Statues speak to us. They tell a story of celebrated achievement, or status. They are characters in a certain historical and cultural narrative, a dominant narrative which increasingly can come under challenge.So, what do we lose by simply removing monuments? How do we best deal with memorials that commemorate a dark history? And who has a right to this public narrative? These are questions heritage consultant, and author Robert Bevan sets to answer in his book Monumental Lies: Culture Wars and the Truth about the Past.