American History Revised: 200 Startling Facts That Never Made It into the Textbooks
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- Synopsis
- This spirited reexamination of American history (1776-2000) digs deep into our past to expose 200 startling facts that never made it into the textbooks, and highlights how little-known individuals and events played surprisingly influential roles in the great American story. We tend to think of history as settled, set in stone, but American History Revised is filled with evidence that American history is filled with ironies, surprises, and misconceptions. As author Seymour Morris, Jr. colorfully illustrates through the 200 historical vignettes that make up this book, much of our nation's past is quite different - and far more remarkable -- than we thought. Here we learn that in 1932, the U.S. Navy staged a mock attack on Pearl Harbor that resulted in the conclusion that the entire fleet of ships and planes stationed there were vulnerable to being wiped out on a Sunday morning. The Navy swore such an event could never happen and then forgot about it. The Japanese, however, noticed. And on December 7th, 1941, they copied the military exercise exactly. We also discover that: * America's largest corporation has never appeared on a Fortune 500 list * The two generals who ended the Civil War weren't Grant and Lee * The #1 best-selling American book of all time was written in one day * The Dutch made a bad investment buying Manhattan for $24 * Two young girls aimed someday to become First Lady - and succeeded * Three private financiers saved the U.S. from bankruptcy. Organized into ten thematic chapters, American History Revised plumbs American history's numerous inconsistencies, twists and turns to make it come alive again. Written in a lucid, often puckish style and backed by serious scholarship, extensive footnotes, and 50 illustrations, this book will leave readers astonished and entertained.
- Copyright:
- 2010
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- Book Size:
- 412 Pages
- ISBN-13:
- 9780307587619
- Publisher:
- Broadway Books
- Date of Addition:
- 10/25/10
- Copyrighted By:
- Seymour Morris Jr.
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- History, Military, Nonfiction, Reference
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.