#1: King of All Subterraneans

6, 5, 4, 3, 2…

And there is no question about this one. Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States has been the store’s bestselling book from almost day one.

I like to see this as proof that a good book never goes away and that humanity is always looking to find truth and justice in the world. Zinn tells the story of America not from the point of view of rulers, celebrities, and businessmen but from the perspective of women and minorities, workers, immigrants, and the voiceless. Really it’s a primer on the untold foundations of America, as well its struggles and triumphs in finding justice and peace. It’s not passive reading by any means--Zinn himself has said, “you can’t be neutral on a moving train.” And that’s no less true now than it was in 1980 when his influential work first appeared.