American History Revised: 200 Startling Facts That Never Made It into the Textbooks
In 1995’s Lies My Teacher Told Me, James Leowen surveyed several popular American history textbooks and exposed their errors and falsehoods. Consider Morris’ book its sequel, or perhaps its progeny. Morris discusses topics that were left out of the history books: the way Amerigo Vespucci wound up being credited as the discoverer of America, for example (he was a tireless self-promoter), or the revolutionary anti-jamming communications system invented during WWII by Hedy Lamarr, the famous Hollywood actress. This is a deeply fascinating book, and one that should appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, from students to history buffs to trivia addicts. Some of Morris’ facts seem more like personal opinions, as when he calls General MacArthur’s failure to get court-martialed after Pearl Harbor (for ignoring orders to get his planes in the air) “the greatest government cover-up of all.” But whether he’s trading in documented facts or unsupported opinions, Morris tells a compelling story. --David Pitt