Pop Culture
![Alex Von Tunzelmann - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B0034P1O12.jpg)
Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History
An Economist Best Book of the Year
In this timely and lively look at the act of toppling monuments, the popular historian and author of Blood and Sand explores the vital question of how a society remembers-and confronts-the past.
In 2020, history came tumbling down. From the US and the UK to Belgium, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, Black Lives Matter protesters defaced, and in some cases, hauled down statues of Confederate icons, slaveholders, and imperialists. General Robert E. Lee, head of the Confederate Army, was covered in graffiti in Richmond, Virginia. Edward Colston, a member of Parliament and slave trader, was knocked off his plinth in Bristol, England, and hurled into the harbor. Statues of Christopher Columbus were toppled in Minnesota, burned and thrown into a lake in Virginia, and beheaded in Massachusetts. Belgian King Leopold II was set on fire in Antwerp and doused in red paint in Ghent. Winston Churchill's monument in London was daubed with the word "racist." As these iconic effigies fell, the backlash was swift and intense.
But as the past three hundred years have shown, history is not erased when statues are removed. If anything, Alex von Tunzelmann reminds us, it is made.
Exploring the rise and fall of twelve famous, yet now controversial statues, she takes us on a fascinating global historical tour around North America, Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia, filled with larger than life characters and dramatic stories. Von Tunzelmann reveals that statues are not historical records but political statements and distinguishes between statuary-the representation of "virtuous" individuals, usually "Great Men"-and other forms of sculpture, public art, and memorialization. Nobody wants to get rid of all memorials. But Fallen Idols asks: have statues had their day?
In this timely and lively look at the act of toppling monuments, the popular historian and author of Blood and Sand explores the vital question of how a society remembers-and confronts-the past.
In 2020, history came tumbling down. From the US and the UK to Belgium, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, Black Lives Matter protesters defaced, and in some cases, hauled down statues of Confederate icons, slaveholders, and imperialists. General Robert E. Lee, head of the Confederate Army, was covered in graffiti in Richmond, Virginia. Edward Colston, a member of Parliament and slave trader, was knocked off his plinth in Bristol, England, and hurled into the harbor. Statues of Christopher Columbus were toppled in Minnesota, burned and thrown into a lake in Virginia, and beheaded in Massachusetts. Belgian King Leopold II was set on fire in Antwerp and doused in red paint in Ghent. Winston Churchill's monument in London was daubed with the word "racist." As these iconic effigies fell, the backlash was swift and intense.
But as the past three hundred years have shown, history is not erased when statues are removed. If anything, Alex von Tunzelmann reminds us, it is made.
Exploring the rise and fall of twelve famous, yet now controversial statues, she takes us on a fascinating global historical tour around North America, Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia, filled with larger than life characters and dramatic stories. Von Tunzelmann reveals that statues are not historical records but political statements and distinguishes between statuary-the representation of "virtuous" individuals, usually "Great Men"-and other forms of sculpture, public art, and memorialization. Nobody wants to get rid of all memorials. But Fallen Idols asks: have statues had their day?
Editorial Reviews
"The heart of the book is von Tunzelmann's 12 chapter-long stories of figures famous enough to have become the subjects of commemorative statues, and then controversial enough to have some or all of these monuments removed. . . . Many of these stories are fascinating. . . .Von Tunzelmann ends the book with a strong argument. . . . If a book's purpose is to tell you stories and leave you with an idea, this idea of better styles of commemoration will stay with me." -- James Fallows, New York Times Book Review
"Thoughtful and fast-paced…. [Von Tunzelmann] makes a compelling case that scrutinizing monumental statuary is an integral part of what open societies do as they reassess past values and seek new ones to guide their futures…. A convincing, logic-driven argument that cuts through the emotional and ideological static around statue toppling, which often obscures the facts about how and why they were put up in the first place." -- Washington Post
"One of the best books there is for understanding the long story behind our own ‘statue wars'." -- Mary Beard, TheGuardian
"Vital and relevant." -- Booklist
"Brisk and informative. . . . Enriched by accessible history lessons and trenchant analysis of contemporary politics and culture, this is a persuasive call for a ‘much wider and more mature engagement with the past.'" -- Publishers Weekly
"An illuminating guide to a much-needed discussion about history and how it is represented." -- BookPage
"A lively, engaging and often witty exploration of why statues are put up, why they are taken down and what this teaches us about history and memory. It's extremely well researched. . . . In this fascinating book [von Tunzelmann] asks us to look ‘beyond the binaries of pride and shame, good and bad, heroes and villains' and think more deeply about how history is made." -- Sunday Times (London)
"Gripping. . . . Von Tunzelmann, an Oxford educated historian with an eye for human detail as well as a sure-handed grasp of the larger picture, does a marvelous job of recreating the tension and bungling that swept up up Cairo, London, Moscow, Budapest, Paris and Washington during the harrowing two weeks of Oct. 22 to Nov. 26, 1956.... Not only exciting and satisfying but also timely." --
"Thoughtful and fast-paced…. [Von Tunzelmann] makes a compelling case that scrutinizing monumental statuary is an integral part of what open societies do as they reassess past values and seek new ones to guide their futures…. A convincing, logic-driven argument that cuts through the emotional and ideological static around statue toppling, which often obscures the facts about how and why they were put up in the first place." -- Washington Post
"One of the best books there is for understanding the long story behind our own ‘statue wars'." -- Mary Beard, TheGuardian
"Vital and relevant." -- Booklist
"Brisk and informative. . . . Enriched by accessible history lessons and trenchant analysis of contemporary politics and culture, this is a persuasive call for a ‘much wider and more mature engagement with the past.'" -- Publishers Weekly
"An illuminating guide to a much-needed discussion about history and how it is represented." -- BookPage
"A lively, engaging and often witty exploration of why statues are put up, why they are taken down and what this teaches us about history and memory. It's extremely well researched. . . . In this fascinating book [von Tunzelmann] asks us to look ‘beyond the binaries of pride and shame, good and bad, heroes and villains' and think more deeply about how history is made." -- Sunday Times (London)
"Gripping. . . . Von Tunzelmann, an Oxford educated historian with an eye for human detail as well as a sure-handed grasp of the larger picture, does a marvelous job of recreating the tension and bungling that swept up up Cairo, London, Moscow, Budapest, Paris and Washington during the harrowing two weeks of Oct. 22 to Nov. 26, 1956.... Not only exciting and satisfying but also timely." --
Readers Top Reviews
K. R. Watson
Fascinating overview of statues that have, mostly, been toppled. Some good historical context and a tidy conclusion considering how commemoration might otherwise be tackled in the future
Miran AliRachel Ball
I really likes Alex's first book on the Partition of India. So naturally I bought the second one she wrote. This is an ideal book to gift a 13 year old who is developing an interest in history. Anyone else will think she had a book contract to fulfil and got this one out in about a day or two.
Geoff
This is really an excellent book, which asks the not so straightforward questions: "What is history?" and "Who is history for?". There is much humour, and a fair amount of horror, as the author describes the stories behind some of those who have been placed on pedestals- sometimes by themselves. I think all fans of history will enjoy this book. It's not a dense tome, instead being highly readable and nicely paced. Whether the release of the book has been helped or hindered by the recent and current movements against statues in many areas is highly subjective. If you find yourself being challenged by some of the stories on display, I'd suggest pausing and then reading the book's conclusion for a reminder of the context; then go back and enjoy the history.
careful
My book arrived right on time and in perfect condition as advertised.
James B. Armor Jr.Ro
Excellent examples of the raising and removal of notable statues, and good summary of lessons learned is undermined by subtle over emphasis on criticizing President Trump's policies and statements.
