Rating: 
Summary: Biased, but lots of info
Review: The only reason why I do not give 1 point to this book is that there is a lot of value of information in it indeed. But when the author discusses most controvercial aspects of the American history, his leftist bias shines. I just wonder why people like him consider the most shining periods of American growth and strengthening as the most shameful ones, why he and others repeat obvious lies (like, robber barons inflated prices; America was saved by new deal, or there was no commies in the 1950s to hunt for). On the other hand, I found a lot of entertainment reading the discussion of whether FDR overslept Pearl Harbor intentionally to drag the US into war, and, for a leftist liberal like Davis, goodness, a favorable account of Ronald Reagan, pigs flew! Well, the reader can see I am biased too, somewhat, overall, read this book with some understanding that the author have strong and partisan opinions, and to balance them, I advice you to read this book together with the The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History
by Thomas E. Woods Jr. Compare and think for yourself. OK, after all, I give Davis 3 stars!
Rating:
Summary: Tour the sometimes-dark totality of American history
Review: This review concerns the severely abridged audio version, which is about 75% shorter than the paper version. The audio version also lacks the paper version's detailed timelines.
The audio version of "Don't Know Much About History" highlights the history of America from 40,000 BC (with the arrival of Native American forebears) to 1990 at the end of the Reagan era. Author Kenneth Davis does a good job of selecting history's most important turning points (colonization, the Revolution, industrialization, etc.). He is also adept at raising the kind of questions that most of us only half-remember from high school history class such as, "What was the War of 1812 about?" and "Who were the robber barons?" Unfortunately, the "Don't Know Much" audio version doesn't always answer these questions. I was left with the impression, for instance, that the main issue precipitating the War of 1812 was the impressment of sailors into the British Navy and Henry Clay's "thirst for territory." The first issue seems insignificant as a "casus belli"; the second left still more questions -- why was Clay so thirsty, and who did territory belong to? Coverage of some topics can be breezy indeed. The 8-years of the Revolutionary War were covered by the Lexington/Concord battle that started it and The Treaty of Paris that ended it.
On the other hand, Davis avoids the inevitability of certain grade-school histories, which show seem to imply that history had to unfold the way it did. Davis also does a nice job of bringing the human motivations (not just the actions and statements) of historical figures to light. With Davis's exposition, you can begin to share the fear of Southern slave-owners in the face of Northern control of business and manufacturing. You can feel the tug of manifest destiny that drove settlers to take land from other peoples. Davis does not shy away from the dirty side of history. Robber barons, biased Supreme Courts, greedy settlers, circulation-hungry warmongering newspaper publishers and others are held up to (brief) scrutiny. I suppose that many who claim "Don't Know Much" is biased are mostly troubled by spotlighting the villainies of the rich and powerful rather than the glories of American military and economic victories. Davis's unvarnished approach would be uncomfortable to who are accustomed to deifying great historical figures. Yet though "Don't Know Much" sometimes spends too much time on the dark side of history, I appreciated its lack of romance and its even-handedness. Better to learn to live with the truth than to unlearn fantasy.
"Don't Know Much," the audio book, provides a quick overview of the broad terrain of American history--fit especially for those without the patience or interest to read the unabridged paper version. While that may seen like damning with faint praise, "Don't Know Much" is fun and valuable. I'm glad I listened to it and would consider reading it in its entirety.
Rating: 
Summary: My review is not from the "biased" Christian viewpoint!
Review: Unlike the people who have reviewed this & hated it because the book does not promote the careful propaganda campaign that has been shoved down our throat as the "true history", especially since McCarthy in the latter part of the past century, this book sticks to the facts as shown by actual historical documents. I'm so sick of the rewritten garbage that has been passed down for the past few generations and found the book terribly refreshing. As a genealogist/historian who is constantly digging through original records and first-hand information of the past, I'm always astonished at how much I previously learned in school had been stinted from the truth. I'm very grateful to find something that's both accurate and entertaining!
Rating: 
Summary: Slightly on the "Left", but a good source
Review: Upon picking up Kenneth C. Davis' book "Don't Know Much About History : Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned", I expected exactly what this informative book claims: History made Fun! And while it did certainly live up to it's billing, the author especially towards the latter turns slightly Left in his writing.In a delightful question/answer style a reader can rip thru this book picking up the basics and less known facts about our great land. As a book it is easy to read and is a valueable reference source. Davis does a great job on events leading up to the Civil War. Really this book is at it's best between the "major" conflicts and events. As the book winds down (1970-present), we unfortunately see a slight lean towards left wing ideology. While this book is certainly a strong suggestion to other readers...the politics in the end must be addressed. All in all, a good buy. Strongly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Edifying, & Eminently Readable History Text!
Review: What an unalloyed joy this book is, even for someone like me who does indeed know a bit about history. The author's clever trick here is to make the ordinarily dry stuff of American history that all of us were supposed to be learning in public schools (back in the days when they actually taught American history!) and make it much more approachable, digestible, and yes, even interesting and absorbing. And that has been the key to this book's success and durability over the last decade or so since its publication. It continues to sell well, and for good reason. The previous reviews abound with tales of people who have used it to cram for entrance exams, and for some in whom the book ignited a roaring curiosity regarding history that otherwise might never have been lighted.
He parses the true elements of history into small pieces, each of which becomes an amusing and understanding tale of real human beings caught up in the welter of circumstances they must then contend with in some fashion. And by so doing he makes the drama of history breathe and come alive for many who otherwise have long considered it the dry and arid stuff of ninth grade civics lessons. He also succeeds marvelously in making historical figures come alive and act like ordinary humans do, and lifts them down from those stuffy pedestals too many high school history teachers placed them on. This is a great book, and one well worth your time and money, whether you know anything about history or not. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: "...that bloody road map of American history"
Review: While Mr. Davis offers readers an engaging top-line recap of American history, his decidedly liberal bias reveals itself as the 20th century unfolds. One only needs to skim the Afterword from pages 589 to 593 to see his single paragraph recaps of our country's internal growing pains and struggles end again and again with "American Terror", including the WWII ending Hiroshima bombing.
I do not recall a single positive word he has to say about American business, dismisses at least ½ of our Presidents as incompetent in single sentences, and when considered as a whole really makes all of us out as greedy, racist ethnic cleansers.
There is no doubt that our proud country has had many dark periods and bad turns but I like to think we, at the end of the day have done much to correct our ways. There is no hope to be perfect in everybody's eyes.
I didn't know as much as I wanted to know about America's history when I started the book, and after seeing his left leaning spin from the 1940's forward, I wonder how much I now know about the truth of the preceding 348 years.
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