We think we know all the arguments about statues, but this book brings so much more to the table. It is timely and necessary, but I had learned a lot of the information here by reading picture books on the subjects. This is not a dis to Thompson, I use picture books as a jumping off point for research in my classroom, but this is just to say that I wish it had delved a bit deeper.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* great nonfiction read with so much cool info, would reread and may buy for my dad :)

In this book by Aaron Thompson, we learn about American monuments we have taken for granted or been blinded to and never gave a second thought. We learn about the slaves that were forced to make them the racist that designed them and the white supremacists who funded them. These inanimate objects who people are willing to die over, take time out of their busy life to guard and those willing to go in the dead of night to tear them down. This was a great book, well researched and could’ve been told better. Whether you were for or against tearing down statues I learned a long time ago you can’t represent an issue or topic if you don’t know the full history and Mrs. Thompson has given a stab in smashing statues. It really is a five star listen and I loved the topic and the narrator. So well told and so worth getting. I was given this book by Netgali and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Please forgive any grammatical or punctuation of mistakes I am blind to dictate my review but all opinions are my own.

This is must read! We get so much backstory to the start of USA to today, we also get person stories along the way. So much of it is not taught in schools or even college- you will learn so much about why we are where we are at today. It is also not so academic you get bored or can't follow- its accessible to everyone. It will make you think and question a lot of what you thought you knew and how we need to move forward. Everyone should listen or read this one!

I found Smashing Statues a very informative book. The topic is extremely relevant, since it has been widely discussed the importance of monuments and what they represent and I feel that this work brings very thoughtful arguments and I believe it’s possible to reach your own conclusions from a more insightful perspective after the reading experience.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

Thanks to the publisher - OrangeSky Audio for providing ARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.

4/5 stars

A lovely novel of American history regarding it's treasured monuments giving the behind-the-scenes as to what happens really that takes it all.

Release Date : 08 Feb 2022.

Review Posted : 07 Feb 2022.

Really interesting look at the history of monuments in public places in the USA. Some really neat facts that I didn't know before, and a lot of good perspective on recent events and controversy.

Smashing Statues by Erin L. Thompson takes the reader on a journey throughout American history and it’s turbulent and divisive relationship with statues. Specifically statues and monuments surrounding the Confederate movement, slavery and American figureheads.

What struck me the most while listening to this eBook was how much I didn’t know. Of course, you’d have to be living under a rock to miss the culture shift happening across the nation but the history of what statues and monuments we have, who paid for them, who fought to keep them, the laws that now protect them…etc, are not exactly taught in history class. At least, not in any high school or undergrad American history class I ever took.

The authors focus on Stone Mountain, located not far from Atlanta, Georgia churned my stomach the most. I remember vacationing there as a child with my family but I didn’t know about the prison (read slave) labor that constructed it. My understanding of the confederacy, at that age anyway, was very rudimentary. Erin L. Thompson has inspired me to dig more so that my children, now the same age I was, will not remain ignorant.

Overall I thought the ebook was well written and flowed well. It is heavy on dates and people, so I took it in by chunking instead of just listening straight through, but I don’t think that is a bad thing.

Smashing Statues will be released on 2/8/22. I plan to buy and donate copies of this book to my daughters schools.

Thank you to @netgalley, OrangeSky Audio and author, Erin L. Thompson for allowing me access to an eARC copy in exchange for a honest review.