Some years ago, author, sociologist and historian James Loewen spent two years surveying American high school history textbooks--only to discover that they amounted to hundreds of pages and several pounds of... something that resembled propaganda more closely than it did educational materials. His response was the clever and eye-opening book Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong--and he would know. For many Americans, their best hope of getting their own history right is Loewen's work.

For example, who among us hasn't wondered what happened next in the life of Helen Keller after "The Miracle Worker" story ended? Most textbooks don't say a word about her after the famous water pump scene where she movingly signs the letters spelling "water" into Anne Sullivan's hand. Every once in a while, if we're lucky, some reference is made to her writings or speeches, or to the fact that she somehow remained an inspiring figure.

To read Lies My Teacher Told Me, though--and Loewen's work in general--is to fill in a great many holes in one's education, including this particularly glaring one. We don't hear much about Helen Keller after that because she wasn't just an inspiring speaker and writer, she was a Wobbly: a member of Industrial Workers of the World, an organization that supported laborers and the overthrow of capitalism. That is, she became, in truth, not just a very inspiring American, but a very inspiring American communist.

Her life and works, therefore, have largely been omitted from twentieth century texts--as have those of all who were particularly inspiring American communists--the American establishment, who approved the textbooks of the era, preferred to make it known that there was no such thing. This is of course the attitude that has kept writer, musician, actor and activist Paul Robeson out of American classrooms, where he belongs. (Anyone who thinks there were no inspiring American communists need only pick up a copy of his Here I Stand, his famed and eloquent rebuttal to those who blackballed and tried to silence him.)

For anyone who prefers truth to propaganda, however, particularly with regard to something as important as knowing the history of one's own society, Lies My Teacher Told Me is an excellent read with something similarly juicy on every page. In this way, Loewen does us all a service.

For anyone who would also like to hear what Loewen has to say about his latest book, Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks and Get Students Excited about History, he is making a rare Bay-Area appearance on Thursday, February 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church of Oakland (685 14th Street). The book will be available for purchase there, and the witty examination of myths and misinformation in U.S. history come with the price of admission: $10-$15 sliding scale, $5 for youth 17 and under. Teachers of young people are especially welcome, but the evening promises to be real education, entertainingly delivered, for all.

For tickets, group rates, or more information, please call (510) 601-0182, extension 302. or visit www.speakoutnow.org.