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Myth America : historians take on the biggest legends and lies about our past / edited by Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer.

Summary:
"The United States is in the grip of a crisis of bad history. Inaccurate interpretations and outright misrepresentations of the past-cultivated within and promoted by the conservative movement and right-wing media over the last several decades-hold sway among large numbers of Americans, damaging our public discourse. In Myth America, historians Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer have assembled an all-star team of historians to provide textured analysis that explains what we get wrong about the past. Drawing on their immense knowledge of scholarship and their own primary research, these contributors provide correctives to the ways conservatives distort history to serve the needs of their anti-democratic agenda. For instance: Erika Lee shows how, far from posing a relentless threat to America, immigrants have long been recruited and even coerced to come to the United States. Joshua Zeitz traces how the welfare programs of the Great Society, criticized by the right as wasteful failures, have provided millions of Americans with food security, health care, and education. Carol Anderson uncovers how racism and anxiety over the nation's changing demographics, not voter fraud, are motivating Republicans' assault on voting rights. Elizabeth Hinton reveals that, rather than curbing crime, patrolling low-income communities with outside police forces has historically intensified violence and made everyone less safe. Taken together, the essays unveil how corporate interests and right-wing politicians use bad history to fan the flames of white resentment and unravel America's social safety net. Replacing myths with research and reality, Myth America is essential reading amid today's heated debates about our nation's past"-- Provided by publisher.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781541601390
  • ISBN: 1541601394
  • Physical Description: viii, 390 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
  • Edition: First edition.
  • Publisher: New York : Basic Books, 2022.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Formatted Contents Note:
American exceptionalism / David A. Bell -- Founding myths / Akhil Reed Amar -- Vanishing Indians / Ari Kelman -- Immigration / Erika Lee -- America first / Sarah Churchwell -- The United States is an empire / Daniel Immerwahr -- The border / Geraldo Cadava -- American socialism / Michael Kazin -- The magic of the marketplace / Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway -- The New Deal / Eric Rauchway -- Conderate monuments / Karen L. Cox -- The Southern strategy / Kevin M. Kruse -- The good protest / Glenda Gilmore -- White backlash / Lawrence B. Glickman -- The Great Society / Joshua Zeitz -- Police violence / Elizabeth Hinton -- Insurrection / Kathleen Belew -- Family values feminism / Natalia Mehlman Petrzela -- Reagan revolution / Julian E. Zelizer -- Voter fraud / Carol Anderson.
Subject: United States > History > Errors, inventions, etc.
United States > Historiography.

Available copies

  • 34 of 36 copies available at SPARK Libraries.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 36 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Albright Memorial Library 973 MYTH (Text) 50686016269115 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Altoona Area Public Library 973 KRU (Text) 33240005157352 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Annie Halenbake Ross Library 973 Kru (Text)
Memorial: In Memoriam of Charles M. Flaig
00157302 ADULT Fiction Available -
Cambria County Library 973 K943m (Text) 85131001860999 CACM Non-Fiction Available -
Coplay Public Library A NF 973 KRU (Text) 31961000278818 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Cresson Public Library 973 KRU (Text) 31814610111376 CRSM Non-Fiction Available -
Degenstein Community Library NF 973 KRUSE (Text) 35031301254390 Adult Non-Fiction Available -
Dillsburg Area Public Library Adults 973 KRU Nonfiction (Text) 34001001433869 Adult Area Available -
Exeter Community Library 973 MYT (Text) 33249025520630 Non-fiction Checked Out 04/13/2024
Highland Community Library 973 KRU (Text) 35610001005466 HGHM Non-Fiction Available -

Summary: "The United States is in the grip of a crisis of bad history. Inaccurate interpretations and outright misrepresentations of the past-cultivated within and promoted by the conservative movement and right-wing media over the last several decades-hold sway among large numbers of Americans, damaging our public discourse. In Myth America, historians Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer have assembled an all-star team of historians to provide textured analysis that explains what we get wrong about the past. Drawing on their immense knowledge of scholarship and their own primary research, these contributors provide correctives to the ways conservatives distort history to serve the needs of their anti-democratic agenda. For instance: Erika Lee shows how, far from posing a relentless threat to America, immigrants have long been recruited and even coerced to come to the United States. Joshua Zeitz traces how the welfare programs of the Great Society, criticized by the right as wasteful failures, have provided millions of Americans with food security, health care, and education. Carol Anderson uncovers how racism and anxiety over the nation's changing demographics, not voter fraud, are motivating Republicans' assault on voting rights. Elizabeth Hinton reveals that, rather than curbing crime, patrolling low-income communities with outside police forces has historically intensified violence and made everyone less safe. Taken together, the essays unveil how corporate interests and right-wing politicians use bad history to fan the flames of white resentment and unravel America's social safety net. Replacing myths with research and reality, Myth America is essential reading amid today's heated debates about our nation's past"--

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