Iconoclasm is in the air. Bitter debates rage on the streets and online over the proper fate of statues commemorating controversial figures, whether slave traders, imperialists or Confederate generals. It is an important question--but to answer it, we must look beyond this final chapter in a monument's story.

Paul Brummell argues that statues can only be understood by exploring their changing roles throughout an entire, often complex, lifetime. Why do sculptors create human likenesses in metal or stone? Do our interactions with icons affect their significance? What happens when durable images outlive the worldviews of their sponsors? Why do some believe that rubbing intimate bronze body parts can bring luck? Can statues move, talk--or even kill? And what should we really do with those we no longer want?

From a colossal golden Buddha in China to a centrally heated Swedish actress, Brummell tells the vibrant story of the world's most intriguing public monuments, from ancient times to today.