Home » Telling the Truth about the Past » To The General Public » Reactions to Lies My Teacher Told Me » Readers’ and Critics’ Capsule Responses to Lies My Teacher Told Me

James W. Loewen (1942-2021)

We mourn the loss of our friend and colleague and remain committed to the work he began.

Remembering James W. Loewen

Readers' and Critics' Capsule Responses to
Lies My Teacher Told Me

  • Lies My Teacher Told Me is an extremely convincing plea for truth in education.” — San Francisco Chronicle
  • “I loved your book and plan to strongly recommend it to all of my colleagues.” — Thomas Corwin, 30-year veteran HS history teacher
  • “This book takes up where Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the U.S. leaves off.” — Polly Mann, Southside Pride (Minneapolis)
  • “Every teacher, every student of history, every citizen should read this book.” — Howard Zinn, Professor Emeritus, Boston University.
  • “I was a poor (D-plus) student in history until I read People’s History of the United States and Lies My Teacher Told Me. After reading those two books, my GPA in history rose to 3.8 and stayed there. If you truly want students to take an interest in American history, then stop lying to them.” — Dudley Lewis, letter to the editor, San Francisco Examiner
  • “I was shocked, stunned, disillusioned, and fascinated by your splendid book, Lies My Teacher Told Me . Also, educated and entertained.” — Anne R. Dick, Pt. Reyes Sta, California
  • “. . . contains so much history that it ends up functioning not just as a critique but also as a kind of counter-textbook that retells the story of the American past.” — The Nation
  • “Despite the dreadful fascination with which one reads James Loewen’s devastating critiques in the first ten chapters of his book, his most interesting and important points remain to be made in the last two chapters, “Why Is History Taught Like This?” and “What Is the Result of Teaching History Like This?” — Buffalo Spree
  • “[Lies] proceeds to nail the many sins of American history textbook authors and publishers. It makes horrifying reading.” — Denver Post.
  • “Every history teacher in the land (including Prof. Gingrich) needs to read this book.” — San Jose Mercury News
  • “What a piece of racist trash. . . Take your sour mind to Africa where you can adjust that history.” — E. R. (last name unreadable), El Paso.
  • “Although Loewen often is entertaining, he presents both an indictment that rings true and an eloquent call to action.” — Kirkus Reviews.
  • “A useful inquiry into the ways we explain our past — and ourselves.” — London Times
  • “Your book has given me a new outlook, yet a strong appreciation for our country.” — Brian Woodland, 8th grade history teacher
  • “So far I’ve been limited to two chapters, but those I recommend to everyone, especially the one on John Brown/Lincoln/etc. I’m leaving for the beach tomorrow, and it’s the only book I’m taking…” — Paul Heymont, history teacher
  • “Loewen’s breezy, candid style is often a breath of fresh air. In addition, any teacher who reads him will find a wealth of new material to use in class — not just in the text itself, but in the footnotes. Even when you don’t agree with him, he is engaging.” — Luther Spoehr
  • “The best book I’ve read in a year, the most fun, and the most useful.” — Peter Knapp, professor of sociology, Villanova University.
  • “Readers interested in history, whether liberal or conservative, professional or layperson, will find food for thought here.” — Publishers Weekly.
  • “Reading the chapters was a great pleasure. They are very engaging and marvelously written. I was moved by your passion and your arguments. This will be an important book.” — Roy Rosenzweig, professor of history, George Mason University
  • “I don’t think I have ever enjoyed reading a manuscript as much as Lies My Teacher Told Me.” — Josh Brown, American Social History Project
  • “Loewen’s book is more than a critique of history education; it is an education in itself. The bulk of Lies My Teacher Told Me consists of a refreshing retelling of American history as it should, and could, be taught: full of conflict, suspense, unresolved drama, wit, passion, compassion, and connections with current-day issues. . . . When you look up from this book, the world, past and present, looks different.” — Andrea S. Libresco, high school social studies teacher and university professor of social studies methods.
  • “What a superb job you did on criticizing the dozen textbooks and exposing in rich and lively detail their weaknesses, biases, omissions, distortions, and sugar-coating.” — Milton Meltzer, author of more than eighty historical books for young people.
  • “I read it cover to cover (including the footnotes), found it hard to put down, and was sad when it ended.” — David Stanton, Clonara School Home Based Education Program, and editor of Clonara Resources (for home schooling).
  • “A fine job . . . solidly on-target.” — John Hunter Gray, former chair, Department of Indian Studies, Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
  • “A beautifully sourced masterpiece.” — Keith Wheelock, Skillman, New Jersey, consultant to Native American tribal colleges.
  • “You have brought to light the truth behind my struggles in junior and senior high social studies classes. . . . At the time, I assumed I was stupid and lazy.” — Cydney Gabosch, San Rafael, CA.
  • “I just stayed up most of the night reading Lies. It should be mandatory reading for all educators! Fabulous!!!!” — Yvette Rosser, graduate student in history education, Univ. of Texas.
  • “My students, who are all African Americans, were immensely enthused and energized by your book.” — Steven J. Rosenthal, Prof. of Sociology, Hampton University.
  • “Most of the students I discussed this book with vowed to purchase it as soon as their finances would permit. . . . I plan to show this book to my younger family members. I want them to be much more critical of the system at a younger age so that hopefully their educational development will be more fulfilling.” — Reyna Bowman, student, Hampton University.
  • “Almost everyone I have shown this book to wants to borrow my copy when I am done with it.” — Garfield Brown, student, Hampton University.
  • “In this one book, I have learned more than I did in my four years of high school history.” — Clarence Stevens, student, Hampton University.
  • “… I find a great deal of it shocking, and my ignorance even more so. And this from someone who has read Zinn’s People’s History!” — Andrew Broman, University of Kansas.
  • “Having just finished reading Lies My Teacher Told Me, I can think of no better book for Advanced Placement students to read.” — posting to H-High-S History Teachers List (Internet) by Bob LaRue, History and Geography Teacher, Fairview High School, Boulder, Colorado.
  • “In part a telling critique of existing textbooks but, more importantly, a wonderful retelling of American history as it should — and could — be taught.” — American Book Award citation, Before Columbus Foundation.
  • “I discovered your book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, recently. Wow; what a wake- up call! I cannot remember having underlined and written so much in a book….” — Cheryl M. Flory, Baton Rouge.
  • “If a book exists that would have been more fortuitous for me to find at this point in my journey as a teacher and as a thinking human being, I cannot imagine what that book is.” — Julie A. Inada, Ashland, OR.
  • “While I have been a serious reader all of my life, I have never been impacted by any non-fiction book as much as Lies My Teacher Told Me.” — Kelley Kemmerling, Bellevue, WA.
  • “Thank you for publishing one of the most thought-provoking books I have read in my adult life.” — Kelley Kemmerling, Bellevue, WA.
  • “Lies is a humdinger of a book — eye-opening and distressing, yet educational and entertaining.” — Cheri Flory, LA.
  • “I would recommend this book to all history teachers (not just American history) because I am sure ethnocentric thinking and writing is not limited to American history textbooks.” — Jennifer Baniewicz, graduate student, University of Illinois, and student teacher in history.
  • “A true breakthrough in world thought.” — Sam Thomas, Curator of Manuscripts, Historical Center of York County, SC.
  • “A cornucopia of supportive examples and damning evidence.” — John McGill in Bulletin of the Association of Teachers in Independent Schools in NYC and Vicinity.
  • “It is more than just interesting: it is life-enriching. I will give copies as gifts . . . for years to come.” — Andrew Leman, Sherman Oaks, California.
  • “Compelling book. We’re using it in our teacher education program right now at UC Irvine. . . . This book is making a difference in the way that new teachers approach history.” — Adam Wemmer, University of California, Irvine.
  • “I want to step outside the music and recommend a book by James Loewen, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your High School History Textbook Got Wrong. Here is a lightly written expos‚ of the American history text book, its lies and omissions brought to light in colorful, scathing looks at the primary sources. . . . Even a history buff will find shocking the reality of some of the ‘truths’ we were raised with.” — Rootsworld, on the World Wide Web.
  • “I first picked up your book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, over a year ago. Since that day it has become one of my favorite books, and history a subject that I have found infinitely more interesting.” — Jeni Grant, North Carolina State University.
  • “Should keep history buffs fastened to its pages. . .” — West Coast Review of Books, Art, & Entertainment.
  • “Your book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, is tremendous. . . It is helping me to become a better teacher of U. S. history.” — Bill Toscano, Ledyard High School, Ledyard, CT.
  • “I am immeasurably grateful for the publication of this book. . . Living in Massachusetts, the Mayflower Myth of Origin dies particularly hard, but kids seem to have a naturally iconoclastic streak which lends itself to the task.” — Dan de Angeli, teacher, Jamaica Plain, MA.
  • “The final chapter is a gold mine for high school history teachers, with extensive suggestions in the chapter notes for improving history courses and a long list of source materials and where to obtain them.” — Skeptical Inquirer web site.
  • “As far as Lies My Teacher Told Me, their [students’] reaction has been great. It’s like I’d let them onto some secret that was being withheld from them — the ‘truth.'” — Carolyn Armstrong, high school history teacher and originator of discussion group on Lies on the Washington Post’s web site.
  • “I highly recommend your book to many of my friends and anyone even remotely considering teaching a history class. I learned something new in every chapter. . .” — M. L. Nicholson, student, Texas Tech University.
  • “Thank you for taking such a passionate interest in this topic and for writing this book. After completing each successive chapter, I always felt that I had to comment to a friend about what I just learned. . . I feel empowered by your work but sadly also very naive. . . . Your book has given me a tremendous amount of optimism and hope about the career path I am endeavoring to pursue.” — Vivian de Jesus Garay, graduate student-to-be in education.
  • “Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your book. It was so eye- opening.” — Richard Zacks, author, History Laid Bare.
  • “Congratulations on writing one of the most important books in education in the last decade!!” — Peter McLaren, Prof. of Education, UCLA.
  • “Although the book is considered controversial by some, libraries in Alameda County (California) can’t keep it on their shelves.” — article on teaching, on homepage of California State University, Heyward.
  • “Turns American history upside down. A landmark book — a must read, not only for teachers of history and those who write it, but for any thinking individual.” — “Joan,” Toronto, on “Best New Books Recommended by Leading Independent Bookstores,” independentreader.com.
  • “There is at least one up-and-coming high school history teacher who is using and spreading the word about your book. Thanks!” — Ted Chambers, Boston.
  • “Simply put, your book Lies My Teacher Told Me basically blew my mind. . . blazed a new trail in my historical consciousness.” — Tim Case, history student, Winona State University, Minnesota.
  • “My daughter uses Lies My Teacher Told Me as a guerrilla text in her grade eleven Advanced Placement U.S. History, and loves it — although the teacher isn’t always as pleased.” — John Thompson, Prof. of History, Duke.
  • “This book is an astonishing, close-up look at the misrepresentation of American history. . . . You don’t know the truth until you read this book!” — Jo Menard on Amazon.com, internet bookseller.
  • “A stunning look at lies we were all taught in history class. . . . You will be glad you read this book and want to buy copies for all of your friends. . . ” — “joyaloha” on Amazon.com.
  • “This is a great book that every American should take time to read. It will make you think!” — Scott Silton, Amazon.com.
  • “Every conscientious teacher, parent, and citizen ought to read this book and work to reform the teaching of history in his/her school district.” — “payne.schreffler,” Amazon.com.
  • “Books such as yours will make it easier for me to give teenagers a true representation of history when I become a teacher.” — H. Yvette Koch.
  • “A wonderful enlightening work!” — Jim Sachs, Connecticut.
  • “I just bought the book and can’t put it down!! I can’t wait to have my kids read it.” — Donna Muller, home-schooling mom.
  • “Read your book. Loved it. . . . Would love to see you develop your ideas of truth into a textbook or some suitable material to use at the seventh grade level.” — R. Heemer, “teacher of 31 years.”
  • “I am an African American man and you expressed the pain and feelings of Black Americans as if you were Black, yet you’re not. How is it that you’re able to explain poetically the African American plight?” — “Alonzo,” senior history major, Northern Michigan University.
  • “You have made a truly valuable contribution with Lies My Teacher Told Me. Your analysis of racism and anti-racism is especially timely and essential. Your analysis of how textbooks teach that the government does everything, that it never does anything wrong, and that this makes students feel powerless, has proven to be a powerful weapon in helping students liberate themselves from this ideological conditioning.” — Steven J. Rosenthal, Prof. of Sociology, Hampton University.
  • “An outstanding contribution to the cause of meaningful education, not to mention a really fun and interesting book to read.” — Brad McKim, attorney.
  • “What a powerful book!” — Carol S. Andrews, La Mesa, CA.
  • “I thank you for the influence you have had in my life & I hope many others will continue to read your book & that their curiosity will be so aroused that they may begin a quest for truth.” — Carol S. Andrews, La Mesa, CA.
  • “A real gem. . . It is an analysis and critique of how mainstream high school textbooks teach American history (or don’t). But it is more than that. What I think of as the unique contribution that Loewen makes to the public discussion is explaining how historical mythology is constructed through history in our country. He has done interesting research.” — Rob Prince, “Summer Reading,” on web site in anthropology, Arizona University.
  • “I want to thank you for such a great book. My family is tired of me dragging it around with me playing 50 questions . . .” — Katherine McNeil, graduate student in education, University of Washington.
  • “I haven’t yet finished Lies My Teacher Told Me, but I read it every chance I can, and am looking forward to your new book. I am considering becoming a high school history teacher, and if I do, your book will be an important part of my curriculum.” — Michalene Posel, Pittsburgh.
  • “Lies is an essential reality check for students of American history. — David A. Collins, Pitch Weekly, Kansas City, MO.
  • “I’m reading the excellent Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your High School History Textbook Got Wrong by James Loewen…. I’m amazed at how many things I recall being taught in school that are completely incorrect.” — David A. Nye, Eau Claire, WI, posted to Secular Humanist Discussion Group on the Internet, 2/29/96.
  • “I deal with homeschooling students and allow them to pick whatever materials they wish to use in their study of history but almost always begin by recommending your book.” — Einar Kvaran, Clonlara School, Michigan.
  • “I learned so much from this book that I have been sharing it with my friends and co-workers.” — Christina Santella, former HS history teacher, Albuquerque.
  • “I read it twice and then it made the round of friends who were stubborn about returning it, but I finally got it back and now I’m reading it again. Unfortunately it takes many readings before I can begin to wipe out the mess I was fed as a child.” — Erik Bailey.
  • “I just finished reading your book Lies My Teacher Told Me. It was probably the single most enlightening book I’ve ever read. . . . I feel like mailing a copy to my tenth grade American history teacher with a note that says, ‘Read this, and you’ll understand why I never paid attention!'” — Joseph Papa.
  • “Being of a mixed heritage — Scots, Black, Cherokee, and English — I have always felt there was a lot more than what we were taught as children. . . I am a teacher’s aide for the Title I Program at our school and have been sharing your information with every teacher I can get to stand still for five minutes.” — Beth Guiles, St. Regis, Montana.
  • “Many many thanks for your excellent book, Lies My Teacher Told Me. At our high school I attempt to teach Social Studies/American History in a realistic fashion, and your book has given me much ammunition for the fight.” — George Chappell, Santa Rita High School, Tucson.
  • “You really show how to make history come alive, reawakening a sense of debate and of outrage.” — Bob Stam, co-author, Unthinking Eurocentrism.
  • “Loved it! Very inspirational. Assigned as part of my history and philosophy course, for Ph. D.” — Cat Dawson, Kansas State University.
  • “I have just finished reading Lies My Teacher Told Me, and I intend to assign it to my students and recommend it to my colleagues. It addresses a need in introductory classes to explain to students why their college professors are contradicting so much that they learned in high school. . . . — Carla Keirns, Department of History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania.
  • “With Lies My Teacher Told Me you have done a service to every teacher and professor of history or the social sciences.” — Carla Keirns, Department of History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania.
  • “I have just finished your book Lies My Teacher Told Me. I found it to be the most fascinating history book I have ever read.” — Stewart G. Weimer, 30-year public school teacher.
  • “I simply love your book and recommend it to all my friends. I pore over it often to glean new perspective as to how subtle and almost imperceptible the seeds of racism and acceptance of the status quo are and have been instilled at an early age.” — Gilbert Neal, Buffalo.
  • “The most inspiring parts of your book were your extensive notes and your godsent bibliographies and references for materials for classroom use. It would be so easy to write such a book and offer no answers, but you did not, and I heartily applaud you.” — Christopher Bertram, New York State.
  • “Lies is an utterly stunning experience . . . Literally every paragraph drops my jaw yet again.” — Dick Atlee, University of Maryland.
  • “[Lies My Teacher Told Me] is inspiring as well as fulfilling to the human spirit. Thank you for the honest research of the past.” — Isaiah Robert Alatorre, Chicago.
  • “I am a 47 year old student at Metro State University in Denver. You book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, has been an inspiration to me to become a teacher, after having dropped out of college years ago.” — Jim Kruger, Metro State University.
  • “Lies My Teacher Told Me has become my history Bible in discussions with my children, and it has the dog ears to prove it!” — Carol Bro, St. Louis, MO.
  • “This book is great. I’m reading it in my Honors English 401 class and I would definitely read it if I didn’t have to.” — Sabrina Marianne Deasy, University of New Hampshire
  • “I just had to drop you a note to tell you how much I love your book. . . . I use it as gifts for graduating graduate students. It is a marvelous read. . .” — Janann Sherman, History, Memphis State University.
  • “I especially find it useful in getting students to rethink their own standpoints. It’s like visiting good art. You come away with a new, fresh, and perhaps changed viewpoint — a broader horizon.” — Rich Gibson, Education, Wayne State University.
  • “Your book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, is a hands down favorite among the committee and patrons of the library, and you are among our most admired writers. In fact, your books rarely have the chance to cool down on our shelves before heading out again to do their mesmerizing work.” — Colin Revill, President, Stonington (CT) Free Library.
  • “I assigned the book last year for a lower-division history survey entitled “Race, Ethnicity, and Class in American History. . . . The book worked perfectly as a sort of textbook for the course. The students absolutely loved it (as do I). I heard many many times that they didn’t know history could be like this.” — Clark Davis, History, La Sierra University, California.
  • “This is a book that you buy two of — one to read and keep, and one to lend or give away.” — Rose Kundanis, Keene State College, New Hampshire.
  • “This book is a painful read because it is the perfect illustration that ‘nothing is the way you think it is.'” — Alfred Lehmberg, email, 10/97.
  • “The excellent Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen [c]ontains nothing about U.S. History you can’t get in bits and pieces elsewhere, but here it is all in one place and the book is as entertaining to read as it is educational and scrupulously factual.” — Dave Locke, davelocke@bigfoot.com, newsgroup comment.
  • “The content of your book is the reason I am a history teacher. I think your work should be one of the textbooks for every American History class our youth enrolls in.” — Tom Gravert, aol.com email comment.
  • “I haven’t finished your book yet, but I find myself enthralled by it. It is even causing me marital problems because my wife complains about me spending all my free time reading it.” — Leonard Colby, Brazil.
  • “Lies My Teacher Told Me goes beyond recounting fallacies of history and correcting American image; it surveys social issues misreported, ideas misrepresented, and encourages students of history to think about no only the facts, but the reporting which embellishes and colors their presentation. An invaluable guide for the reader.” — posted on Amazon.com website.
  • “Lies My Teacher Told Me is an eye-opening, “can’t-put-it-down” book that humanizes and clarifies American history for the reader. I pride myself on knowing the real story beneath the crap, but Mr. Loewen has awakened me to my own shortcomings and basic beliefs about American heroes and fables. WHOEVER CARES ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR NATION MUST READ THIS BOOK. . . . It has changed my life.” — “Seanchai@ix.netcom.com, posted on Amazon.com website.
  • “As a parent with two children in grade school I have taken a whole new approach to my discussions of history with them. This should be required reading for grade school history teachers.” — Jim Fotte, Garden Grove, CA, posted on Amazon.com website.
  • “Even those who hated history class will not be able to put this book down.” — “cc232647scupa.edu,” West Chester, PA, posted on Amazon.com website.
  • “I read Lies My Teacher Told Me this summer and was extremely happy that I did! I retired from 27 years of teaching high school history last June and only wished you had written it back in the 1960s. I had used one time or another many of the textbooks that you reviewed, and totally agreed with your insightful analysis. — Al Vetrini, from aol.com.
  • I am a history student in San Diego, California. I found your book to be very fascinating. I was amazed at the things I learned. . . I went to the bookstore again to read up on John Brown [in textbooks], and the segment on him was just like you said they portrayed him. . . — Gilbert Mendoza.
  • I just read the Lies book. Excellent and thought provoking. I’m not much of a book buyer. I usually borrow from the library. I only keep books that I think are important. This is a definite keeper and I am recommending it to others. — Ned Zuparko, via email.
  • Am half way through Lies and am loving it. Thanks for writing it. I’m home schooling my daughter, aged 12, and will use it often as a resource; what great notes! — George T. Karnezis, Chicago.
  • “Fascinating and disturbing: one of the very best books I’ve ever read.” — Renee Beymer, Carlsbad, NM.
  • “Get yourself a copy of Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your High School History Textbook Got Wrong, by James W. Loewen, and learn from his years of research on American history textbooks. You’ll yearn to share with your students the truths buried under the layers of blandness and “heroification” in history texts.” — from the web, “Multicultural.Mining.Co.com” 2/98.
  • “It really opened my eyes and I think reading the book will open yours too!” — Lori Rosen
  • “I read this awesome book also, so I know what a true eye opener it is. During my internship, I used sections of this book to supplement a lesson on Christopher Columbus. The students were genuinely interested as well as shocked to learn about the “real” Christopher Columbus. It is great to have this type of book around to add such meaningful information to typical lessons. Using this type of material made it more fun for me to teach the students, and more fun for the students to learn.” — Melissa Granat, both from a conversation on the web at the University of Florida, 1/97.
  • “The first four chapters in Lies is already more interesting than all of my history classes combined. . .” — Jon Garcia, Internet discussion, Pomona College, June, 1997.
  • “Scholarly but user-friendly, highly recommended.” — “JD,” Fletcher.iww Internet discussion, November, 1997.
  • “My favorite book is Lies My Teacher Told Me. It is fantastic reading and superb scholarly work.” — Bob Harrison, Internet homepage, 12/97.
  • “Loewen’s engaging, storytelling style casts in even higher relief the bland, stale examples he culls from history textbooks. As he looks at the dark side of historical issues, he weaves a fascinating tale of his own.” — Bil Johnson, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, review in Educational Leadership, April 1997.
  • [Lies] “has brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion.” — Mary Ann Stephens, email, February, 1998.
  • “If you take the dangerous plunge into the depths of this book, you may never be able to teach history the same way again. . . . It will impact my lesson plans and curriculum as greatly as my experiences in student teaching and my classes in college. It may do the same to you.” — Glenn Peirce, history teacher, on K12.ed.soc-studies newsgroup, 9/14/96.
  • “I . . . just finished reading your book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, and I absolutely loved it! It really inspired the way that I am looking at my curriculum. As a matter of fact, I was up at 3AM planning out how to revise my semester.” — Brandon Hentze, high school history teacher, via hotmail.com.
  • “I have shared your book with my team teaching partner and . . . other members of the department as well. We refer to it as the ‘epiphany book’ because of some of the wonderful ideas presented in it.” — Brandon Hentze, high school history teacher, via hotmail.com, 3/98.
  • “My compliments on an excellent book. . . . By the way, I never could decide whether you were a Socialist or a Republican.” — Ron Moore, sometime high school history teacher, via pacbell.net, 3/98.
  • “I haven’t read any reviews of your book, but I hope individuals are not branding this as a piece of ax-grinding, revisionist history. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is holistic history at its best.” — Tom Goetz, graduate student in education, Minnesota.
  • “Loewen’s point is not simply that we are boring our students with watered- down feel-good history, but that we are giving them an extremely inaccurate picture of the USA, a picture where they see no room for themselves as individuals.” — David Dannenberg, letter to editor, Liberty Magazine.
  • “I haven’t been able to put it down! I carry it with me everywhere…. When people ask me about books that I recommend, I divide them into two categories: ‘Must Reads’ and ‘Should Reads’ …This book is at the top of the ‘must read’ list!!!” — Omar, email from aol.com.
  • “Perhaps you should just have your work printed on yellow paper…I’d save a small fortune in highlighters!” — Omar, email from aol.com.
  • “Thank you so much for the breath of fresh air.” — Mike Light, Northern Illinois University.
  • “I was so happy to see someone write such a wonderful book so at odds with the usual pap & nonsense that passes for history in our schools. I can scarcely wait for your new book to land on the shelves.” — Donald Capps, Woodbridge, VA.
  • “My students . . . are being taught in ways that are entirely new to them. And they LOVE it! They thank you, and so do I.” — David DeNaples, 10th Grade Teacher, Waterbury, CT.
  • “History, as Mr. Loewen proves, is a lively, dynamic, even passionate area of study, not the drab, dull, dishonest “thing” it has become in our schools.” — H. Donald Capps, former history teacher in the public schools of SC.
  • “I feel obligated and elated to thank you for your daring book. It has opened me to many previously unexplored avenues . . . I am preparing to more into a more active role in my community because of it.” — Jaime McGrath, Meriden, CT.
  • “My copy has become hopelessly dog-eared from rereading.” — Mike Hoey-Lukakis, Boston University.
  • “I was fortunate enough to pick up your book in a local [Jakarta] bookstore, and I must say, it will remain one of my favorite books of all time. . . Reading the book as an Indonesian, your book really hit home. . . . I only hope that through my work in television, I shall help young Indonesian minds liberate themselves from rote learning and teach themselves that it is okay to question what is accepted wisdom.” — Nova Poerwadi, Indonesia.
  • “I wish to thank you for your efforts in writing Lies My Teacher Told Me. I read it for the first time two years ago and have re-read it every six months for perspective since. I have now purchased 5-6 copies of the book, because I give it to interested parties, friends, and people who need a wake-up call. I will begin student teaching in the spring and had never before thought about how poorly history is taught to our youth, until I read your book two years ago. I have since gone on to read Zinn, Chomsky, Lasch, Herman, Callenbach, etc. You opened my eyes to the real world I live in and set me in motion to change what I can. Thank you for your inspiration.” — Michael Berry, cyberspace.
  • “What a wonderful book you wrote. As I work through I am continually shocked by the truths you bring to light and the deceptions you debunk. Thank you. It has already made me a better history teacher. I’m in my first year of teaching high school U. S. History after graduating from Colorado College in 1997. I feel much more empowered already.” — Thaddeus Romansky, Denver, CO.
  • “Since 1980 I have taught ‘The History and Development of Racism in the United States of America.’ This semester marks passage of the 1700 mark in numbers of students who have taken the course. This semester was also the first time I have used your book as one of the required readings. The students have responded as I did when I found it — HURRAH! One . . . wrote an email in which he said that your book is ‘the key which has unlocked a door he can never close.’ . . . Many students, often third or fourth year history majors, have been amazed at some of the things they have never heard before. . . . I am very grateful to you, and your book will be a mainstay of that course for as long as I am affiliated with it.” — Horace Seldon, Boston College.
  • “Just a note of thanks from my students and myself for Lies My Teacher Told Me. . . . It has become one of the sources that the kids reach for when they believe ‘the Text’ is simplistic or misleading. ‘Let’s see what Dr. Loewen has to say.'” — Edward Trout, Pennsbury HS, PA.
  • “I just finished your book and was extremely impressed by what you had to say. As a 6th grade Social Studies teacher and department chair for my middle school, I have just realized how woefully ignorant I am of American history. I also realize how inadequate my Social Science education was. I can’t remember ever being required to take an American History course at the college level. I just had to thank you for your book and tell you that it will have a profound effect on my teaching methods. I wish this had come at the beginning of my teaching career rather than so close to the end.” — teacher in Michigan whose name I have suppressed.
  • “Bravo!!! I have just finished reading your book Lies My Teacher Told Me. I must say that it is the most informative and valuable book that I have read in furthering my education. . . . I must especially thank you for providing a most valuable bibliography in which to further my education.” — Jeffrey Swinehart, Shamokin, PA.
  • “Your book Lies My Teacher Told Me, and especially the chapter “Red Eyes,” has had an unprecedented effect on how I view the world. I have never felt inclined to write a letter of approval for anything I’ve read before. Your description of the Indian experience in the United States and, more importantly, the concept of a syncretic American society has subtly, but powerfully, changed my understanding of my country, and, in fact, my own ancestry.” — Jon Hainer, Cambridge, MA.
  • “Having almost finished reading Lies My Teacher Told Me, I couldn’t wait to let you know how powerfully it has affected me. I am 48, went to a progressive school in NYC and still managed to find my self bored and confused by history, much less current events. Thank you for putting me on the road to redressing this situation.” — Julia L. Hammid, Troy, NY.
  • “I read Lies straight through at a sitting the first time, annoying colleagues with bits and pieces read aloud. We all enjoyed it.” — Mark Lause, Professor, University of Cincinnati.
  • “. . . the best intellectual exercise I have had in many years. I graduated from the University of Michigan in 1966, with a major in History. I am amazed at the numerous misconceptions which survived even my college courses in American History.” — Bill Zick, Michigan.
  • “This is the best book I have ever read considering the fact that I am only up to page 60. . . I can’t put it down even when I eat! The best part that I like is that you back up your facts with other sources so the reader knows that you ain’t making all this stuff up.” — Johan Jimenez, 19-year old Peruvian American student.
  • “For the last few years, I have used LIES in conjunction with a traditional history text. . . . What a great book! It always makes them rethink the mega-narrative of American history that they have imbibed since infancy. It also provokes a wonderful classroom discussion–even the quietest ones have something to say about this. And they always rate LIES as the best book and favorite assignment in the course, no matter what other books or papers I assign.” — Ruth Herndon, Prof. of History, University of Toledo.
  • “It is wonderful read. There is so much in this book, it will make you think about the role of textbooks in the social studies classroom, how you will use the textbook, and what it means to teach and know history.” — David Hicks, Prof. of Social Studies Methods, Virginia Tech.
  • “I just want to tell you how much I enjoyed your book. As a college student who would eventually like to teach history, I found it to be very eye- opening and informative. I read it at a time when I was unsure as to what path I would like to take in college. . . . Reading your book was one of the motivating factors in my decision. While reading it, I remembered the whitewashing I received as a high school student. God forbid you expressed a dissenting opinion, or generated a valid counterpoint on a controversial topic.” — Joshua Braarud, Cape Cod.
  • “I am reading your book every day recently, and I love it. I am well educated, have read widely and often, and am nearly forty years old, and yet I find out that much of what I thought I knew is wrong. . . . I have three small children of my own, and I do not want to have them spend forty years wandering in the wilderness of ignorance before they find the promised land.” — Bill Smith, Bemidji, MN.
  • “I recently received a 5 on my AP American History Exam and was writing to let you know that your book was a great help in me achieving such a score. My primary studying was not within the pages of the assigned National Experience textbook, but instead from your book Lies My Teacher Told Me and Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. It goes to show you that even though the teachers who graded my essays may not always teach the truth within their classrooms, they do know the truth when they hear it, and grade accordingly.” — Andy Weaver, Belfast, Maine.
  • “I got this for my kid, just to give him another perspective, and ended hogging it up for myself. My son had to fight me for it (which says a lot about the author’s skill — my son WANTING to read a book in the summer?!?).” — Edward Rosario, New York University.
  • “I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your book. I used to see Native American groups protesting on Columbus Day and wonder what all the fuss was about. After I read your book I was ready to take up the pickets myself! As a history major at Berkeley twenty five years ago this was stuff I hadn’t read about.” — Joan Ellis, Sacramento, California.
  • “. . . Your book really touched me. I am a first grade teacher and after I read your book I was appalled at what I was teaching my class about Columbus and Thanksgiving which I believed to be true.” — Nancy Sabbatini, Alameda, CA.
  • “I am a high school student and my group of friends have read your book Lies My Teacher Told Me and it has opened our eyes to the true history behind our country, positive and negative. . . . I am signed up to take American History next semester of my 11th grade year (this year) and we are using one of the twelve textbooks you reviewed so I cant wait to attempt to start discussions in class concerning issues discussed in your book and use your book as a reference.” — John Jennings, email from somewhere.
  • “I have just received and began reading my copy of your newest book. I wanted to let you know that both of your books have had a good effect on me. As a new Park Ranger in the National Park Service . . . I deal with the challenges of properly passing on history to the public everyday. You bring up a great deal of excellent points in your book, and I have really enjoyed reading it. — ranger at Fort Smith, Arkansas.
  • “I bought your book at the airport as I was wandering around. What a surprise! As I read it, I became so engrossed in it that I knew my flight would be one of the most swift and interesting of my life. (It was.)” — Merata Mita, Hawai’i, 10/99.
  • “I want to thank you for clearing up many of the historical events I have always been curious about. I am using your book to supplement my son’s (and his friends) high school history education. It is making them curious and a little analytical. (At least, I hope that’s what it’s doing.) They are asking questions.” — BJ Williams, Fairbanks, Alaska, 11/99.
  • “Last semester a student wrote a paper about your book Lies, and all of a sudden an entire career path seemed to be validated! Thank you for the perseverance to produce such a magnificent work!” — Prof. Rickey Vincent, San Francisco State University.
  • “You are filling a vital need in the history of our country, and you have also succeeded in blowing my mind more times than any other author I’ve ever encountered. . . . I have never read anything so invigorating, challenging, and illuminating.” — Doug Larsen, Northfield, MN, 12/99.
  • “Lies My Teacher Told Me was incredible. I was touched, angered, fascinated all at the same time.” — Christian Taylor, cui.edu.
  • “Lies My Teacher Told Me was very profound and had an amazing impact on me.” — Aaron, Skyline College, 11/99.
  • “I am glad someone made a book like this to help students like me understand the importance of history My history classes in high school, I found, were not important to me or my life because they simply taught what happened in the past and did not make it relevant to what was happening today.” — Ruby, Skyline College, 11/99.
  • “I know that you dedicated this book to ‘all American history teachers who teach against their textbooks.’ I was not necessarily a member of that group when those words were written. But in due time, I’ll stand in front of a classroom and have every word of that statement apply to me. Thank you.” — Michael Rokofsky, SUNY Geneseo, 12/99.
  • “My penchant for history books gave me a bit more of a background in historical myths than the average Jolene, but even so I was stunned by some of the disclosures written in this book. . . . The information about Indians was priceless, and the chapters on the Civil War and the Reconstruction era caused my jaw to drop.” — found on Deja News on usenet, 12/1999.
  • “Oh, no! I think my newest hero is James Loewen! (Or is the PC term “role model?”) This book is truly amazing.” — Ketrina Poole, Oregon State University, 2/2000.
  • “I am completely in love with this book. How wonderful to finally have a history presented to me which makes logical sense.” — Scott Cuthbert, Oregon State University, 2/2000.
  • “WARNING!! This book has been known to piss people off at their own ignorance and wonder why they didn’t learn about some of these things in school. This book teaches one to question the way History is conventionally taught. Mr. Loewen doesn’t claim to have all the answers and doesn’t need to. This is a book that encourages the reader to discover the truth for themselves.” — John Asher, Oregon State University, 2/2000.
  • “Your book has inspired me one hundred times more to teach against my boring textbook. . . . On a daily basis the kids tell me how much they enjoy history now. They actually take notes! They are eating it up” — Michael Felix, Rosemead, CA, 2/2000.
  • “Mr. Loewen, I really enjoyed your book. I am a 15 year old white american, who was shocked at the items displayed in your writings. . . . I told my friends some of this stuff; they weren’t disappointed at their heritage, but interested. These were even people that do not like history at all.” — Nick Schadle, HS student, email, 3/2000.
  • “At the beginning of the semester, I made [my students] a wager that, even though they were not going to be tested on the historical facts, they would nevertheless remember more of the facts than they would have from an ordinary textbook. One hundred percent of the students vouched that this was true for each of them.” — Patricia Highby, Silver City, NM, 3/2000.
  • “Although some critics have dismissed Loewen’s approach as ‘pseudo-Marxist,’ this knee-jerk nullification of his very well constructed and amply supported arguments simply serves to buttress his arguments. Since Loewen himself as author breeches the taboo of social class in his analysis, the reductionist backlash would predictably dismiss him as a ‘pseudo-Marxist’ even though his entire critical framework is based on the realization of the true power of a fully engaged populace in a participatory democracy.” — student of Patricia Highby, Silver City, NM, 3/2000.
  • “Having just finished your second book of your Lies series, I wanted to write and congratulate you on two wonderful books! As a schoolteacher who currently works in the Education Section of a museum (which includes historic sites), I found your books a timely and engrossing read, a much-needed look into how history has been manipulated.” — Francis French, San Bernardino County Museum, CA, 4/2000.
  • “Wow! I have never liked history, but after reading Lies My Teacher Told Me, I wanted to read more.” — Stephanie Poulos, undergraduate, University of Illinois, 4/2000.
  • “In high school the question was always asked, ‘Why is this important?’ And my history teacher always answered, ‘to learn from our mistakes’ — well, how can we do that if we don’t know what the mistakes are? Right on!” — anonymous undergraduate comment, University of Illinois, 4/2000.
  • “I left school feeling I was cheated of an education It was no inner-city, poverty-stricken school district, either. As soon as I left, I started reading everything I could get my hands on. I literally felt stupid. I wanted to be educated and realized I was going to have to do it myself. When my son was born . . . I came to the decision to homeschool him. Your books have been a great help in giving me an overview of a more complete American History. I’m using the information in them as well as using them for starting points for further research. Thank you for writing them.” — Debra Molinari, email, 4/2000.
  • “Your book is an invaluable reference source. . . . I pass word of your book to any thinking person I know whenever conversation goes to certain subjects, which is almost everything, in the everyday life in America.” — Rusty Miller, email, 6/2000.
  • “Lies My Teacher Told Me stands (almost) alone, in terms of insightfulness, readability, and relevance to American Studies. . . . In paragraph after paragraph, chapter after chapter, Lies had me thinking or even muttering, ‘Yes! NOW that makes sense! Of course!'” — Jerry Stinson, graduate student in American Studies, Fairfield University, email, 6/2000.
  • “I cannot remember ever receiving a class or a lecture on class in school. . . I find it very interesting that Loewen’s conclusion is that working class people tend to stay working class because they have not only been given less opportunity for advancement but have been told that they live in a classless society and have enjoyed the same opportunities as everyone else. As a result of this, according to Loewen, they are led to believe that their failure to succeed is mainly their own fault — perpetuating false myths and stereotypes. While I have not had the chance to examine this idea more closely, I think it’s a step forward in answering the question, ‘why?’ The next step should be: ‘How do we change this?'” — Jane Shapiro, Lexington HS student, Lexington, MA, 10/99.
  • “Lies My Teacher Told Me has served as my personal North Star for the last four years in the classroom.” — Brad Bates, St. Andrews School, DE, 4/2000.
  • “I just want to say that was the most jaw stretching book I have and will probably ever read. Thank you.” Dominic, email, 10/2000.
  • “Several years ago, after getting Lies… from my mother-in-law, I immediately sat down and began reading. I finished the book that same night (actually it was about 2am). From that moment on, I fundamentally changed the way I taught US History…. [Now] students love my class, and their parents usually appreciate that. I engage students who would probably fail another class, and challenge students who are used to the tide of section check-ups and scantron tests, and I have fun doing it.” — Diego Sharon, email, 11/2000.
  • “I should say thank you for writing a book that is an absolute gem. It fills a gap in the social studies literature. We have needed this book for some time now. My students absolutely love it. They tell all their friends about it and I believe it is becoming a part of the unofficial curriculum at Valparaiso University.” — Allan Brandhorst, Valparaiso University, email, 12/2000.
  • “It was with great interest and disappointment that I read your book, Lies Me Teacher Told Me. I was interested in hearing and seeing original sources that told a very different tale than the historical “fiction” I grew up on. My disappointment was with myself and the materials I have been given to teach my third-graders. If only I had read your book BEFORE our unit on Columbus! I have prided myself on bringing “multiculturalism” into our ancient and crumbling excuse for curricular materials, but lacking knowledge on the subject, I succeeded in primarily perpetuating the myth…” — Shannon Dadlez, Highgrove Elementary School, Riverside, CA, 12/2000.
  • “The title called out to me from its place on the bookstore’s shelf. And once I got home and started reading, I was intensely pleased. You write in a style that is very easy to read – it is almost as if you are speaking directly to me as I turn the pages. Like any good read, it has given me some moments of “Wow! I didn’t know that!” … But most of all, your book has the spirit that I feel has always been present in REAL history…. Your book has the power of an idea that is present in every single word. One of my personal phrases for use in situations like this is the phrase “You write with blood.” Professor, your book is written with blood…and when I say that I do not mean that it is actually written with red ink, but I mean that you write with spirit, with ideas, with courage and conviction to bring forth the truth at any cost.” — Justin J. Moss, University of Idaho, 12/2000.
  • “I took AP US History last year …. Our textbook was the infamous The American Pageant. It quickly became an ongoing joke that whenever we learned about a new person, the class would ask his height, weight, and how many boats he had (recurring themes in the text)…. Though this was her first year teaching AP History, our teacher, Ms. Rebecca L. Moy, quickly realized that the text was nothing short of ridiculous. Throughout the year, Ms. Moy photocopied sections of various books as supplements to the text. We’d read a chapter in the text and then be required to read a chapter of The American Political Tradition, your Lies My Teacher Told Me, and various books by Richard LaFeber. At the end of the year, … we were assigned projects. Each person in the class had a question or a topic we had to present to the class. My topics were “The Vietnam Anti-War Movement and the Government’s Response,” and “The Iran-Contra Affair.”…. When it came time to take the AP test, no one received a lower grade than a 4.” — Claire Jones, high school student, Kennebunk, Maine, 1/2001.
  • “Wow what a wondrous book. I requested your book for Christmas and I got it. I read it all the first night. It was so interesting. I even wrote an outline on it so if you don’t mind I will upload an outline of your book. Many students come to my web site in fact 1000 in the month of December so therefore many students will be able to learn the truth about history.” — Dennis Cote, email, 12/2000.
  • “I thank you for your book Lies. All of America should read it.” — Leslie D. Hannah, Cherokee, email, 1/2001.
  • “You’ve done a great job helping historians reach students at the university level.” — Ricky Floyd Dobbs, Prof. of History, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 1/2001.
  • “I don’t know if you usually get fan letters through E-Mail, but I just read your book, Lies My Teacher Told Me. And I had to tell you how inspired I was. I’m a freshman history major at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. And despite my love for history I hated my high school history classes too…. I hope to have a career in the history profession and I can’t tell you how much your book shaped and influenced my thinking. Thank you.” — Greg Murry, email, 2/2001.
  • “I have not yet finished Lies My Teacher Told Me, but am rather reading each paragraph carefully. I am re-learning American History, and I finally get it! For all these years (I am 49) I have had the opinion that I don’t like history, when in truth, what I don’t like is illogic, or inconsistency. Thank you for your work. You have changed my life.” — Elise Arseneau, email, 3/2001
  • “To call this book an “eye-opener” is a vast understatement. . . . Each chapter presents new facts that I had never encountered before.” — Stephen Jones, student, Missouri Southern State College, 4/2001.
  • “I do not usually seek out authors’ addresses and write them, but your book Lies My Teacher Told Me is such an excellent intellectual adventure that I really wanted to write and tell you how informative and interesting I found your book to be. It explains why I always found history classes dead and boring.” — Paul Linden, Ph.D., email, 4/2001.
  • “I am a junior at Ralston High School in Nebraska. This year I chose to read your book Lies My Teacher Told Me. I just want to thank you. Your book is an eye opener. It has not only left a large impact on me, but now the teachers at my school have begun to teach the truth about Columbus. History is being revolutionized. Your book has saved American History. Gratefully yours, Samantha Sednek,” 4/2001
  • “I bought Lies My Teachers Told Me through the History Book Club a few years ago and couldn’t put it down. I now have it on my list of ‘Universal problem solvers’ . . .” — Roger Clemens, New Zealand, 5/2001.
  • “I had to tell you how much I loved Lies My Teacher Told Me. It’s been so cheapened to say something changed my life, but this book did. I’ve bought lots of copies from QPBC and give them away. Everyone needs to read your book.” — Ivonne Rovira Louisville, Ky, 4/2001.
  • “I’m a homeschool parent and have been listening to tapes of the talks you gave at last summer’s CA Home Education Conference. I’ve been fascinated. I have the tapes in my car and can’t wait to get in and just drive around!” — Stacey Martin, CA, 4/2001