I just read the sad news that author and historian Howard Zinn died today at the age of 87. Reading his book A People's History of the United States completely changed my way of looking not only at my own country and everything I'd been taught in school, but at history in general.
As big of an impact as it had on me, though, I wouldn't call it my favorite of Zinn's works. That honor belongs to his own personal history, his memoir You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train. If you haven't read anything of Zinn's and are daunted by the size of A People's History (which you really shouldn't be, since it's a very engrossing read), start with this memoir, which details Zinn's time as a pilot in World War Two and his teaching days in the south during the Civil Rights movement, his anti-war efforts during the Vietnam War and much, much more.
Zinn's voice was an incredibly important one and while his work will live on, I'm truly sorry that he won't be around to write and speak out any longer about what's happening now or about all that's still to come.
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