A People’s Readalong: Chapters 8 and 9
by Jenners • 03/12/2012 • A People's Readalong, History, Non-Fiction, P Titles, Z Authors • 33 Comments
Fizzy Jill and I (and some others… although I think the original number is dwindling as the weeks drag by) are reading a chapter a week of Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. Feel free to join us in whatever way you prefer—by reading along, commenting, or writing your own posts. To keep things organized, link up posts over at Jill’s blog as she is the quasi-official host who designed the button and reading schedule. (By the way, we’re doing posts every other week now instead of every week.) This post covers Chapters 8 and 9.
Chapter 7: We Take Nothing By Conquest, Thank God
The chapter title is sarcastic because, if nothing else, the United States took almost everything by conquest. In this chapter, we learn how the U.S. acted like a big spoiled bully and wrested the states of Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California and parts of Colorado away from Mexico. Using the important sounding phrase “manifest destiny” to justify its actions, the U.S. acted very much like a spoiled child who sticks its tongue out at you and waits for you to retaliate and then socks you in the jaw and calls it your fault. Another proud moment for the U.S.!
Chapter 8: Slavery Without Submission, Emancipation Without Freedom
In this chapter, Zinn covers the Civil War and the “freeing” of the slaves. In typical Zinn fashion, Lincoln is presented more as a shrewd businessman who freed the slaves as a mere consequence of attempting to win the war and bring the South back into the fold. In addition, Zinn makes the point that, although the Emancipation Proclamation did TECHNICALLY free the slaves, it offered no follow-up support and left the freed slaves in a very precarious and difficult situation that wasn’t all that much better than when they were enslaved.
My Thoughts
I’m starting to dread reading this book. I must have fallen asleep while reading Chapter 9 at least four different times. I actually resorted to reading the kid’s version of Zinn’s book to get the basic points as Zinn’s writing is starting to get to me. Plus the relentless Debbie Downer attitude about everything is starting to affect me as well.
A friend of mine warned me when I started this book that I would find it “stultifying” (which means “cause to lose enthusiasm and initiative, esp. as a result of a tedious or restrictive routine”), and I really can’t think of a better way to describe my feelings about reading this book right now.
Still, I shall forge on because I seem to be genetically unable to stop reading a book no matter how much I’m starting not enjoying it. (What makes matters worse is that I’m currently trapped in Neil Gaiman’s American Gods on audio right now –a journey I’m not really relishing either.) As a result, I’m starting to get cranky and irritable and doing this readalong is starting to feel like homework.
This is not to say that the information Zinn is writing about isn’t important (cuz it is). Rather, I’m starting to intensely dislike Zinn’s actual writing style. It is, as my friend said, stultifying.
I would agree with you about Zinn’s style. The content is really interesting but his writing can be difficult. I recently downloaded it onto my Nook to reread it and am hoping that in that format his writing will be more engaging? I can see why you would think of it as homework. The first time I read it, it was homework for me!
Unless there are film clips and animations, I’m not sure the Nook can liven up Zinn’s writing!! I’m struggling through Chapter 10. Each chapters seems to get longer and longer!
Too bad it’s getting to feel like homework. Good for you on sticking with it. I need to read a history book and learn something new. That’s a good point he makes on not offering any follow-up support for the freed slaves. It’s true, they were freed, but then what? I’m sure they were not safe especially with white supremacists still against them. Where did they live? How did they survive?
Yes, sorry to say but the U.S. was a big bully at times.
He talks about a brief moment when the freed slaves actually made some progress as far as civil rights and then the white supremacy groups basically rose up and put an end to all that.
Thank you for forging ahead so we don’t have to read the book ourselves!
Still, I do believe life is too short for stultifying books!
If what he was saying wasn’t so important, I would probably quit. I just wish he was a more engaging writer.
Stultifying – a good way to describe a great many of the books I read in school right now. Nursing and change theory – makes many of my fellow students fall asleep every night. I’ll pass on this one – plenty of textbooks to keep me asleep at night.
At least I could quit any time I wanted … you guys are FORCED to read those books — and (worse yet) understand it all!
Yea you are more dedicated to books thn me, I would have quit.
Well, I feel committed since I’m hosting the readalong for the book!!! That is why I do this sometimes as it forces me to read books I know I’d quit on my own.
Are we done yet? (Said in the voice of a three year old on a 20 hour car ride.)
We’ve got two of us in the back seat whining.
I am so glad now that I didn’t embark on this adventure with you. (or perhaps “journey from hell”?)
I hope you can soon move on to more enjoyable reads.
Fortunately, it is only a chapter a week and I’m reading other books in the meantime. I just didn’t care for American Gods either so I feel like I’m miserable on two fronts instead of just one. Why I can’t quit a book I’m not liking is beyond me.
I wholeheartedly agree with your entire summation of Zinn at this point.
I feel bad about feeling that way but I’m glad I’m not alone. But then he’ll go and write a perfectly lucid chapter and I’m OK with him again. Sigh.
p.s. altho I know your point is ACTUALLY that Zinn writes in a boring way!
Yes … that is my main point! It is easy to lose the point of things when you can’t stay awake to read what he is writing. He isn’t the most engaging writer I’ve come across.
I would say that the U.S. is definitely not done acting like a big spoiled bully, and that the no follow-up problem with the slaves was not Lincoln’s intention but you know – the assassination got in the way…. And actually I don’t know if Zinn mentions it, but the north did have good intentions with the Freedman’s Bureau and the 40 acres and a mule thing, but southern white supremacists vitiated every program they tried, including burning down schools and lynching white teachers from the north who came to teach there, to make sure no one advanced by education.
Yeah … assassinations can be pesky like that. The impression that Zinn gave was that Lincoln’s personal mission wasn’t about freeing the slaves. If it happened, great, but if it didn’t, fine too. He also stated that Lincoln thought the slaves should go back to Africa. And yes … he makes a good case that the Southerners basically ruined any good thing that came out of the empancipation of slaves.
Actually, Zinn is not often wrong, but he was incomplete shall we say about Lincoln’s attitudes about the slaves. I’m sure you don’t want me to run on at length because it would be like Zinn on steroids, but I sort of have a “quick” [sic] version of the complexity of that issue on one of my posts reviewing a book by Eric Foner, who is the preeminent scholar on Reconstruction. My post address follows IF you want to read it which you probably don’t because you are probably sick of it! :–) http://rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/review-of-“the-fiery-trial-abraham-lincoln-and-american-slavery”-by-eric-foner/
Jenners, I applaud your diligence. I think you’re reacting to the serious nature of this book. It’s probably best to read this in small doses, and then think about/digest the book for a while.
I think you’re right. It isn’t happy happy joy joy kind of stuff. And I think think the chapter a week pace is about all I could handle.
I really am thinking I’m the only one enjoying this book! Chapter 8 wasn’t my favorite, but I did love the quote in the end that titled the chapter. Chapter 9, however, had me crying through most of it. I was so moved (and depressed). I adored it. Thanks for slogging through this one. I suppose I’m even more grateful because I’m loving this book. I also think I may go back to posting every week because this week’s post seems odd with these two chapters with little in common. I hope it picks up for you!
I’m hoping it picks up for me too!! I can’t wait to check out your post. I’m sure you found much more of value in it than I did. It is a shame that I’m feeling this way because I do think that Zinn’s message is important. And I can see the challenge in tying two disparate chapters together. Feel free to post every week if that serves you better.
I’m sorry that this book is starting to get on your nerves. No fun when the author’s writing style becomes stultifying. Hey, that’s a good new word for me to throw around here. I’m doing vocab drills with the boys. I’ll tell them that my pal Jenners gave this “word of the day.”
It is a good word, isn’t it? I had to look it up when my friend used it. It isn’t one I’d come across before. I can think of many times when it would be the perfect word though.
I have to say that I have learned a lot of this stuff (especially about the slavery and Lincoln) through historical fiction, and at least in that form there is the entertainment of the plot and carious character conundrums. I can’t say that I am enjoying this one a lot either, and find my eyes crossing with boredom at times.
You’re reading some good historical fiction then! I’m really starting to dread this book. Feel free to stop if you want to. I would totally understand.
Poor you. I’ve decided I’m too old for homework, unless I like what I’m doing. What you’re saying though is quite interesting. Christopher Moore a disappointment. Hmmm……. Remember Keep Calm and Carry On…
I think I’m too old for homework too! I feel that reading a book like this is an exercise in self-improvement or self-education so I shall carry on. (And be calm while doing so.)
Stultifying you say? Oh dear, that’s not good. And from what I remember it is quite a big book, not a very nice prospect when you aren’t exactly enjoying it.
Yes … it is a big book. We’ve got some ways to go still. Sigh.