Concentrating primarily on the radical historian's writing, Joyce (emeritus, history, East Central U., Oklahoma) presents a sympathetic portrait of Howard Zinn's intellectual biography, plainly agreeing with the activist and intellectual on the need for historians to concentrate on the experiences of the outsiders ("the minorities, the poor, the working people, the women, the dissenters and protesters, the many"). Joyce also examines critical responses to Zinn's work, both the friendly and the unfriendly. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)