War Memorials as Political Landscape - by James Mayo (Hardcover)

About the Book

War Memorials as Political Landscape critiques the social meaning of war memorials and their role in political and historical landscapes. Mayo argues that war memorials not only reflect the political history of a nation, but also that these memorials are mechanisms to symbolize and justify history. He posits that the presence or absence of commemoration for America's wars is largely explained by the war's importance in establishing the nation's symbolic identity as a political state and by the number of those who died in that war.

Book Synopsis

War Memorials as Political Landscape critiques the social meaning of war memorials and their role in political and historical landscapes. Mayo argues that war memorials not only reflect the political history of a nation, but also that these memorials are mechanisms to symbolize and justify history. He posits that the presence or absence of commemoration for America's wars is largely explained by the war's importance in establishing the nation's symbolic identity as a political state and by the number of those who died in that war.

Review Quotes

?. . . a book of considerable significance . . . completed by a selection very fine black and white photographs of selected war memorials . . . the wide variety and number of war memorials cited can be taken as an indication of the author's depth of preparation.?-Historical Geography

?This book contains dozens of photos of the most famous memorials, and brings to life the historical event that led to its consecration.?-ALBR

"This book contains dozens of photos of the most famous memorials, and brings to life the historical event that led to its consecration."-ALBR

." . . a book of considerable significance . . . completed by a selection very fine black and white photographs of selected war memorials . . . the wide variety and number of war memorials cited can be taken as an indication of the author's depth of preparation."-Historical Geography

About the Author

JAMES M. MAYO is a professor in the School of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Kansas.