A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore, by Matthew Davis

Publication Nov. 11, 2025

Part memoir, part solid research project, I have to let you know up front that this one isn't an easy read. Despite the author's personal notes that help us understand his connection to Rushmore, the deep dive into the basic divides in cultural reaction to the setting make this an interesting, if not always easy read. Don't get me wrong. It reads fine. It's the topics, focusing on the concept of Mount Rushmore as a patriotic symbol, while acknowledging it's spiritual importance and meaning to Native Americans, particularly the Lakota Sioux, that make it a read that requires thought. Both sides have something worth conveying, so kudos to Davis for his effort to be even-handed while presenting the varying viewpoints and, trust me, it isn't even simple to break it down into the two most compelling ones. 

I obviously won't rehash the contents but will say that those willing to set aside preconceived notions and read with an open mind may come away still divided. Why can't it be both? Both patriotic and spiritual, so to speak. The divides in our country are vast and this is just one of many. Davis' visits with various citizens of the Black Hills area were interesting, including the times he encountered residents who had never actually visited Rushmore. Living in Alaska with countless sights, I had to sympathize a bit as, well, you do tend to take things that are practically on your home turf for granted. Having a family tree that goes back to not just the Pilgrims and Jamestown settlers but the native population that surrounded them, my tendency is to go with the spiritual aspects but, well, despite the sculptor being a supporter of the KKK, sigh, it does shout American strength and forward thinking, too, both of these being aspects that have made progress possible. In other words, my brain was pinging and ponging back and forth as I read, which isn't a bad thing, I guess. Tiring but a sign the words were having an impact. Davis' efforts to remain unbiased, to be fair to all, worked, in other words, for the most part.

Bottom line, while it wasn't the light read I was expecting and I wish there had been photographs, I found this an intriguing read. His personal stories (he was eventually heading to Mongolia when he first visited the site, no lie...what a detour) and meeting the people of the area give it a personal touch, too, albeit it seemed to veer from that lighter tone to serious talk without much true transition. It was fun to know the role his son's birth had to the book. I applaud him for not avoiding the more negative aspects of the history of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills area, either, from the often troubling history of sculpture Borglum to working in conversation about the Lincoln Memorial and slave Archer Alexander, an ancestor of boxer Ali amidst the history of the site from both white and Native (largely Lakota Sioux) vantage points. As he noted at one point, writing the book made him ponder what it truly means to be American. My thanks to #StMartin'sPress and #NetGalley for allowing me this early look at this insightful, thoughtful look at one of America's best known symbols. Yes, symbols matter.