Lest We Forget

War and Peace in 100 British Monuments

Tessa Dunlop author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers

Publishing:24th Apr '25

£22.00

This title is due to be published on 24th April, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Lest We Forget cover

What monuments to conflict, and the people they commemorate, tell us about our history and ourselves

'An impressive audit of the monuments all around us and their often forgotten back-stories. A hundred individual histories, skillfully assembled, built into a poignant meditation on why they still matter.' David Olusoga

'When you go home, tell them of us and say, for their tomorrow we gave our today.' John Maxwell Edmonds

Published for the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War Two, this poignant book examines the inspirations and individuals behind our statue-studded country to rediscover war-torn Britain in 100 monuments. Acclaimed historian Tessa Dunlop travels the length and breadth of the British Isles on a quest to uncover a story of national warring and national mourning, of fighting each other and of fighting together. Lest We Forget casts new light on the map of Britain through hidden treasures and uncomfortable truths, and asks what our war heroes and monuments say about us.

Why did Scotland take nearly 600 years to commemorate its most famous freedom fighter? When did Wellington become anti-Establishment? Who are the Glorious Dead? Can the Cenotaph stay above politics? Why does Balmoral Estate’s memorial have swastikas on it?

Through veteran testimony, newspaper archive and oral history, Tessa Dunlop will bring to life the personalities and the pitfalls, the pride and the pain involved in marking war across Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales in a monumental British story.

'A timely and revealing book. A truly enlightening look at the wonderful stories of some of our most iconic and recognisable monuments.' John Nichol

'In this wonderfully incisive, moving and timely book about commemoration, Dunlop breathes life into 100 British monuments – some famous, others less so – that together reveal our island story. A stunning achievement.' Saul David

'Travel, memory and landscape are beguilingly blended in Dunlop’s fabulously readable journey through Britain and its history. Statues here aren’t lumps of metal or stone, but poignant and human stories.' Lucy Worsley

'A triumph: sharp, stylish, witty, very engagingly written. Full of touching interviews with ordinary people, the book is written with a light touch but is profound and at times very moving. A pleasure to read, and to learn from.' Michael Wood

‘A remarkable, thought-provoking journey through Britain’s war memorials, expertly told by Tessa Dunlop. With her trademark insight and flair, she unearths the stories behind our monuments, challenging us to rethink how we remember war and peace. A must-read.’ Iain Dale

'Dunlop uses monuments as prisms through which she splits the history of memorialisation into the dazzling spectrum of the British way of war, the stories of those impacted by it, and our complex relationships with all three. Infinitely more than the sum of its parts, this is a beautifully rendered and detailed piece of work.' Lindsey Fitzharris

'Tessa writes intimately, authoritatively and animatedly. The statues featured are from all classes, races and faiths. Most British historians fail to capture the multiplicities of the nation’s histories. This, lively, readable book does that with style and aplomb.' Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

‘A fascinating insight into Britain’s troubled and bloody past, brought to life by Tessa Dunlop’s erudite prose.' Iolo Williams

ISBN: 9780008713140

Dimensions: 240mm x 159mm x 25mm

Weight: 270g

352 pages