Tessa Dunlop's War and Peace in 100 British Monuments goes to HarperCollins

HarperCollins today (14th January 2025) announced the acquisition of Lest We Forget: War and Peace in 100 British Monuments by historian Dr Tessa Dunlop.  

Jonathan de Peyer, editorial director for Harper North, acquired world English-language rights from Caroline Michel at PFD. The book will publish in hardback, e-book and audio in April 2025.

Lest We Forget explores "what war memorials, and the people they commemorate, tell us about our history and ourselves", HarperCollins said. 

Published to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this poignant book examines the inspirations and individuals behind our statue-studded country, to rediscover war-torn Britain in 100 monuments. 

"Tessa 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." 

The publisher added: "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?" 

Dunlop will use veteran testimony, newspaper archive and oral history to bring to life those involved in memorialising war across Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales. 

De Peyer said: "How we remember together, and separately, is a core part of our national identities and it takes a great deal of imagination and skill to explore such questions. Luckily, in Tessa we have one of Britain’s finest writers of history: a scholar of tireless energy, huge empathy and a magpie’s eye for detail. This book should really stand the test of time." 

Tessa Dunlop said: "Lest We Forget is about the delicate interplay between monuments, the stories and memories they stand for and the people upon whom they continue to depend for relevance and agency. I am an oral historian by trade, and it was not just the physicality of the monuments but their interaction with today’s Britain that I wanted to capture and recast in a living history focused on nation-building, hero-worship, love and loss."

Dunlop is a historian, author and broadcaster. She was a presenter on the BBC’s BAFTA-winning series Coast and has appeared on numerous history documentaries and talk shows, often commenting on royal news. She grew up in Scotland and now lives in London with her family.