffer your grandfather would give you in the waning years of the Iraq war. If you are opposed to liberals' non-stop focus on abuses, here are some whataboutisms and excuses. All are surface level complaints and extremely boring.

It got right that there's history that happened pre-colonially, colonially, and post-Revolution, and that's kinda where it ends. Elsewise, this book is propaganda. It's full of hot takes, rhetorical contortionism, and in some cases outright lies. It's no wonder it sold as much as it did and still does. I wager it was in part motivated by Zinn's "People's History", which was also quire frequently less than scholarly.

History should not be trademarked, it should be kept and studied and not used to further someone’s agenda. A Patriots History is a mixed bag with some entries that provide both sides of the story, while others are slanted to a conservative view.

The authors do seem to have an agenda against liberals, the news media and “Progressives,” while glorifying some and deriding others. There are better looks at history with an unbiased viewpoint.

Free review copy.

This book is unapologetic in its conservative interpretation of history and provides an excellent counterpoint to the Progressive leaning histories that have been taught in schools for thirty years or more. It is well researched and interesting to read. One benefit of reading a 900 page history from the discovery of the continent through to 2004 is that it becomes easier to understand the cyclical nature of American politics and how it affects everything from our economy to foreign policy. show more Five stars show less