Saturday night on the couch

[judecorp]

Joanna was at the HelpLine training which was a good time, because I love me some Joanna - have since she did a post-training sit-in shift with me back in the day. (If by "back in the day" you mean a couple of months ago.) Much fun was had, as well as a little Friendster stalking which has become my new pasttime ever since I found some chick I went to high school with who now lives up in Portland (ME) and works in the social services. Viva les social services!

I met Jen at the Pru for some delicious burrito action and Qdoba proved once again that they are sub-par compared to fantabulous Chipotle by giving me the wrong salsa and also making my burrito so giant and sloppy that it burst out and oozed everyone. BURRITO FOUL!

Since I got home, I haven't really left the couch much. Slovenly Saturday. I have the television on for noise and I think it's "America's Most Wanted" which I think drops me into an even lower level of lame. Do people even watch this show anymore? I didn't even know it still existed.

I've been reading Lies My Teacher Told Me. Has anyone else read it? Thoughts?

Comments

[geniusorafool.livejournal.com]

Yep, I read Lies while I was working on my masters...it is an interesting look at the way half-truths become fact through repetition. It definitely made me more conscious of the way I present issues to my students.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I find it interesting that most students see the American myth (or folklore) as fact and never really look into history. It's one thing to believe things at face value in elementary school, but in high school and college, we really do students a disservice by not teaching them critical thinking.

I know there is a lot of material to cover in US History classes (ours was stretched out between 10th and 12th grades), but it's amazing how vague everything is, how much is left out.

[oddharmonic.livejournal.com]

I really liked it on first reading about ten years ago; it was okay on rereading a few years ago.

If you like it, there's a companion book to it, Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong (ISBN 1565843444).

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I always have a long list of books I want to read, but I'll definitely check that one out, maybe after I finish Roots.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, that's funny. I'm reading it, too. I had it assigned for one of my classes and started reading it a few weeks ago because it looked easy and interesting.

On the one hand, I am a big fan of revisionist history and I think this guy makes some very valid points re: the way children are taught about U.S. history in school. On the other hand, I don't really like his "I know the REAL truth" attitude and his overly familiar language because I think it kind of cheapens the entire idea of revisonist history in a hysterical liberal kind of way.

[gimmeapony.livejournal.com]

oops, that was me. ^^^

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Well, I think a lot of his attitude comes from the fact that a lot of his information comes from primary sources. It's kind of hard to dispute that, although a lot can be said for interpretation.

I'm just amazed at how much stuff is just glossed over. I know there's a ton of information out there, but it's interesting how much space/time is given to some stories/people but not to others.

[luloubelle.livejournal.com]

I bought it for Abby years ago, but I never read it myself, and I've always wanted to... I need to remember to pick it up.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm sure you have to do a lot of reading for school, so maybe it can wait until you graduate. :)

[bluekniggit.livejournal.com]

I love Lies My Teacher Told Me and I would be happy to lend you the sequel, Lies Across America.

It's not as good, sadly, and spends waaay too much time debunking Civil War "history". (The premise is that the author traveled to national and state menuments and find fault with the "history" that whatever side put up the monument felt they wanted to portray.) However, as an excuse to get in the car and drive, I think it's great. :)

I've also just recently finished 1491 which has a tremendous amount of "history myths" which it also debunks. (And, contrary to the title, it does include history up to about 1800.)

Books are great!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I like books! I don't usually care for history much but I do like books! :)

I wish I was in some sort of book club. Then again, I would never get my books read on time. I am such a slacker.

I would love to borrow that other book from you sometime, whenever I'm done all of these other books.

[rizzo41.livejournal.com]

It would be lame if you were watching COPS, but at least with America's Most Wanted you have the potential of doing some public service.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but COPS is so much trashier!!

[eeka13.livejournal.com]

I LOVE that book. I particularly like the chapter called something like Why is History Taught Like This? that talks about how the white males who are in power continue to perpetuate their power by writing books and curriculums that talk about how great white males are.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Might makes right, after all. The winners write the history books.