I was tempted to chime in after reading a previous review that commended the author for his selections. I read the book and had the exact opposite reaction.

Perhaps I'm getting more conservative as I get older, but if this collection is the best representative writing from the defenders of "peace".. sorry, but I'm very worried.

Most of the selections (esp. the ones by Emerson, Thoreau, Gandhi etc.) are not their best pieces. They are either rambling or too short, and do not defend their positions adequately. In particular, they leave open the questions of "when is use of force justified?" and "how can one respond to a corrupt/despotic ruler that insists upon killing his/her opponents?" Personally, I think the author has hastily cobbled together writings from these "famous" writers, rather than actually examining/reading other pieces to cull the best defense. Granted, these writers are distinguished by their prodigious output, and selecting their best writings on peace is no easy task, but that's what I was expecting that Howard had done when we scanned and picked this book for our book club.

I was disappointed.

Why is the first impulse of American government to use force? Is there another way? In this resounding, influential anthology, the answer is an emphatic 'Yes!' Beginning in the sixth century before Christ the book starts with the compassionate teachings of Buddha and works its way through the history of American wars to our current conflict with Afghanistan. The historical sweep of the book -with essays by William Penn, Jane Addams, Dorothy Day, Emerson, and others- provides a solid base of understanding that nonviolence is not the refuge of the hippy or peace-nik, but has been a vibrant, evolving, and changing alternative to war for nearly 2,600 years.

Everything you would expect in an anthology of peace writing is here: Gandhi, Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience," Thich Nhat Hanh and Daniel Berrigan, et al, but what makes this volume so rewarding is the editor's savvy selections which you may not know as well but are just as important to the nonviolence movement. Beacon Press went and found Martin Luther King's crucial speech at the Riverside Church in NY when, against the advice of many of his supporters, he spoke out gallantly against the Viet Nam War. The other less known pieces -Henry Wallace's appeal to Harry S. Truman, Japanese pacifist Daisaku Ikeda's conversation with Linus Pauling, anti-racism activist Tim Wise (well known, perhaps, only to znet readers) offers a sardonic, yet unflinching look at our current war in Afghanistan, and in what can only be described as a gift to readers, Beacon has included Albert Camus' little read, but mind-bogglingly important "Neither Victims, nor Executioners"- are all rewarding, nourishing, and, to this reader at least, helped to provide a historical understanding of pacifism and rejection of war as the only option for humanity.

The US EPA is currently development treatment requirements for public water systems that use groundwater that is not under the direct influence of surface water. It is expected that all public water systems using groundwater will be required to assess their source water for vulnerability to pathogen contamination. The aim of this project was to estimate the inactivation rates of pathogenic and indicator micro-organisms in both saturated and unsaturated soils under various environmental conditions.

Chapters cover: virus retention and transport in soils under saturated and unsaturated flow conditions, mechanisms of virus removal during transport in unsaturated porous media, effect of iron oxides on virus transport through porous media, effect of different buffer solutions on virus transport through saturated sand columns. The final largest chapter details a series of tests of sorpion, inactivation and transport using indicator bacteriophages and human enteric viruses in porous media. Rates of inactivation were measured and key mechanisms responsible for the inactivation were identified. - Reviewer - Australian Water Association

Debs played a role in American history, however, the study of his ideas is primarily of antiquarian interest. The editors might note that socialism has failed everywhere on the planet.

No it has not. It remakes itself a great deal, though. This is a good book.

P.S.
Are you paranoid? Are you an insecure plutocrat? I'm not gonna waste my time debating with you, so here's a reading list if you still believe socialism is dead:

Wealth and Democracy: A Political History of the American Rich
by Kevin Phillips

The Politics of Social Solidarity : Class Bases of the European Welfare State, 1875-1975 by Peter Baldwin,

Welfare States in Transition : National Adaptations in Global Economies by Gosta Esping-Andersen,

Small States in World Markets: Industrial Policy in Europe (Cornell Studies in Political Economy) by Peter J. Katzenstein,

The Global Third Way Debate by Anthony Giddens,

Subversive Institutions: The Design and the Destruction of Socialism and the State (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics) by Valerie Bunce.

Creating Social Democracy: A Century of the Social Democratic Labor Party in Sweden
by Klaus Misgeld (Editor), et al

The Editors don't need your commentary, (cowards tend to identify themselves as "reader").

This is a well thought-out, modern compilation of the writings of Eugene Debs, the militant unionist and Socialist Party founder. Thanks to Prof. Pelz and Howard Zinn, the words of Debs ring out true even today.

A book such as this is somewhat valuable, but I was disappointed by the narrowness of the people included. It's as if only Leftists in universities had any experience of the Cold War, and since we know this to be false, why not call this book "Leftist Academics and The Cold War University" or something? What about the old guys reading Latin texts in their offices who thought the world was going mad? What about old-fashioned Liberals who were profoundly ambivilent towards both the American Right and the Stalinist (and post-Stalinist)American Left? The editor was more interested, I suppose, in gathering lefty celebs with high name recognition than he was in getting a ground level view, and that mention of Studs Terkel in the above editorial comments made me yearn for some of Terkel's interest in the folks who are usually overlooked in the rush to sign up the people who've already had their say. Until a good oral history of that sort comes around, I guess this will have to do.

Viewing a political era from a particular point of view, from a subjective perspective can often manage to shed light on much more. The experiences reported by the individuals in this book are extremely well written stories that transcend the bounds of what at first seems a narrow topic. Still, if you have a particular interest in education and the politics of universities and colleges, you will find this book even more intriguing.

I find it very disturbing that people consider these professors as "Marxist Zealots". By your comment, A READER FROM THE USA, you demonstrate who is really misleading the public. Noam Chomsky is NOT a Marxist, he is an Anarchist. Get your facts straight. And to say that these people thought Pol Pot was a "great guy" only shows to which degree you are willing to fabricate lies in order to advance your own political bias. These people are against all forms of genocide and oppression, whether it be Stalin, Pol Pot or JFK and Richard Nixon.

Howard Zinn, in a 20th Century spin of his most famous work has really outdone himself. After reading this, which was my introduction to the Zinnist theory, I instantly became outraged with the way I had been taught history to this point. He asks you to take all things considered and make your own judgements. He has the guts to talk about government scandals and the struggle of social groups against them. Your judgements cannot be wrong as long as you consider all things. This institution challenging way of history must be the way histotry is taught to the youth of AMerica. Zinn does not paint a rosy picture like most history books will, giving you a false and unfounded sense of patiotism. The best part of this book is the inclusion of recent history, which is absent from most recent texts.

After reading A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, also by Howard Zinn, I wanted to learn more about our more recent presidents and their legacies. This volume offered some of the info from the original book, in order to keep continuity, but also continued to the Clinton presidency. Due to our current political problems in election 2000, I was able to reference my areas of interest. More specifically, the role of the electoral college, and how the vote is affected by voter turnout. I found, for instance, that due to low voter turnout, Geo. Bush, Sr. got into office with only 27% of the country's vote, claiming the election as "the will of the people". The same applies to Ronald Reagan. During massive budget cuts in social services, there were significant demonstrations all across the country during the Reagan administration. I hadn't been aware of this information since the media just didn't cover a lot it. The current political climate becomes clear when reviewing events from Zinn's historical perspective. Howver, this is a book written for the common man, not for the mythology of conservatism. If you like Rush Limbaugh or Chris Matthews, you won't like this book, although it isn't partisan, but rather clear and comprehensive.

I have got nothing but respect for Professor Zinn's work. The absence of footnotes was at first puzzling, specially for someone making such an incisive and calm yet ruthless attack on the traditional approach to history. However, for the informed reader of American history, the lack of footnotes is not a problem, specially since the one point that comes across continuously while reading this book is: "I know this has happened, so that is not the point! Why did I not look at it THIS WAY or read more about it before?"!

Its all there. But not as you are used to reading it. As Zinn himself states at the beginning of the book, this book brings you a step closer to the desperate protester who used self-immolation as an extreme protest -- in extreme desperation.

Nothing is new! The way the institutions of this country work, the Dept. of Justice, the courts, the Congress... not much has changed through the 20th century. Sadly though, a lot more remains unchanged: the fate of poor immigrants, under-paid and over-exploited workers, the disparity between the richest and the poorest, the vulgar gulf between the haves and the have-nots, the hollow, much repeated and stale rhetoric that is often blared at the people!! Those people whose story this book tries to tell.

I am going to read the expanded version of Howard Zinn's "People's history" (the one from 1492 -- this one is only about the 20th century). Partly because, the sad removal and near-extinction of the Native Indians, in its saddening and brutal details, not only makes for "interesting" history reading, but also, among a more aware people, it would lead to a lot of soul-searching and self-examination, specially as the 'leaders' of the 'People' keep embarking on new wars, and 'crusades', against other 'people' of the world. However this book is more suited for the young and "impatient" American readers, who can only read and absorb so much!! No need to read about long-forgotten Native Indians... The 20th century is full of Vietnam, Hiroshima, Iraq, and other disgraces to get you interested in history.

Unfortunately, there can never be enough of books like these. The stupor that seems to have fallen upon the whole nation, which has turned into insensitive emotionless gears of a money-making machine, needs books like these as an antidote!!!

Even if all the above does not make sense to you, as an average reader, you will surely appreciate that Professor Zinn does what every historian SHOULD do: Let History Speak for Itself!! It is gloomy, dark, ironic, sad and bitter enough, that one only needs to present it with the calm, cold, impersonal and yet effective bitterness, with which Howard Zinn's pen presents it to you!!!

A MUST-READ for EVERY American. For every person attending a college, don't think that you know about history, till you can appreciate and share the bitterness, sadness and introspection that this book would and SHOULD lead you to.

Hats off to Zinn for a great and gripping read. Can't wait to get my hands on more books by him.

Like many thinking Americans of all political ideologies, I was both horrified by the events of September 11th, and the response of my elected officials.

Instantly, a public policy originating against suspected terrorist funder Osama Bin Laden morphed into an assasination attempt against Saddam Hussein, and then just as quickly an unexplained general urge to impose our goverment on the Iraqi people, who (despite the abuses under Saddam) do not seem as enthusiastic about our dictates.

That the Bush administration's intervention rationale changed as quickly as the weather was convienently discarded by a 'liberal' media more enamored with fawning descriptions of 'patrotism' than raising difficult questions which had the very real potential of casting a shadow on the American political system itself. Because many of today's news anchors came of age during Vietnam themselves (and learned the administration response is not always truthful) the ommission is all the more upsetting.

I also realized however well-intentioned my politcs, they would be difficult to communicate in a soundbite driven economy where even the most initally open-minded of swing voters becomes quickly ailenated by lengthy political tomes. Thus, even if a majority of citizens actually doubted the administration, their ability to provide memorable soundbies quickly reassured the same audiences. This book is an excellent tool for beating the far right at it's own game.

The updated images are intentionally culled from 1940's-1950's propaganda posters, ironically a time when patriotism was also blindly practiced. In those days, the fastest way to defeat your opponent was to accuse them of un-American behavior, a frightening trend returning in our own era. Government abuse of constitutional rights is allowed as long as good citizens remain silent and do nothing.

Yet, Wright, a millitary vetran himself also has rengineered some entries to directly appeal to the self-humor of anti-war protestor's. Social change by nature is hard and prolonged, but taking a little time out to engage in sardonic humor at one's self helps lighten the long journey ahead.

Although there are dozens of national and local anti-war organizations, this book would be especially helpful for groups (new ones, and/or students) who want to protest 21st century colonization without blowing their own budgets. The professionally edited images arrive ready for modifications (an explicit suggestion within the book) thereby helping to ensure American democracy is more than a slogan, and something we actually practice ourselves.

In-freaking-credible! Micah has taken WW2 posters and detourned them into new messages against the creeping fascism the USA finds itself in today. The typical visions of charging soldiers, the Statue of Liberty, and various patriotic images are framed with ironically Orwellian slogans or calls to rebel and protest. Perfect for enlarging as protest signs, or copying and leaving on a public bulletin board or under an SUV's windshield wiper.

Next to each poster is a text written by the Center for Constitutional Rights, giving further detail to the message of the poster.

Now, before you start accusing the artist of "treason", take in mind he served as a US Army paratrooper (Charlie Co., 2nd Ranger Bat., 75th Ranger Reg.) during the "liberation" of Panama in 1989, and actuially saw the effects of our bombing raids: The obliteration of El Chorrillo, an impoverished neighborhood next to Noriega's headquarters, into dust and ashes. Something that was mentioned in passing by the US news reports as "surgical strikes designed to break resistance in Noriega strongholds".

Anyone even remotely interested in curent politics, or political activity should buy this book. Better still, reproduce the images (something the artist encourages in the inroduction) so others can be enlightened.

Buy this book...while you still can!

These posters speak for themselves. Every conscious American will love this book.

...

As the other reviewer mentioned, this is a good, quick book for those slightly interested in Zinn but without the time or energy to devote to reading one of his books.... not that it is near an adequate substitute....

These interviews are interesting not so much for what they contain regarding Zinn's ideas as for an insight into how he came to them. This is another book that I would read in a bookstore (if that option is available) rather than buy because, really, it doesn't contain that much information that you'd need to have it at home on a shelf to quote. If such is your desire, get 'A People's History' or 'Declarations of Independence'.

The interview style presented here occasionally makes one cringe. E.g., David Barsamian's admission that he does NY Times crossword puzzles, and his hope that Zinn doesn't hold it against him come as treacly. Another example is Zinn's comparisons of himself with Chomsky. Although perhaps in the original radio interviews these sounded funny, they really make Zinn come across as an alienated armchair Marxist from time to time. And that's too bad, because there's a lot of good stuff in this book.

It's a good, quick read, with some nice historical tidbits thrown in. It's interesting in presenting facets of Zinn's personal life, but of course, the main attraction of Zinn is his take on history.

I DO think though he's underestimated the internet- I personally think that here, the rats have taken over the laboratory, and that's the way it'll be.

Where do I begin with this book, littered with writings by second-hand-dealers of information from holders of glorified government jobs (academics)? Armchair leaders, who would perish without the comfort of the Ivory Tower (Noam Chomsky). I should start by saying that such foolishness could only come from a university setting. In no other case would people spend so much time trying to talk away things that have been demonstrated to be foolish by the experience of others.

A few examples:

1. Manning Marable's article compares Booker T. Washington to Louis Farrakhan? Huh? Huh? Huh? This person is selling himself as a professor of history, yet he doesn't know that the main idea of what Washington said was to AVOID trying to find a political resolution to every single problem? Louis Farrakhan generates lots of heat but doesn't shed very much light on what would be *realistic* solutions to the problems in black America.

2. Empty Phrases used every third page or so, like "People of Color." Anyone who can read the Statstical Abstract of the United States knows that peole of color have nothing in common other than being non-white. The similarities stop right there in terms of income, incarceration rates and representation in "higher" professions. Everyone seems to have looked right past this in their quest to have some subjects to generate a leadership position for himself.

3. There are almost no specific numbers or studies here. So Howard Zinn will say things like: "We are wealthy enough for full employment and free education as well a free health care for everyone." But other countries (i.e., Canada and Britain) have found out that it is one thing to promise something and then quite another to support the bureaucracy that will carry this out. A systematic study of what has really happened in other countries that have tried these grandiose ideas might change the minds of these academics. But, as always, evidence is neither mentioned nor presented. But these articles are ALL very light in terms of their analytical gravitas.

Bottom line #1: Black America has been set back a good long way by relying on arguments like these presented in this book. If anything, reading this book has made me even MORE conservative. Bottom line #2: The government cannot legislate every problem out of existence. (See Sub-Saharan Africa/ China for textbook examples.)

This slim book is a nice introduction to a lot of amazing political writers. It is just an introduction and does not go into any real depth. At the cost, it is not worth it to get the hardcover. Get the paperback.