Erin Thompson's book examines public monuments. It is a book of stories. It is not a comprehensive survey of American monuments, but covers recent developments in public debates. Thompson says Monuments are powerful sources of inspiration; they do not need to exist forever. They each have their own stories and we need to do are part to uncover the histories of them.

Smashing Statues can be read super-duper quick. Each chapter is short and sweet. Monuments reflect and shape how nations see themselves, and Thompson does a good job of showing that argument. One interesting narrative choice Thompson makes is she inserts her herself into the narrative but always with plural pronouns, never singular.