I would also like to see the series & book become Topic A. It's not there yet. Nice and a little surprising to see Douglas Brinkley come out in support.
On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 8:57 PM, Louis Proyect <[email protected]> wrote: > I have been in touch with Oliver Stone's people who relished my > take-down of Andrew Goldman > ( > http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2012/11/25/an-open-letter-to-a-nyt-magazine-hack/ > ). > As you can see below, the stakes are very high on all this. I strongly > invite people to watch it on Showtime if you are a subscriber, or read > the book. Then, blog about it. > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Untold History > Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:41:25 -0800 > From: Suzie Gilbert <[email protected]> > To: Louis Proyect <[email protected]> > > > > Dear Louis, > > Oliver wanted to share these scathing reviews with you (and his and > Peter's response) which he thought you might appreciate, as well as an > overall update in this letter to Historians Against the War.... > > Thanks again, > Suzie > > *NY Post Op-Ed by Clifford May* > http://nyp.st/QfUQxg > > *Ron Radosh* > http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/story-told_660176.html > * > * > > http://pjmedia.com/ronradosh/2012/11/23/this-weekend-oliver-stone-will-not-be-a-happy-man-now-the-new-york-times-takes-him-on/ > > *Response to Moynihan/Daily Beast* > > http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/21/oliver-stone-defends-his-the-untold-history-of-the-united-states.html > > > From: Peter Kuznick <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > > To: haw-info <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected] > >> > > Sent: Tue, Nov 27, 2012 1:08 pm > > Subject: [haw-info] Letter to Historians Against the War > > > > Dear Fellow Members and Supporters of Historians Against the War: > > As you may have seen, filmmaker Oliver Stone and I have recently > > released our book /The Untold History of the United States/. It is a > > companion to our ten-part documentary film series that began airing on > > Showtime November 12. It is a hard-hitting, controversial history of > > the American empire and national security state—an in-depth look at > > American militarism in its various manifestations. The book begins > > with the late 19^th century. The documentaries focus more on the > > period from World War II to the present. > > Oliver and I are thrilled that Showtime has had the courage to air a > > program presenting the kind of history that rarely reaches a > > mainstream U.S. audience and that Simon & Schuster is promoting the > > book so aggressively. The book is selling in Walmart, Costco, and > > Sam’s and will be on this coming week’s /New York Times /bestseller list. > > We have also been doing a media blitz in which we’ve had remarkable > > access to mainstream outlets as well as to shows like Democracy Now > > and Tavis Smiley that would be more expected. We have also done a > > series of public screenings, events, and panels. Fellow panelists have > > included Jon Wiener, Robert Scheer, Marilyn Young, Danny Walkowitz, > > Katrina vanden Heuvel, Jonathan Schell, Doug Brinkley, Jeff Madrick, > > Victor Navasky, Michael Hastings, Louis Lapham, and David Wollner. > > I am writing because we need your help. So far the overwhelming > > majority of articles and reviews have been glowing. But we know that > > we are in for a battle. And it is getting nasty. The lines were drawn > > in articles by Ron Radosh and David Horowitz. Sean Wilentz, who > > deplores our criticism of Reagan and the Clintons, and who told Radosh > > that he agreed completely with his red-baiting attack on us in Bill > > Kristol’s /Weekly Standard/, will be coming out with a review in the > > /New York Review of Books/. > > We need as much support from historians as we can get in the form of > > letters, blogs, reviews, screenings, symposia, etc. I’m copying a > > personal note from Dan Ellsberg and some of the early blurbs and > > comments below followed by some of the media coverage, including my > > response to a hatchet job in the /Daily Beast/. I tried to attach the > > book jacket, Foreword, and part of the Introduction to our book so > > that you could see what we are arguing and why it is so disturbing to > > those who defend American exceptionalism, empire, and wars, but the > > posting got too long to send. If you contact me at [email protected] > > <mailto:[email protected]>, I will be happy to email them to you. Simon > > & Schuster has been good about sending review copies to potential > > reviewers, so let me know if you need one. > > Best, > > Peter Kuznick > > American University > > Note from Dan Ellsberg: > > Peter, it's WONDERFUL, it's historic, it's as hopeful as anything I > > can think of, that this country and the world are getting to your YOUR > > voice and your take on our history on this scale. It really can and > > may make a difference in our national consciousness like nothing else > > that I can remember. Hell, when I had a national audience for what I > > had to say about Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers, I didn't KNOW most > > of the stuff in this series and your book. I had to learn it later, on > > my own. (I wish I'd had this book before that, long before that--but > > then, I wouldn't have gone to Vietnam at all, so maybe it was for the > > best!) > > > > NO ONE has had your current access to the media (thank you, Oliver! > > Who's saying very good things, too, including his emphasis on law), > > along with YOUR knowledge and eloquence to say what you're saying. > > It's not just the series, which starts tonight and presumably will > > have even more impact altogether: but it's your face-to-face > > interviews, saying things about American empire that very, very few of > > the public will have ever heard before. And about Obama, too, from > > people who voted from him not only in 2008 but of necessity in 2012 > > too (like Stone, and I presume you too, no?) This is the glasnost, at > > last, that I hoped for when I first heard about this project from you. > > You worked like hell, for years, and it could not have been more > > worthwhile! THANK YOU both, and congratulations! > > > > Blurbs and comments: > > “Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick provide a critical overview of US > > foreign policy during the past few decades. There is much here to > > reflect upon. Such a perspective is indispensable at a time when > > decisions are being taken that will shape America's role in the global > > world of the twenty-first century. At stake is whether the > > United States will choose to be the policeman of a "Pax Americana", > > which is a recipe for disaster, or partner with other nations on the > > way to a safer, more just and sustainable future.” -- President > > Mikhail Gorbachev > > “Howard [Zinn] would have loved this ‘people’s history’ of the > > American Empire. It's compulsive reading: brilliant, a masterpiece!” > > --Daniel Ellsberg, author Secrets > > “Kuznick and Stone’s Untold History is the most important historical > > narrative of this century; a carefully researched and brilliantly > > rendered account of how we evolved from a ‘City Upon the Hill’ to the > > global superpower athwart the world.” –Martin Sherwin, Pulitzer Prize > > winning co-author (with Kai Bird) American Prometheus > > "Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick have done what many would consider > > impossible. They have written a political history of the United States > > in the 20th Century that tells us exactly how the United States became > > an empire through conscious decisions, and how the struggle to > > maintain that empire will go on despite which political party holds > > office. It is a brilliant survey of the untold story."—Lloyd Gardner, > > author The Road to Baghdad > > > > “Oliver Stone owns the audacity franchise in America. His > > sweeping Untold History of the United States - coauthored by Peter > > Kuznick - is a brave revisionist study which shatters many foreign > > policy myths. Following in the footsteps of William Appleman > > Williams, Walter LaFeber and Howard Zinn, the Stone - Kuznick team > > grapples with the unsavory legacy of American militarism. The amount > > of research presented is impressive. I found their heroic profile of > > the unsung Henry Wallace admirable. Make room on your book shelf or > > Kindle for this compelling leftist primer". – Douglas Brinkley, author > > Dean Acheson > > "Finally, a book with the guts to challenge the accepted narrative of > > recent American history. Read it and realize that in America, there is > > what actually happened, and a parallel universe of myth and > > conventional wisdom. This is the 'Washington didn't really chop down > > the cherry tree' book for our last hundred years." -- Bill Maher > > “Many books have been written about specific episodes of American > > intervention and military aggression. And yet the master narrative > > remains intact: the US is the "indispensable nation," relied upon by > > people and nations around the world to preserve the peace and defend > > freedom. The immense contribution of /The Untold History of the United > > States /is to shatter the conventional wisdom, challenging readers to > > re-conceptualise the American role in the world. It is a fair guess > > that everyone will find something in this book that they disagree > > with. But it is a certainty that everyone, who reads /The Untold > > History /will learn something new and be compelled to examine long > > held assumptions. For students of US history this is an invaluable > > work.”—Carolyn Eisenberg, author Drawing the Line > > "By casting a spotlight on the shadier aspects of America's past, as > > well as the humane alternatives, Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick > > provide a thought-provoking rebuttal to the nationalist myths that are > > far too often served up as history.They remind us that, until > > Americans have the courage to confront reality, they will remain > > trapped by their illusions."—Lawrence Wittner, author Confronting the > Bomb > > > > “We won't be able to manage America's future if we don't know its > > past. In their ‘Untold Story, Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick peel away > > layers of misleading myth about America in the 20th century. Some will > > be surprised, others angry. Most will understand their nation much > > better, especially the young. Then perhaps we can move forward in the > > new century.”—Jeff Madrick, author The Age of Greed > > “Stone and Kuznick provide a boldly critical view of the most painful > > aspects of American history. Their perspective on nuclear danger is > > especially illuminating. They make clear how close we have come to the > > ultimate human absurdity of annihilating ourselves as a species with > > our own technology. One thinks of the Enlightenment motto, ‘Dare to > > know!’ The knowledge we gain can be a source of powerful > > wisdom.”—Robert Jay Lifton, author Witness to an Extreme Century > > “Agree or Disagree: It’s time for serious people to confront rather > > than avoid or attempt to denigrate the profound challenges raised by > > Stone and Kuznick. They are asking (and answering!) all the right > > questions.”—Gar Alperovitz, author The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb > > // > > /“The Untold History of America /is a fascinating and provocative > > work. This courageous and clear-minded account of American history and > > the foundations of the American empire is a milestone in a > > surprisingly small genre of books, namely, critical history written of > > and for the people. It should have the widest possible reading.”—Bruce > > Cumings, author The Korean War > > “phenomenally great book”—David Swanson, author War Is a Lie > > Here are links to some of the reviews and interviews and our response > > to one critic: > > *The Washington Post > > * > http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/oliver-stones-untold-history-of-the-united-states-facts-through-a-new-lens/2012/11/11/958e2088-2b6a-11e2-bab2-eda299503684_story.html > > *‘Oliver Stone’s Untold History of the United States’: Facts through a > > new lens* > > /By //Ann Hornaday/ > > <http://www.washingtonpost.com/ann-hornaday/2011/02/02/ABOGzBJ_page.html > >/, > > /*November 11, 2012* > > “*Oliver Stone’s Untold History of the United States*” airs Monday at > > 8 p.m. on Showtime. > > ** > > *The Nation > > *http://www.thenation.com/article/171210/oliver-stones-untold-history# > > <http://www.thenation.com/article/171210/oliver-stones-untold-history>** > > *Oliver Stone's 'Untold History'*** > > Jon Wiener <http://www.thenation.com/authors/jon-wiener> > > /November 12, 2012/ > > ** > > *The Huffington Post > > ** > http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-schwarz/oliver-stones-untold-unbo_b_2120608.html*** > > *Oliver Stone's Untold, Unboring History of the United States* > > *By: **Jonathan Schwarz* > > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-schwarz>** > > ** > > *Washington Times * > > > http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/tv-den/2012/nov/12/untold-history-us-premiers-tonight-showtime/ > > *Oliver Stone's The Untold History of the US premieres tonight on > Showtime > > > > > > *** > > *Vulture.com <http://Vulture.com/> > > * > http://www.vulture.com/2012/11/seitz-on-the-untold-history-of-the-united-states.html** > > *Seitz on Oliver Stone’s /The Untold History of the United States/: > > Telling Tales Out of School*** > > /By //MATT ZOLLER SEITZ/ <http://nymag.com/author/matt%20zoller%20seitz> > > *Salon.com <http://Salon.com/> > > * > http://www.salon.com/2012/11/17/oliver_stone_america_is_an_%E2%80%9Coutlaw_nation%E2%80%9D/singleton/__ > > *Oliver Stone: America is an “outlaw nation”* > > /The cinematic renegade talks about Obama, FDR, his new Showtime > > series and the myth of American exceptionalism/ > > By Andrew O'Hehir > > ** > > *Harpers* > > *Oliver Stone’s Alternate States* > > *By Jeffrey Madrick* > > http://harpers.org/blog/2012/11/oliver-stones-alternate-states/ > > ** > > *Slate.com <http://Slate.com/> > > * > http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/11/14/oliver_stone_untold_history_interview_war_george_bush_ken_burns_henry_wallace.html** > > *Oliver Stone on War, George Bush, Ken Burns, and His New Show* > > By June Thomas <http://www.slate.com/authors.june_thomas.html> Posted > > Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 > > *HuntingtonNews.net <http://HuntingtonNews.net/>* > > http://www.huntingtonnews.net/49104 > > *OP-ED: About the Untold History of the United States* > > Sunday, November 11, 2012 > > *David Swanson* > > ** > > *Daily Beast* > > Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick Defend Their Untold History > > > http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/21/oliver-stone-defends-his-the-untold-history-of-the-united-states.html > > November 21, 2012 > > ** > > ** > > ** > > *London Guardian TV interview* > > > http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/video/2012/nov/19/oliver-stone-new-documentary-petraeus-affair-obama-video > > *Tavis Smiley Show* > > > http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/oliver-stone-peter-kuznick/ > > http://video.pbs.org/video/2301570495/ > > Note: You are receiving this email because you signed a Historians > Against the > > War statement (seehttp://www.historiansagainstwar.org/) or asked to be > > including in HAW's informational mailings. If you no longer wish to > receive > > these occasional messages about HAW's work, send an email to > > [email protected] <mailto: > [email protected]>?subject=unsubscribe. > > _______________________________________________ > > haw-info mailing list > > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > > http://stopthewars.org/mailman/listinfo/haw-info_stopthewars.org > > > > > _______________________________________________ > pen-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l >
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