‘Fallen Idols:
Twelve Statues That Made History’
Alex von Tunzelmann
Headline
Fallen Idols tells the story of twelve toppled statues around the world. It looks at why they were put up in the first place; the stories they were intended to tell; the symbolism they came to embody; and the manner and consequences of their removal.
At the root of the debate over statues is an issue that is essential, even existential: whose stories do we tell? Who or what defines us? Who gets to make these decisions? What if we don’t all agree? How is history made, why, and by whom?
About the author
Alex von Tunzelmann is a historian and screenwriter.
- Intelligent, illuminating and thoroughly enjoyable. A well-researched book that uses carefully chosen case studies to shed light on a topic of contemporary debate.
Wolfson History Prize judges
