Bøker av Matthew Fraser

Recent years in America have seen Confederate monuments toppled, statues of colonizers vandalized, and public icons commemorating figures from a history of exploitation demolished. Some were alarmed by the destruction, claiming that pulling down public statues is a negation of an entire cultural heritage. For others, statue-smashing is justified vandalism against a legacy of injustice. Monumental Folly confronts the long-neglected questions of our relationship with statues, icons, and monuments in public spaces, providing a rich historical perspective on iconoclastic violence.Organized according to specific themes that provide insights into the erection and destruction of statues ¿ from religion, war, and revolution to colonialism, ideology, art, and social justice ¿ author Matthew Fraser examines the implications of our monuments from the Buddhas of Bamiyan to those of Napoleon Bonaparte, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Vladimir Lenin, and many more. Above all, the book endeavors to frame moments of statue-toppling throughout history so we can better understand the eruptions of iconoclastic violence that we are witnessing today.Statues are erected as expressions of power, and the impulse to destroy them is motivated by a desire to defy, reject, and eradicate their authority. However, the symbolic power of statues can stubbornly persist even after their destruction. This enduring paradox ¿ between destruction and resurrection ¿ is at the heart of this book. Fraser concludes with reflections that propose new ways of thinking about our relationship with statues and monuments and, more practically, about how we can creatively integrate their legacy into our collective memory in a way that inclusively enriches shared historical experience.

"If you want to understand why Wikipedia is changing the world, this book is a must read. " - Jimmy Wales, Founder, Wikipedia "This book is a must read for all - social activists, politicians or managers - who have an interest in understanding how our society is morphing. " - Professor C.K.

Q: How come a lobster never shares anything? A: Because its shellfish. Secretly, you loved that joke, just like you secretly love a lot of Dad jokes, and more specifically the terribly good jokes your Dad always seems to tell at the most inconvenient times!Whether it be when you're trying to impress someone, or the first time your significant other is meeting your Dad he always seems to have a cringe worthy Dad joke at the ready.So, why not add even more terrible Dad jokes to his arsenal with 101 of The Worst Dad Jokes You Will Ever Read!That's what makes this the absolute perfect gift for your Dad, or even for you if you want to go head to head in a joke off and out Dad Joke your own Dad!So, whatever the reason, if you want to be left in stitches by some of the worst Dad jokes ever written then scroll up and click "Add to Cart."

From ancient Rome to the current Internet age, this sweeping history of ideas explores how different epochs wrestled with the issue of truth and lies.From the ancient Greeks and Romans to the modern era, how have people determined what is true? How have those with power and influence sought to control the narrative? Are we living in a post-truth era, or is that notion simply the latest attempt to control the narrative? The relationship between truth and power is the key theme.Moving through major historical periods, the author focuses on notable people and events, from well-known leaders like Julius Caesar and Adolf Hitler to lesser-known individuals like Procopius and Savonarola. He notes distinct parallels in history to current events. Julius Caesar's publication of his Gallic Wars and Civil Wars was an early exercise in political spin not unlike what we see today. During the English Civil War and the Enlightenment, pamphleteering coupled with the new power of the printing press challenged the status quo, as online and social media does in our time. And "fake news" was already being used by German chancellor Otto von Bismarck in nineteenth-century Europe and by the "yellow journalism" of American newspaper magnates William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer near the turn of the twentieth century.The author concludes optimistically, noting that we are debating and discussing truth more fiercely today than in any previous era. The determination to arrive at the truth, despite the manipulations of the powerful, bodes well for the future of democracy.