Overview

A timely history of the world spanning every continent, religion and era, told through the creation and destruction of 21 Statues. The statues range from the iconic to the unknown, from Hatshepsut in Ancient Egypt to statues destroyed in 2020 including Cecil Rhodes (Cape Town), George Washington (Portland) and Edward Colston (Bristol). Statues represent our ideals and our imperfections, our heroes and our villains, those we love and those we hate. The building and destruction of statues is a constant of human history. By telling the stories behind the destruction of 21 statues, this book travels through time from ancient times to the present day. Proud or ruined, these symbols of our identity give us more than an understanding of our past. In the wars that rage around them, they may also hold the key to our future. The 21 statues are Hatshepsut (Ancient Egypt), Nero (Suffolk, UK), Athena (Syria), Buddhas of Bamiyan (Afghanistan), Hecate (Constantinople), Our Lady of Caversham (near Reading, UK), Huitzilopochtli (Mexico), Confucius (China), Louis XV (France), Mendelssohn (Germany), The Confederate Monument (US), Sir John A. Macdonald (Canada), Christopher Columbus (Venezuela), Edward Colston (Bristol, UK), Cecil Rhodes (South Africa), George Washington (US), Stalin (Hungary), Yagan (Australia), Saddam Hussein (Iraq), B. R. Ambedkar (India) and Frederick Douglass (US). This is history that resonates powerfully today as statues tumble around the world. Peter Hughes' brilliant new approach explores how yesterday's hero becomes today's villain.

Full Product Details

Author:   Peter Hughes
Publisher:   Quarto Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Aurum
ISBN:  

9780711266124

ISBN 10:   0711266123
Pages:   336
Publication Date:   07 September 2021
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Lone and Level Sands Hatshepsut (Thebes, Egypt) Nero (Colchester, UK) Athena (Palmyra, Syria) The Buddhas of Bamiyan (Bamiyan, Afghanistan) Hecate (Constantinople, Byzantine Empire) Our Lady of Caversham (Caversham, UK) Huitzilopochtli (Tenochtitlan, Mexico) Confucius (Qufu, China) Louis XV (Paris, France) Felix Mendelssohn (Leipzig, Germany) The Confederate Monument (Portsmouth, Virginia, USA) Sir John A. Macdonald (Montreal, Canada) Edward Colston (Bristol, UK) Christopher Columbus (Caracas, Venezuela) Cecil Rhodes (Cape Town, South Africa) George Washington (Portland, Oregon, USA) Joseph Stalin (Budapest, Hungary) Yagan (Perth, Australia) Saddam Hussein (Baghdad, Iraq) B.R. Ambedkar (Vederanyam, India) Frederick Douglass (Rochester, New York, USA) Epilogue: Khaled al-Asaad Acknowledgements Notes Bibliography Index  

Reviews

'Fascinating analysis. A great read.' Julia Hartley-Brewer, TalkRADIO TV Breakfast Show An innovative and compelling examination of the fundamental DNA of humanity - our talent for creation and destruction. ROBIN MORGAN, award-winning journalist & former editor of The Sunday Times Magazine This book considers why statues, and their removal, continue to provoke strong emotions. It also tells us the stories of 21 acts of statue destruction, why they took place, and what they tell us about our view of the past. BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE

Author Information

Dr. Peter Hughes is a philosopher and psychologist with expertise in how individuals succumb to the madness of crowds. He has studied extremes of human behaviour and contributed to more than 40 broadcast programmes including Addicted to Pleasure with Brian Cox and documentaries on Amy Winehouse, John Lennon, Whitney Houston and Harvey Weinstein. Peter Hughes lives in London.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions