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mvaassen's review
4.0
Loved it. I especially love a history book that reads like a short story/essay collection. Could’ve really used this in 2020 to articulate my thoughts around statue toppling, super interesting topic! Also love the way it challenges the Great Man theory of history, I personally find the history of normal people much more interesting so love to see it challenged
whatellaread's review
5.0
As a longtime memorials/monuments obsessive, this book was pretty much tailor made for me. Alex von Tunzelmann does a fabulous job breaking down both why we erect statues in the first place and why they are pulled down, and forces the reader in the process to reconsider the role of iconoclasm. She also manages to be funny and lighthearted and makes a topic that could easily veer into the overly academic accessible and easy to read. I think even people who haven’t been into this topic for 20 years will find it intriguing!
ralphz's review against another edition
3.0
This book starts and ends with George Washington. The general of the Continental Army, he's upset when a mob pulls down a statue of Britain's King George III, saying that this is not how to confront history. At the end, a Washington statue is pulled down during the Black Lives Matter protests.
Obviously written from the left, mostly attacking the right, this book takes a stance you'd expect: Take down statues however you like when they offend.
The problem for me is the violence inherent in a mob pulling down a statue, whether that mob is BLM protesters in Portland or the U.S. Army in Iraq.
With the push to commemorate more minorities and women, how comfortable would the author be if an angry crowd pulled down one of those statues, for actual or perceived grievances? How about Gandhi, who by anyone’s account is quite “problematic” now for his own treatment of women? Or how about MLK because of communist leanings?
The author dismisses several arguments against taking down statues, deeming them not worthy. But I believe there needs to be further examination of why we should at least hesitate to pull down statues because of current politics, whatever those politics might be.
One of the arguments she rejects, that taking down statues erases history, is then subtly acknowledged to be true in the story of William, Duke of Cumberland, whose statue went up and then went down, and then he went forgotten. I don’t think, though, that pulling down statues erases history, as the author contends is the argument, but that it erases memory.
History happens whether we acknowledge it or not. But if we erase statues and other memorials – which are explicitly about remembering people and events – then we lose memory of those people and events. In the United States, in particular, we have a tenuous relationship with history, not really understanding or engaging with it. Taking down memorials won’t help.
The author acknowledges this herself in the conclusion:
"Does it really change anything? The answer, generally, is no."
Obviously written from the left, mostly attacking the right, this book takes a stance you'd expect: Take down statues however you like when they offend.
The problem for me is the violence inherent in a mob pulling down a statue, whether that mob is BLM protesters in Portland or the U.S. Army in Iraq.
With the push to commemorate more minorities and women, how comfortable would the author be if an angry crowd pulled down one of those statues, for actual or perceived grievances? How about Gandhi, who by anyone’s account is quite “problematic” now for his own treatment of women? Or how about MLK because of communist leanings?
The author dismisses several arguments against taking down statues, deeming them not worthy. But I believe there needs to be further examination of why we should at least hesitate to pull down statues because of current politics, whatever those politics might be.
One of the arguments she rejects, that taking down statues erases history, is then subtly acknowledged to be true in the story of William, Duke of Cumberland, whose statue went up and then went down, and then he went forgotten. I don’t think, though, that pulling down statues erases history, as the author contends is the argument, but that it erases memory.
History happens whether we acknowledge it or not. But if we erase statues and other memorials – which are explicitly about remembering people and events – then we lose memory of those people and events. In the United States, in particular, we have a tenuous relationship with history, not really understanding or engaging with it. Taking down memorials won’t help.
The author acknowledges this herself in the conclusion:
"Does it really change anything? The answer, generally, is no."
gabe_jones's review
4.0
This book looks at 12 figures who were idolized as a statue…and eventually the rejection of the idea that oppression should be celebrated.
zefrog's review against another edition
3.0
An easy and enjoyable primer on the issue surrounding the current removal of problematic statues, which I read in preparation to visiting the newly supine Edward Colston statue in Bristol (mentioned in the book).
As the subtitles makes clear, the book presents the stories of 12 such statues, together with potted histories (each around 10 pages) of their subject and of the erection and downfall of the statues. It's all very portable and reader-friendly.
This only real criticism that can be levelled here, (and probably to most books of similar intent) is that von Tunzelmann is very likely to be preaching to the choir, and that the people who need to read this book and gain some perspective on statue removals are very unlikely to hear her clear and intelligent voice.
In addition to the case studies she presents, von Tunzelmann also provide a handy argumentation to answers the four main constantly recurring objection to the taking down of statues. This can be useful for discussions on social media...
As the subtitles makes clear, the book presents the stories of 12 such statues, together with potted histories (each around 10 pages) of their subject and of the erection and downfall of the statues. It's all very portable and reader-friendly.
This only real criticism that can be levelled here, (and probably to most books of similar intent) is that von Tunzelmann is very likely to be preaching to the choir, and that the people who need to read this book and gain some perspective on statue removals are very unlikely to hear her clear and intelligent voice.
In addition to the case studies she presents, von Tunzelmann also provide a handy argumentation to answers the four main constantly recurring objection to the taking down of statues. This can be useful for discussions on social media...