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  • A True History of the United States

  • Indigenous Genocide, Racialized Slavery, Hyper-Capitalism, Militarist Imperialism and Other Overlooked Aspects of American Exceptionalism (Sunlight Editions)
  • Written by: Daniel Sjursen
  • Narrated by: Daniel Sjursen
  • Length: 24 hrs and 27 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (6 ratings)

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A True History of the United States

Written by: Daniel Sjursen
Narrated by: Daniel Sjursen
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Publisher's Summary

“Thought-provoking—a must read for [everyone] seeking a firm grasp of accurate American history." (Kirkus starred review)

Brilliant, listenable, and raw. Maj. (ret.) Danny Sjursen, who served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and later taught history at West Point, delivers a true epic and the perfect companion to Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States.

Sjursen shifts the lens and challenges readers to think critically and to apply common sense to their understanding of our nation's past—and present—so we can view history as never before.

A True History of the United States was inspired by a course that Sjursen taught to cadets at West Point, his alma mater. With chapter titles such as "Patriots or Insurgents?" and "The Decade That Roared and Wept", A True History is accurate with respect to the facts and intellectually honest in its presentation and analysis.

  • Essential reading for every American with a conscience.
  • Meticulously researched, Sjursen provides a more complete sense of history and encourages readers to view our country objectively.
  • Sjursen’s powerful storytelling reveals balanced portraits of key figures and the role they played.

"Sjursen exposes the dominant historical narrative as at best myth, and at times a lie ... He brings out from the shadows those who struggled, often at the cost of their own lives, for equality and justice. Their stories, so often ignored or trivialized, give us examples of who we should emulate and who we must become." (Chris Hedges, author of Empire of Illusion and America: The Farewell Tour)

©2021 Daniel Sjursen (P)2021 Truth to Power

What the critics say

"An engaging warts-and-all history of the U.S. meant to better educate those who fight for it...Strongly written and thought-provoking—a must read for nonhistorians seeking a firm grasp of accurate American history."Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Sjursen’s analysis compels the reader to think critically, in order to move beyond the half-truths that keep us from collectively solving America’s most persistent and damaging inequities.”Seattle Book Review

"Eye-opening and thought-provoking . . . for anyone wanting a solid and more complete understanding of our shared history, this is a great book to have."—Lily Bartels of The Open Door Bookstore on Northeast Public Radio

What listeners say about A True History of the United States

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Very Important Content

I really enjoyed this book and I feel like this should be required reading for everyone, American and non-American alike. The story of the US is not a simple one and the reality is often drowned out by the nationalist propaganda and hero worship that is so ingrained in American culture. This author does much more thoughtful and balanced research than any high school test book and presents the facts in a critical but fair way.

One thing I found strange was that it wasn't edited well. The author will start a sentence, stop to regroup, and then start it again, and this is all left in the audio book. This happens dozens of times. It isn't the hugest inconvenience but it's a bit jarring when you're really into the book and it makes you wonder how this was missed. I get that it's 24 hours long but surely someone must have listened to it before it was released. Either way, I would listen to it again.

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Comprehensive, honest, and informative

This tour de force is a comprehensive, honest, and informative summary of American history. In particular, Sjursen explains well the most complex, controversial, and poorly understood topics in American history. A reading of this book will help the reader understand the complex heritage and present of America. More importantly, the reader will understand how to solve the many problems facing the American nation.

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Unvarnished truth.

Unvarnished truth can be tough to hear, but it is imperative that the facts are known, if we truly desire change. The author draws a road map from Washington to Trump giving a true and concise vision of American history. It is time we stop kidding ourselves about who we are. I've heard Presidents Obama and Biden say "this is not who we are as Americans" after many atrocities have been committed. However, the facts and history say something quite different. However, despite the venom that is being spewed on a daily basis, there is hope and the capacity for change. But change can only happen if the masses demand it, and right now they are marching en masse behind the pied piper. If we don't help ourselves, then God help us.

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