One of the most popular alternative histories of America is A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn. This first-ever biography of Zinn traces in broad strokes the story of his life, placing special emphasis on his involvement in both the Civil Rights movement and the Viet Nam War protests. Besides discussing the major shaping events of his life, biographer and historian Davis Joyce summarizes each of Zinn’s books within the context of his life, analyses the evolution of Zinn’s ideas, and concludes with a preliminary assessment of his life’s work.