In the Shadow of Statues
A White Southerner Confronts History
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $15.75
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Mitch Landrieu
-
By:
-
Mitch Landrieu
About this listen
"An extraordinarily powerful journey that is both political and personal.... An important book for everyone in America to read." (Walter Isaacson, number one New York Times best-selling author of Leonardo Da Vinci and Steve Jobs)
The New Orleans mayor who removed the Confederate statues confronts the racism that shapes us and argues for white America to reckon with its past. A passionate, personal, urgent audiobook from the man who sparked a national debate.
"There is a difference between remembrance of history and reverence for it." When Mitch Landrieu addressed the people of New Orleans in May 2017 about his decision to take down four Confederate monuments, including the statue of Robert E. Lee, he struck a nerve nationally, and his speech has now been heard or seen by millions across the country. In his first book, Mayor Landrieu discusses his personal journey on race as well as the path he took to making the decision to remove the monuments, tackles the broader history of slavery, race and institutional inequities that still bedevil America, and traces his personal relationship to this history. His father, as state legislator and mayor, was a huge force in the integration of New Orleans in the 1960s and 1970s. Landrieu grew up with a progressive education in one of the nation's most racially divided cities, but even he had to relearn Southern history as it really happened.
Equal parts unblinking memoir, history, and prescription for finally confronting America's most painful legacy, In the Shadow of Statues will contribute strongly to the national conversation about race in the age of Donald Trump, at a time when racism is resurgent with seemingly tacit approval from the highest levels of government and when too many Americans have a misplaced nostalgia for a time and place that never existed.
©2018 Mitch Landrieu (P)2018 Penguin AudioCritic reviews
One of Time Magazine's “Best Memoirs of 2018”
Featured in Newsweek's "50 Coolest Books to Read This Summer"
Included in Esquire's "Best Nonfiction Books of 2018"
“[Mitch Landrieu] has done something, in his speech and his book, that other politicians should emulate. He’s tried to reckon with America’s sins while offering an optimistic, big-hearted and deeply patriotic defense of cosmopolitanism as the source of American greatness.” (The New York Times)
“[A] thought-provoking piece of political writing...Uncomfortable as it might be to think of our country’s history...we have to do so, if we want to live within the truth. Landrieu has shown the way.” (The Washington Post)
Related to this topic
-
The Forgotten
- How the People of One Pennsylvania County Elected Donald Trump and Changed America
- By: Ben Bradlee
- Narrated by: Kiff Vandenheuvel
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Forgotten, Ben Bradlee, Jr., reports on how voters in Luzerne County, a pivotal county in a crucial swing state, came to feel like strangers in their own land - marginalized by flat or falling wages, rapid demographic change, and a liberal culture that mocks their faith and patriotism.
-
-
Wow
- By Walter on 11-05-18
By: Ben Bradlee
-
All Things Possible
- Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life
- By: Andrew M. Cuomo
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this full and frank memoir - a personal story of duty, family, justice, politics and resilience - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reflects on his rise, fall, and rise in politics, and recounts his defining personal and political moments and tough but necessary lessons he has learned along the way.
-
-
I Love This Book AND the Guvnor (Governor, I Know)
- By Igi M. on 09-02-20
By: Andrew M. Cuomo
-
Boom!
- Voices of the Sixties: Personal Reflections on the '60s and Today
- By: Tom Brokaw
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 18 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Boom! One minute it was Ike and the man in the grey flannel suit, and the next minute it was time to "turn on, tune in, drop out". While Americans were walking on the moon, Americans were dying in Vietnam. Nothing was beyond question, and there were far fewer answers than before.
-
-
boring survey of a generation
- By Andy on 01-01-08
By: Tom Brokaw
-
My Life, My Love, My Legacy
- By: Coretta Scott King, Barbara Reynolds
- Narrated by: January LaVoy, Phylicia Rashad
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The life story of Coretta Scott King - wife of Martin Luther King Jr., founder of the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and singular 20th-century American civil rights activist - as told fully for the first time, toward the end of her life, to one of her closest friends. Born in 1927 to daringly enterprising Black parents in the Deep South, Coretta Scott had always felt called to a special purpose.
-
-
Inspirational memoir
- By Jean on 01-30-17
By: Coretta Scott King, and others
-
We Gon' Be Alright
- Notes on Race and Resegregation
- By: Jeff Chang
- Narrated by: Jeff Chang
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In these provocative, powerful essays acclaimed writer/journalist Jeff Chang (Can't Stop Won't Stop, Who We Be) takes an incisive and wide-ranging look at the recent tragedies and widespread protests that have shaken the country. Through deep reporting with key activists and thinkers, passionately personal writing, and distinguished cultural criticism, We Gon' Be Alright links #BlackLivesMatter to #OscarsSoWhite, Ferguson to Washington, DC, and more.
-
-
a conversation that needs to happen
- By Angie B on 03-11-17
By: Jeff Chang
-
Righteous Troublemakers
- Untold Stories of the Social Justice Movement in America
- By: Al Sharpton
- Narrated by: Al Sharpton
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Righteous Troublemakers shines a light on everyday people called to do extraordinary things—like Pauli Murray, whose early work inspired Thurgood Marshall, Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus months before Rosa Parks did the same, and Gwen Carr, whose private pain in losing her son Eric Garner stoked her public activism against police brutality. Sharpton also gives his personal take on more widely known individuals, revealing overlooked details, historical connections, and a perspective informed by years of working in the social justice movement.
-
-
Thank God for this book knowledge is power
- By JOAN REID on 02-23-22
By: Al Sharpton
-
The Forgotten
- How the People of One Pennsylvania County Elected Donald Trump and Changed America
- By: Ben Bradlee
- Narrated by: Kiff Vandenheuvel
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Forgotten, Ben Bradlee, Jr., reports on how voters in Luzerne County, a pivotal county in a crucial swing state, came to feel like strangers in their own land - marginalized by flat or falling wages, rapid demographic change, and a liberal culture that mocks their faith and patriotism.
-
-
Wow
- By Walter on 11-05-18
By: Ben Bradlee
-
All Things Possible
- Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life
- By: Andrew M. Cuomo
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this full and frank memoir - a personal story of duty, family, justice, politics and resilience - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reflects on his rise, fall, and rise in politics, and recounts his defining personal and political moments and tough but necessary lessons he has learned along the way.
-
-
I Love This Book AND the Guvnor (Governor, I Know)
- By Igi M. on 09-02-20
By: Andrew M. Cuomo
-
Boom!
- Voices of the Sixties: Personal Reflections on the '60s and Today
- By: Tom Brokaw
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 18 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Boom! One minute it was Ike and the man in the grey flannel suit, and the next minute it was time to "turn on, tune in, drop out". While Americans were walking on the moon, Americans were dying in Vietnam. Nothing was beyond question, and there were far fewer answers than before.
-
-
boring survey of a generation
- By Andy on 01-01-08
By: Tom Brokaw
-
My Life, My Love, My Legacy
- By: Coretta Scott King, Barbara Reynolds
- Narrated by: January LaVoy, Phylicia Rashad
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The life story of Coretta Scott King - wife of Martin Luther King Jr., founder of the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and singular 20th-century American civil rights activist - as told fully for the first time, toward the end of her life, to one of her closest friends. Born in 1927 to daringly enterprising Black parents in the Deep South, Coretta Scott had always felt called to a special purpose.
-
-
Inspirational memoir
- By Jean on 01-30-17
By: Coretta Scott King, and others
-
We Gon' Be Alright
- Notes on Race and Resegregation
- By: Jeff Chang
- Narrated by: Jeff Chang
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In these provocative, powerful essays acclaimed writer/journalist Jeff Chang (Can't Stop Won't Stop, Who We Be) takes an incisive and wide-ranging look at the recent tragedies and widespread protests that have shaken the country. Through deep reporting with key activists and thinkers, passionately personal writing, and distinguished cultural criticism, We Gon' Be Alright links #BlackLivesMatter to #OscarsSoWhite, Ferguson to Washington, DC, and more.
-
-
a conversation that needs to happen
- By Angie B on 03-11-17
By: Jeff Chang
-
Righteous Troublemakers
- Untold Stories of the Social Justice Movement in America
- By: Al Sharpton
- Narrated by: Al Sharpton
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Righteous Troublemakers shines a light on everyday people called to do extraordinary things—like Pauli Murray, whose early work inspired Thurgood Marshall, Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus months before Rosa Parks did the same, and Gwen Carr, whose private pain in losing her son Eric Garner stoked her public activism against police brutality. Sharpton also gives his personal take on more widely known individuals, revealing overlooked details, historical connections, and a perspective informed by years of working in the social justice movement.
-
-
Thank God for this book knowledge is power
- By JOAN REID on 02-23-22
By: Al Sharpton
-
Beyond the Messy Truth
- How We Came Apart, How We Come Together
- By: Van Jones
- Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Beyond the Messy Truth, Jones offers a blueprint for transforming our collective anxiety into meaningful change. Tough on Donald Trump but showing respect and empathy for his supporters, Jones takes aim at the failures of both parties before and after Trump's victory. He urges both sides to abandon the politics of accusation and focus on real solutions. Calling us to a deeper patriotism, he shows us how to get down to the vital business of solving, together, some of our toughest problems.
-
-
I never hated anyone before
- By Joanna Bugajska on 11-17-17
By: Van Jones
-
Disintegration
- The Splintering of Black America
- By: Eugene Robinson
- Narrated by: Alan Bomar Jones
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The African American population in the United States has always been seen as a single entity: a "Black America" with unified interests and needs. In his groundbreaking book Disintegration, longtime Washington Post journalist Eugene Robinson argues that, through decades of desegregation, affirmative action, and immigration, the concept of Black America has shattered.
-
-
Written for Popular Consumption
- By Catherine S. Read on 06-03-11
By: Eugene Robinson
-
What's the Matter with White People?
- Finding Our Way in the Next America
- By: Joan Walsh
- Narrated by: Joan Walsh
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The size and stability of the American middle class were once the envy of the world. But changes unleashed in the 1960s pitted Americans against one another politically in new and destructive ways. These battles continued to rage from that day to now, while everyone has fallen behind economically except the wealthy. Right-wing culture warriors blamed the decline on the moral shortcomings of "other" Americans - black people, feminists, gays, immigrants, union members - to court a fearful white working- and middle-class base with ever more bitter "us vs. them" politics.
-
-
great book!
- By Kim on 12-17-17
By: Joan Walsh
-
The Great Revolt
- Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics
- By: Salena Zito, Brad Todd
- Narrated by: Bob Hess
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Standout syndicated columnist and CNN contributor Salena Zito, with veteran Republican strategist Brad Todd, reports across five swing states and over 27,000 miles to answer the pressing question: Was Donald Trump's election a fluke or did it represent a fundamental shift in the electorate that will have repercussions - for Republicans and Democrats - for years to come.
-
-
Explaining Trump's 2016 presidential victory
- By Wayne on 05-10-18
By: Salena Zito, and others
-
Moyers on Democracy
- By: Bill Moyers
- Narrated by: Bill Moyers
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
People know Bill Moyers mostly from his many years of path-breaking journalism on television. But he is also one of America's most sought-after public speakers. His appearances draw sell-out crowds across the country and are among the most reproduced on the Web. Richly insightful, and alive with a fierce, abiding love for our country, Moyers on Democracy is essential listening.
-
-
You can't help but think critically
- By Ida F. on 09-29-09
By: Bill Moyers
-
Black Detroit
- A People's History of Self-Determination
- By: Herb Boyd
- Narrated by: James Shippy
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The author of Baldwin's Harlem looks at the evolving culture, politics, economics, and spiritual life of Detroit - a blend of memoir, love letter, history, and clear-eyed reportage that explores the city's past, present, and future and its significance to the African American legacy and the nation's fabric.
-
-
Selective Recall
- By Rick on 07-19-17
By: Herb Boyd
-
Shortest Way Home
- One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future
- By: Pete Buttigieg
- Narrated by: Pete Buttigieg
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Once described by The Washington Post as "the most interesting mayor you've never heard of", Pete Buttigieg, the 36-year-old Democratic mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has improbably emerged as one of the nation's most visionary politicians. First elected in 2011, Buttigieg left a successful business career to move back to his hometown, previously tagged by Newsweek as a "dying city", and transformed it into a shining model of urban reinvention.
-
-
Reveals a Person Wise & Experienced & Literate
- By dbbks3 on 03-17-19
By: Pete Buttigieg
-
Latino Americans
- The 500-Year Legacy That Shaped a Nation
- By: Ray Suarez
- Narrated by: Ray Suarez
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As the largest minority in the country, Latino Americans make up an integral part of American history and continue to make major social, cultural, and political contributions. Latino Americans, vividly and candidly tells how the story of Latino Americans is the story of the United States, revealing the personal struggles and successes of immigrants, poets, soldiers, and others who have made an impact on history.
-
-
Unknown Latino History
- By Lou on 11-27-18
By: Ray Suarez
-
Black Titan
- A.G. Gaston and the Making of a Black American Millionaire
- By: Carol Jenkins
- Narrated by: Susan Spain
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A.G. Gaston, the poor grandson of slaves, was born in the Deep South in 1892. Over the course of his extraordinary life, he amassed a fortune of over $130 million and a vast business empire. The story of his remarkable life is written with eloquence and grace by his niece, an Emmy¿ Award-winning journalist and her daughter, who holds degrees from Yale and Harvard.
-
-
Black Gold = Standing Ovation
- By 2Fresh on 01-20-16
By: Carol Jenkins
-
Cop Under Fire
- Moving Beyond Hashtags of Race, Crime & Politics for a Better America
- By: David A. Clarke Jr., Sean Hannity, Nancy French - contributor
- Narrated by: David A. Clarke Jr.
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
America has become increasingly divided and polarized in recent years. With growing animosity toward law enforcement professionals, government corruption, disregard for the constitution, and racial tension thanks to the media and hate groups, there seems to be no easy answer in sight. But Sheriff David Clarke knows where we must begin. We must stop blaming others and take ownership of our families, communities, and country.
-
-
WOW! What a marvelous book.
- By Wayne on 07-02-17
By: David A. Clarke Jr., and others
-
The South Side
- A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation
- By: Natalie Y. Moore
- Narrated by: Allyson Johnson
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this intelligent and highly important narrative, Chicago native Natalie Moore shines a light on contemporary segregation on the South Side of Chicago through reported essays, showing the lives of these communities through the stories of people who live in them. The South Side shows the important impact of Chicago's historic segregation and the ongoing policies that keep it that way.
-
-
Eyeopening!
- By Ladybug on 09-07-16
By: Natalie Y. Moore
-
This Child Will Be Great
- Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President
- By: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first elected woman president of an African country, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was also listed as one of the world’s 100 Most Powerful Women by Forbes. This evocative memoir recounts Sirleaf ’s childhood upbringing and rise to political power in Liberia. More than a simple biography, Sirleaf ’s account details how she stood firm in the face of physical abuse early in life and carried that strength over into her career as a young economist in Samuel Doe’s regime.
-
-
What a powerfully strong woman!
- By Gary on 10-18-11
What listeners say about In the Shadow of Statues
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Enthous
- 04-30-18
Leave out the campaign rhetoric and it's 5 stars
This was a very good listen, except for the short time when he seems to be running for higher office. Aside from the foray into campaigning, I enjoyed the book being read by the author who is clearly a good orator and his gentle southern drawl works perfectly to bring home the message. I found the journey of the logistics of getting the statues removed once the decision was made to be really compelling, and thought it was far too little of the total book. It definitely got me thinking about my own attitudes, always a good thing.
Normally I feel I'm "cheating" a little when I listen to a book instead of reading it, but every now and then listening to a book is even better than reading it. I think this was one of those occasions. I especially enjoyed the recording of his speech given on the day of the removal of the statue of Robert E Lee; it was an excellent epilogue. I don't know if the text of the speech is included in the written version, but even if it is, hearing him deliver the speech and the audience reaction was very effective.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 04-11-18
Enlightening
Well developed narrative. Makes one look at the issue in a completely different perspective. Everyone should read it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cheri
- 04-06-18
Outstanding!
What did you like best about this story?
Mitch Landrieu wrote a heartfelt & convincing account of why confederate statues MUST be removed from our public spaces. This book is enjoyable & interesting! Mayor Landrieu’s retelling of his own history and how he has come to hold the ideals he has is gives us hope for how governance should be conducted. I highly recommend it!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Katie M. Robinson
- 04-09-18
In the shadow of statues
Excellent research about the truth of our past. Thank you. Very enlightrning. Enjoyed it immensely
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 06-14-22
Very interesting
Great insider look at the violence around taking down Confederate statues in NOLA. New perspectives on race in the US.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- kathleen h kaditz
- 03-30-18
Compelling, well written
What made the experience of listening to In the Shadow of Statues the most enjoyable?
An honest conversation about race, racial oppression and systemic racism is long overdue in our country. In this book, Mitch Landrieu has taken a courageous stand in the hopes of moving us in the right direction. His book is well researched and yet very personal. He does an excellent job narrating. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who cares about creating a more inclusive, respectful and just society. He speaks to the better angels of our nature.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephen Veal
- 04-01-18
Great Book
This book is timely and needed. America needs to come to terms with past and embrace a future for all Americans.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- stephen
- 08-03-18
A must read in the time of Trump
A great book a excellent way to explain why these confederate statues must come down all over the country, for the betterment of the USA
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- SAKS
- 09-22-18
Great Book!
This is a must read. A mayor standing up for what’s right with no care for politics. I feel like Mitch deserves an award. Loved listening to this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jason C Cadden
- 04-13-18
A timely, well written discussion of race from a d
What did you love best about In the Shadow of Statues?
The bluntness of the discussion. The frank way that Landrieu brought the topics to the table, admitting his own faults and the way he came to a different perspective over the course of his career.
What was one of the most memorable moments of In the Shadow of Statues?
Loved his discussion of Wynton Marsalis asking him to take down the statue of Robert E Lee.
Which scene was your favorite?
The description of his youth, growing up in New Orleans.
If you could give In the Shadow of Statues a new subtitle, what would it be?
The truth behind the establishment of the Southern Myth.
Any additional comments?
A must read for anyone that grew up in the south, or northerns that want to understand the south a little better.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!