A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore

by Matthew Davis

A comprehensive narrative history of Mt. Rushmore, written in light of recent political controversies, and a timely retrospective for the monument's 100th anniversary in 2025

“Well, most people want to come to a national park and leave with that warm, fuzzy feeling with an ice cream cone. Rushmore can’t do that if you do it the right way. If you do it the right way people are going to be leaving pissed.”

Gerard Baker, the first Native American superintendent of Mt. Rushmore, shared those words with author Matthew Davis. From the tragic history of Wounded Knee and the horrors of Indian Boarding Schools, to the Land Back movement of today, Davis traces the Native American story of Mt. Rushmore alongside the narrative of the growing territory and state of South Dakota, and the economic and political forces that shaped the reasons for the Memorial's creation.

A Biography of A Mountain combines history with reportage, bringing the complicated and nuanced story of Mt. Rushmore to life, from the land’s origins as sacred tribal ground; to the expansion of the American West; to the larger-than-life personality of Gutzon Borglum, the artist who carved the presidential faces into the mountain; and up to the politicized present-day conflict over the site and its future. Exploring issues related to how we memorialize American history, Davis tells an imperative story for our time.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, American History, Biography, Politics, Native Americans

336 pages, Hardcover

Published November 11, 2025

About the author

Note: There are multiple authors in the GR system with this name. This profile is for Matthew^Davis.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

To echo Emerson, if all history is biography, then what can we learn about our country from a biography of a mountain? from A Biography of a Mountain by Matthew Davis

Confession: previous to reading this book, my knowledge of Mt. Rushmore was pretty much gathered from Alfred Hitchcock’s movie North by Northwest. I knew nothing about the man who planned and designed the massive monument of four presidents, or why he chose those four. I did know that the Black Hills were sacred to the Lakota.

This book was a revelation.

A group of empire makers. Jefferson=Lincoln=Roosevelt. Gutzman Borglum quoted in A Biography of a Mountain

The sculptor Gutzman Borglum was revealed to be both a racist and embracer of Manifest Destiny, but also sympathetic to Native Americans even while dispoiling their sacred lands. He was dictictorial and abrasive as a manager, but as an artist achieved greatness. The monument celebrates white colonists whose policies killed Natives and was built on their sacred land.

At one point, Borglum considered adding Susan B. Anthony to the mountain, but there was no useable rock space left. So, our current president can wish to be up there too, but it ain’t gonna happen.

A key scene in he book centers on President Trump’s visit to the park to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks. His supporters were “as close to a Ku Klux Klan rally” as Amy Sazue had ever seen. Soldiers with automatic weapons surrounded unarmed Native Americans peacefully protesting the event. Davis remarks that Borglum and Trump would have hit it off.

The long and complicated question of who owns the land and the systematic erasure of Native culture and agency is central to the book.

This biography will alter how you see the monument.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished: Biography of a Mountain by Matthew Davis
Rating: three stars⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Non-fiction
POV: Author Matthew Davis
Location: Mostly South Dakota

I enjoyed reading this non-fiction book on Mount Rushmore. It was just Okay though in my opinion. At times it seemed for Mount Rushmore. At times, not so much. I guess it is a complicated thing because you feel for the Native Americans, but you love America too, and Mount Rushmore is dedicated to the men who took on extraordinary feats to grow and bring about the United States of America. I guess the author was trying to be fair in his story. It was up and down at times. I really truly don’t know what can be done to make up for what was done to the Native Americans. I know that for many many years as Americans and the native Americans were peaceful with one another, but in expansion of the United States it displaced the Native Americans. But I do know that with this particular Black Hills location it was promised to the Native Americans only and years before Gutzson Borglum came along and sculpted Mount Rushmore a law was made between the Native Americans and the government of the United States of America, that that particular site where Mount Rushmore is was promised, and to be kept and not taken away from the Native Americans, but after many years it was. And the Native Americans are angered about it. I really don’t blame them. I believe it should be made up to them in someway.
This was okay/good book to read about everything surrounding Mount Rushmore, but it was too up and down for me. But it is probably because it is a complicated story to tell.

[Sophie]

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this read. This book is exactly what I think nonfiction should be, researched to the bone, but still deeply human. Davis dismantles Mount Rushmore's accepted narrative, tracing its story back through the layers of history that were paved over, the land’s sacred importance to the Lakota, the trauma of Wounded Knee, the cultural erasure of boarding schools, and the enduring principles of the Land Back movement. You feel the contradictions everywhere, specifically how one country’s pride was literally built on someone else’s grief.

I liked that Davis doesn’t try to make it easy or heroic. It’s not a clean narrative, and it shouldn’t be. It left me thinking less about Mount Rushmore and more about all the other places we’ve built on bones, and as a Canadian that's a lot of places.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this look at the cultural and historical aspects of the making of Mt. Rushmore. I appreciated that, despite quite a bit of bias, Davis was aware of and explained well the complicated issues involved in its construction and tried to examine all the angles and all the politics. As a reader, I was aware of much of this history before reading the book, but I enjoyed learning new details and facts about Borglum and the actual choosing and making of the presidential faces.

This book will be appreciated by any history buffs and those who just want to know more about one of our cultural icons.

Thank you to the publisher for an early digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

[Scott Nickels · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have just completed the first section of “A Biography of a Mountain” and, sadly, this will be one of just a handful of books that I shan’t be reading to its conclusion. I have a passion for learning about our American history. And I do not object to an author slipping in some of his/her opinions on our history. However, as talented a writer as Matthew Davis is, I just cannot continue to turn page after page of his political screed coming from one side of the political spectrum. Here are just a few of the many observations from the author: you can judge his evenhandedness —
“ unwilling to confront our national darkness”
“ not much cool about Mount Rushmore…it can feel stuffy and square, overly familiar”
“History is glaringly absent from the memorial today, while myth is abundant”
“Devoid of cars (the new parking lot) on a blustery spring day, felt cold and soulless”
“the museum devoted to coal mining, where my pimply guide, a self-proclaimed creationist”
There is a lot ( and I emphasize, a lot) more of this available to the reader. For many of you this may be a great book by a talented author who shares with you his naivety of his pro-America visit when he was young and contrasts it with his current mature understanding of our historical “ national darkness.

[Audrey (Warped Shelves) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is based on an ARC of A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore which I received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher (St. Martin's Press).

A Biography of a Mountain is the story of one of America's most iconic--and controversial--monuments. As a recent transplant to the glorious Western South Dakota, one of my first excursions was a trip to Rushmore to see the Presidents' Heads. Some say they are boring, stagnant, underwhelming; I find the monument breathtaking, and it never ceases to amaze me.

When I came across this "biography", I was immediately compelled to read it. Davis presents an engaging, informative, and sensitive history of the monument, its making, and its effect on the American psyche--for good or bad. The writing and facts are presented clearly, with anecdotes of Davis' own history with the mountain sprinkled in. Davis recounts the story of Mount Rushmore like a kindly professor having a one-on-one chat with a student over a cuppa joe.

I concede that this book is not for every reader, but for the armchair historian it fits just right. (It would also make a fantastic coffee table book in any South Dakotan waiting room.) Imagine how many of these they can sell at Rushmore this coming tourist season, especially it being the 100th anniversary of the monument's completion!


ATY 2025 Reading Challenge: a prompt from the ATY 2016 list*
*ATY 2016 Reading Challenge: a biography, autobiography, or memoir

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at how Mount Rushmore came to be, who carved it, what it meant then and what it means now.
No matter who you re and what you believe, I guarantee you'll never look at Mt. Rushmore the same ever again.

I was not a real fan of the narrator, but that is mostly a me issue [I struggled with the speed at which he read as well as some of his inflections; there were moments where you got the impression he deeply disagreed with what he was reading, just by tone and inflection] and I am sure that he will work just fine for others, and I would recommend this simply for that fact.

Thank you to NetGalley, Matthew Davis, Scott Merriman - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Brilliance Publishing/Brilliance Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars.
A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmoreis an ARC, which I received courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (publisher). I was initially interested in reading this, as Mount Rushmore is practically in my backyard (just a state away from Wyoming), and I really didn't know any of the history behind this national monument.

Overall, it's likely this book will appeal to those who enjoy historical non-fiction. The approach is a bit different than most history books filled with facts and dates, Matthew Davis provides his personal experiences and anecdotes of many locals who are or have been involved with Mount Rushmore in one way or another. Davis has a unique way of storytelling, however, as much as he attempts to remain unbiased, there are times his writing "takes sides," even if that wasn't his intention. That is one reason, I gave it a lower rating than what I wanted to (I would have liked to given 4 stars).

Another reason for the less than stellar rating involved the writing and style. Sometimes his language was a bit "lofty" (I'm not sure if that's the best way to describe) where it seemed the word choices could have been a tad more plain and not feeling like he was trying to show off vocabulary. I'm not one who needs to look up a lot of words when reading and can determine contextual meaning; after a while, I tired of needing to get out the dictionary and just skipped past. Additionally, there were times the book felt like it was skipping around a bit too much, making the overall flow a bit choppy sometimes. Despite that, overall, the stories and anecdotes were interesting and compelling.

From a historical perspective, I was impressed with Davis' research, especially the biography of the sculptor Gutzon Borglum, along with the history of the land, the Black Hills where Mount Rushmore sits, and their spiritual significance to the Lakota Nation versus the "patriotic vision" behind the monument, plus the atrocities that took place at Wounded Knee and more recently at the Rapid City Indian Boarding School (and Pine Ridge). Much of these events probably will never make it into the history books, but need to be told--and Davis put his heart and soul into telling those stories.

The one thing that was missing from the book and would have been a wonderful addition, I believe, would have been to include some photographs. It would have helped with visualizing some of the events/places Davis did attempt to provide description through words.

Lastly, I would highly recommend offering this book at Mount Rushmore Bookstore, especially with the 100th anniversary coming up this year (2025).

[Curtis Edmonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very pleased to read Matthew Davis’s A BIOGRAPHY OF A MOUNTAIN: THE MAKING AND MEANING OF MOUNT RUSHMORE, primarily because it helped me to crystallize some concepts that had been running loose inside my head.

A good bit of the political conflict in America stems from the collision of two historical points of view. Both of these are familiar, but they are not often fully articulated. The first is what I am calling, for the sake of convenience, the “patriotic vision,” which focuses on the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, the greatness of the Constitution and the American form of government, and the success of free-market economics and military strength. The patriotic vision stresses the essential goodness of the American project, the decency and sacrifice of our pioneers, and the shared values of our people.

You may be rolling your eyes a bit at this point, and if so, you would not be alone. The patriotic vision is challenged by what I am calling the “critical voice,” which everyone has heard. “The land was stolen from the natives.” “The country was built on slavery.” “The Founding Fathers were self-interested white supremacists.” “There weren’t any women of people of color at the Constitutional Convention.” This is the message of the critical voice, and it is expressed, over and over again, with variations in fact but not in tone.

The patriotic vision has value because it is authentic, because it is inspirational, because it binds the nation together, because it distills our best achievements and desires into a positive, forward-looking philosophy. The critical voice has value because it is factually correct.

In 2017—specifically on July 4, 2017—I published a picture book, IF MY NAME WAS AMANDA, that was meant to be an expression of the patriotic vision at its best. Its heroine, a young mixed-race girl, travels America on an alphabet adventure, going from A (Atlanta) to Z (Zanesville), exploring the beauty and diversity of the United States of America. And there on the front cover, with the little girl holding an American flag, there in the background are Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln, as they appear on the slopes of Mount Rushmore.

I am not saying here that Matthew Davis is writing his book in opposition to my adorable little picture book for toddlers. He’s likely not ever heard of it. But what he is doing is giving the critical voice a hearing. Yes, Mount Rushmore is a great sculpture that depicts our great leaders, yes, it speaks to the greatness of our past and the ambitions of our future, yes, it is a sacred place for patriotism. Fine.

Most of the critical voice here is familiar: Washington and Jefferson were slaveholders; Washington’s very teeth were stolen from slaves. Lincoln signed the Homestead Act which was the machine that drove the mass theft of Indian land. Roosevelt was a white supremacist and expansionist of the American overseas empire. But Davis is not just echoing the familiar critique, but expanding it here specifically regarding the location of the sculpture in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and the personality of its sculptor.

I won’t recapitulate the entirety of the argument, particularly because Davis makes it in a very even-handed and fair manner. The Black Hills of South Dakota were sacred to the Lakota people (although they were latecomers into the territory, being pushed there by new settlers into the Northwest Territory and their martial ability to conquer their neighbors). There was a treaty that granted the Lakota ownership over the Black Hills, which was abrogated unfairly (as a convoluted legal case would ultimately determine). The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, had been an enthusiastic supporter of the Ku Klux Klan whilst he was jockeying for the job of carving Confederate heroes into the face of Stone Mountain in Georgia. (There is a very interesting—which is a weasel word for “incomprehensible”--Borglum monumental bronze sculpture across the street from my office in Newark.) Davis does a masterful job of splicing the twin stories of loss and memory (although I would have liked a good bit more detail about the technical complexities of the actual sculpting process, which involved God’s green plenty of dynamite).

I appreciate Davis a great deal for writing the book the way he did. This is not in any way a “woke” book, or a work of iconoclasm. (The 2002 film Skins is much more iconoclastic, and much more focused on the here-and-now of life on the reservation; I caught it at the Atlanta Film Festival before it came out and was very impressed.) A BIOGRAPHY OF A MOUNTAIN is a deeply thought, deeply felt book that is of specific interest to anyone looking at the roots of our national division and the history of the Black Hills.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this very topical book of history and cultural studies looking at one of America's largest monuments, carved literally on the sacred land of the people who were here before us, the meaning, the reasons, and the many misunderstanding that people have about it, and what it means for your future.

I have loved history for the longest period of time, ever since I had a teacher in middle school who let us do self-tests, ie correcting our own answers, and spent more time talking about herself than the history class she was supposed to be teaching. Instead of listening I read the textbook go further than most of my school classes ever did. We always no matter the grade barely made World War II. My grandfather fed this by giving me inappropriate sized books like Arms of Krupp by Wiliam Manchester and Barbara Tuchman books. Though I loved to read history, I never cared for monuments or historical sites. Maybe it was the idea of turning history in toruism. A group of Americans died here and all I got was this shirt, idea. I'd rather read about it, because it happened years ago. Standing in an air conditioned pavilion, looking at statues of traitors won't let me experience what happened. So I have always been uninterested in Mount Rushmore. Alfred Hitchcock showed me enough in North by Northwest. Or so I thought. After reading this thoughtful and fascinating book I realise I barely knew anything at all. A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore is a personal and historical look at this monument, from both an American and Native American view, the importance of the land and what it tells of of who we are, and where we are as a nation.

I book starts with a look at the modern world of 2020 with the birth of the author's second child, in the nation's capital, under siege from a president and people tired of the way this country was dealing with race. Watching the president make a speech at Mount Rushmore, Davis thought of his own time there, years earlier, and he began to be interested in how Rushmore came about. We flash back to the author just a few weeks in the 21st century driving around America before embarking on a voyage to Asia. There are moments that spoke to Davis, one of them being near the Rushmore site, and how the people in the area viewed it, and more importantly viewed America. Davis than goes into the history of the area, the development of the South Dakota area, from both the white settlers and soon Americans, and more importantly the view of the Native Americans, whose mountains were sacred to them, and now bear images they have no interest in. Davis looks at the dreamer Gutzon Borglum a man with Klan ties, and other extremist politial views, the plans for a tourist destination and the building of the monument. Davis also looks at what it means on both sides of the political spectrum, while visiting the area and seeing how history is presented.

A book that people are going to probably go after, but a book that is well sourced, well researched and more importantly well-written. One can't write anything critical about America, though there is much to be critical about. I enjoyed the Native American history of the West quite a bit, a view that one does not get much of. And one that is hardly taught anymore. People don't like to ask questions, it makes us uncomfortable, so we have a society to scared to point out the truth, and people to scared to face it. That is the true remembrance of monuments and memorials. What is on the plate, what is in the tourist booth, for sale in the gift shops and what is real. Davis shows this in his book, one I am sure won't be for sale at the gift shop. This is a very clear look at America right now. Wanting something that never was, with tourist traps to back up these ideas.

I liked the personal stories that Davis shares, meeting people, talking to people, and more importantly listening. Not the book I expected, but something far more, and far more interesting. A book that leaves one with a lot of questions and a lot of thoughts about remembering the past.

[Daniel Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Narrative history of the National Memorial, Mt. Rushmore. The origins of the Black Hills of South Dakota are explored, as is the life and work of Rushmore's creator Gutzon Borglum. The author weaves the past with current events to give a wide angle view of the monument and its significance.

The book is well researched. I learned much about Mt. Rushmore, its creation and the efforts of its main sculptor, Gutzon Borglum. Author Matthew Davis' sympathies lie with the native populations of the Bad Lands area, and as such, he has a dim view of the monument and its location. To his credit, he does appear to take an honest, unbiased opinion of events for stretches of the 275 page book. Unfortunately, the author's personal opinions began to subsume straight reporting more and more as the book approaches its later stages. (As an aside, one wonders if his reporting is also colored by the fact that his wife, Laurel Rapp, served as Deputy Director of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s Policy Planning Staff, during Biden's presidency.) When a reader reaches the final chapter, in which President Trump's visit to Mt. Rushmore in 2020 is dissected, all traces of impartiality are out the window. Trump's supporters in South Dakota are "drunken" mobs, who's support for the president is akin to "a Ku Klux Klan rally." The arrival of Air Force One is like a "UFO" descending from the heavens.

Davis also choose how he portrays native activists selectively, and unlike figures who he disagrees with politically, always in a positive light. For example, the controversial leader of a native advocacy organization, the NDN Collective, Nick Tilsen, is described in glowing terms. When he isn't organizing protests or law enforcement audits, he is "praying" and handing out water to overheated law enforcement personal. His extravagant salary is briefly mentioned and glossed over, as is the multi-million, and growing, endowment of his organization. One also wonders why Davis would fail to mention that Tilsen currently stands accused of obstruction and assault of a police officer, who also happens to be Native American, during an altercation in 2022 when Tilsen was "auditing" the police's interaction with a homeless man.

The most offensive passage of the text features a quote from Amy Sazue, the executive director of the Remembering the Children Memorial in Rapid City, South Dakota. When visiting the Lincoln Memorial for the first time, Sazue says, "All I could think was that someday the river is going to take its spot back, and I won't be sad about that. Water will reclaim what it wants to, and someday I hope that the water reclaims that space and that area is washed free of his legacy." Sazue feels this loathing towards Lincoln for his condemning of 38 native men to death for their roles in the wanton rape and murder during the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War. The author fails to delve too deeply into these events. Davis doesn't even think it worthy to mention that of the original 303 men condemned to die, Lincoln commuted the sentences of 264 of them. The 38 who did eventually hang, were found to have committed the most heinous murder and rape. I have no issue with the author giving Sazue a platform to share her thoughts and work in the pages of his book, but to offer no pushback either in the moment or afterwards in his recollection of the event is in poor form.

Not to be outdone, Borglum's grandson Jim, who appears to be reaping the rewards of the wealth accumulated from his ancestors, tells the author (after showcasing his large collection of old cars), "I'm afraid that these days, patriotism has become kind of divisive, and though I am very proud of my country, the flag has almost become a divisive symbol." One wonders if Jim has ever seriously considered divesting himself of any of the family land or money if he feels this strongly about the harm his grandfather and his country may have done.

Overall, an interesting book that does contain quality research, but fails in its mission to be an impartial narrative history.

[June Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matthew Davis’ A Biography of a Mountain tries to do a lot, using Mount Rushmore as the centerpiece to connect it all together. I’m not sure it entirely works for me, but it may resonate better with another reader.

One of the storylines of the book is about the indigenous history of the area, how the government stripped land away with various excuses, allowed settlers to ramrod their way into the area with the prospect of gold, and continues an often dismissive approach today to the original inhabitants of the land.

Perhaps nothing more insulting to the Lakota is that a monumental tribute to four white men who contributed to the decimation of their people and their land was carved into a mountain on land that was stolen from them.

The fight in person and in court continues today as some people and parts of the government assess past treaties and legislation from a more progressive and enlightened perspective, but other politics want to maintain the glory days of Americana where we should see all the good our leaders accomplished without acknowledging the wrongs that were committed along the way.

The other side of this book is about the actual construction of the monument, the artist in charge of it, and the evolution of the monument over the years.

Gutzon Borglum was undoubtedly a singular artistic talent that in his most well known work accomplished something on a scale that no other American artist can claim. He was also a temperamental, inconsistent, controlling jerk who didn’t treat much of anyone well and had multiple questionable relationships across the course of his life.

The first part of the book is mostly the indigenous history, followed by the history of Borglum, then it starts delving into the politics in play right now. Davis seems to try and skirt an official stance openly, perhaps in deference to the readers who share the philosophies of people like Trump and Noem, though his heavier emphasis on indigenous issues provides insight.

I would rather see this as two books, even though it is impossible to separate Borglum’s work from the history of its location. I recently read David Treuer’s The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee, which is referenced in this book. It is more comprehensive across all tribes in America, but I liked the way he structured it better than this book.

There is plenty of good information in this book, but I would have preferred something that flowed better than this did for me.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kuu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this audiobook!

I fear that for roughly half of this book, I wasn't the target audience, which is reflected in my rating. The author went much into the histories of individuals involved in the creation of Mount Rushmore, in any way, including native families, as well as the architects (can you call someone who designs a mountain monument an architect? anyway) and various other people who, in one way or another, have a connection to the mountain and monument. For someone who is interested in the more technical details of Mount Rushmore, this is likely to be very interesting, but I fear the author set me up for disappointment by starting with the history of the Indigenous peoples of the area, mainly the Lakota, and the various contacts and conflicts they had with White settlers. There was a lot of historical background relating to groups of people, concepts, and ideologies, which in turn made the technical details on "x wanted funding but couldn't get funding so they did y to get funding" and similar feel very... underwhelming.

Still, by alternating between individuals and wider societal issues (including, for example, the representation of women or Black people), as well as by relating Rushmore to the present (including how the teaching about Rushmore has changed, in its content, its language, and who gets the chance to do the teaching) the author managed to keep my attention during the entire book, and while I probably will not remember most of the details, I feel like I now have a much better idea of Mount Rushmore and the conflicts involved. If I had had this as a physical book, I probably would have enjoyed it even more, as that would have made it easier to skip the sections that were not necessarily of interest to me personally.

(As for the narrator, he speaks SO SLOW. I generally listen to nonfiction on 2x, but this one I had to have on at least 2.5x... When the app crashed and reset the listening speed to 1x, I found it absolutely unbearable. This, too, is probably just my personal preference, though)

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore by Matthew Davis tell the history of the famous monument, and the burden it carries. Mr. Davis is a journal and a published author.

Mt. Rushmore has always represented America to me. I credit my stamp collection (a “stamp” is a colorful sticker one puts on an envelope to let the Postal Service know you paid) when I was around eight years old. About 50 years later I finally got to see the monument … and it was amazing!!!

A Biography of a Mountain by Matthew Davis is not just a book about sculpting, but also about the history of the region, and the United States relations with Native Americans. Th is not just the story of a sculpture into a rock, but a complex symbol whose meaning depends on your interpretation.

A lot of the book involves the sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, how he came up with the idea, getting political backing and, of course, financing. Just as much space is devoted to the struggle and history of the Lakota Sioux. There’s a brief overview from the Battle of Little Bighorn (Custer’s Last Stand), the Wounded Knee Massacre, and a series of broken promises and treaties.

But this is not a simple history book, it’s a very personal story told from the point of view the author, those he writes about and their decadents – by blood or spirit. The book ask the reader to reflect on what Gutzon Borglum chose to memorialize, and how that idea changed with time and society’s understanding of history.

The book ends with the 2020 visit of President Trump to the monument, his speech, its politicization, and how it was seen from point of view of Native American activists. The narrative is not a easy one to read, but it should be.

I enjoyed a book which asked me to think without preaching, while blending an excellent narrative and meticulous research. Mt. Rushmore is, and seems like it always will be, and American icon until nature takes its course. It’s an amazing monument to the country, but with a complicated history.

[Carl Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For many, Mount Rushmore National Memorial is the quintessential American monument: the faces of arguably our most influential presidents, larger-than-life upon the wild landscape of western South Dakota, and a destination for family road trips for generations. Matthew Davis has created a comprehensive narrative of the monument, its sculptor Gutzon Borglum, the Black Hills, and the Lakota people who hold the mountain sacred. (This is not a history or analysis of those depicted on Mount Rushmore, by the way.)

While this book will be vastly uncomfortable to those who cling only to the naively patriotic version of American history, it is very fair in its approach to Borglum (portrayed as a human with human failings, his contradictory involvement with the Confederate Memorial on Stone Mountain and his admiration of Lincoln, and a sculptor of studied and artistic talents) and the complex relationship between the Lakota and the US government. Atrocities such as the deliberate suppression of Lakota culture through the Rapid City Indian School and betrayals such as the violation of the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie are not minimized or sensationalized, but their impact is clearly described.

I had the good fortune to visit Mount Rushmore very recently, and I was reading this book throughout the trip. A Biography of a Mountain deepened the meaning of the visit in every aspect: the engineering and artistry of the Memorial, the struggle of its creation, the grandeur of its intention, the impact of the Memorial's existence upon the Lakota people. Mount Rushmore is as contradictory as Borglum's involvement with the Confederate Memorial on Stone Mountain that led to to his strong ties with the KKK and his open admiration of Abraham Lincoln, and this book captures that dichotomy.

Thanks to Matthew Davis, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah Ewald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so much more than a book about Mount Rushmore. The author traveled to the South Dakota Black Hills region to learn more about the mountain, the people who live there, and the varied history of the area, and how the monument cam to be.
This book is about the history of the mountain, held sacred to Native Americans. It is about how Native Americans have been mistreated and forced out of their territories into boxes. It is about how our government, in its Manifest Destiny stance, has made treaties with Native Tribes, only to have the government reneged on their promises, it is about the tragic history of Wounded Knee, the horrors of Indian boarding schools in the Black Hills area and how Native American are still denigrated even today.

It is about Gutzon Borglum, and his history as well. Long before Mount Rushmore, he was involved with the project in the South honoring Confederate heroes at Stone Mountain. At one time, to raise funds for this monument, it was proposed to sell coins minted by the federal government.
"When the bill was passed, however, Borglum was approached by the Stone Mountain Association with a proposition. They asked him to minimize his vision and cut back on the design in exchange for $200,000. The implication was that the association planned to use the money from the coin not for the memorial, but for themselves. The KKK wanted to be funded by the US Treasury. Gutzon, was 'irate' and provided a firm no."
Gutzon left that project. When you visit the memorial at Rushmore, you will learn about the carving of the images, but Borglum was no honorable man. In many instances it was all about him and less about the meaning of the memorial.

It is about Native Americans seeking the return of territories stolen by the government, and restoring dignity.

The area has a complicated history, and, yeah, our history is messy. But it worth it to learn all of it.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Davis offers a complicated history of the 60-foot-tall faces of four presidents carved into the Black Hills of South Dakota. He has drawn on archival sources, his own travels, and interviews with locals. Mt. Rushmore’s story is one of disputed claims and hidden origin including the bloody slaughter of the Indigenous people who inhabited the site, to the shadowy past of its sculptor, Gutzon Borglum. A KKK supporter, Borglum was recruited in 1927 because of his work on a Confederate monument in Stone Mountain,. Borglum refused to participate in a scheme to embezzle Stone Mountain’s federal funding for the KKK. The historian Doane Robinson saw it as a monument to the frontier, with early attractions including likenesses of Red Cloud and George Custer. While that meaning was obscured by the choice to carve U.S. presidents, the intention remains like a dark undercurrent, the author shows, with examples of how Rushmore continues to be a “flash point” between white and Native residents. It’s present a fuller representation of a murky past for Mt. Rushmore.

It is am amazing and fascination book to read. I have briefly seen Mt. Rushmore as I was driving to California. I had no idea of the history of it. I think that this an important part of the United States history that is overlooked by many—we just see the presidents and don’t think of how it came about. I am going to read this book again as the information is fascinating. Anyone who enjoys reading history and/or Mt. Rushmore would enjoy reading it too.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Julie Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge history buff and I have to say, I'm almost embarrassed by how much I didn't know about what went into building Mt. Rushmore! I felt like I understood why it is such a controversial monument to America and its history, but I really didn't know the half of it.

The amount of detail in this book is amazing. It is very well researched, and I think trouble was taken to give both sides of the history of the land and why it is so important to the Lakota Peoples. Some of it was very hard to read even when I knew it was coming, but it was absolutely necessary if we are to understand the complexities of this national monument.

Gutzon Borglum, the artist and drive behind the building of Mount Rushmore, was a very complicated and larger than life character. I enjoyed learning about his past, where he came from and the journey that led to his obsession with building this memorial. The length of time it took from the conception of the idea to its completion was much longer than I knew. I'm honestly surprised, knowing what I know now, that it was ever completed at all. There is no way this would have happened the way that it did in today's world. The whole process was very interesting and surprising, which made for a fascinating read,

All in all, this was a very in depth story of what went into the building of Mount Rushmore, and if you're into historical nonfiction as much as I am, this is the book for you.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Matthew Davis for the opportunity to read A Biography of a Mountain, The Making of Mount Rushmore, in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Nash Δ. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating.

In the first chapter, Davis describes his trip to Mount Rushmore in 2000 as a younger man about to embark on adventures in Mongolia. I, myself, went on a cross country roadtrip a few years later in 2005 and ended up at Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, staying in a motel in Keystone, and getting one of those hokey, sepia portraits done. Anyway...

Davis takes readers on a deep dive into the mountain's history, from sacred Lakota land and to its transformation during America’s westward expansion. He unpacks the mix of economic, political, and cultural forces that shaped its creation, making it clear that the monument’s story is more than just stone and sculpture.

Beyond the monument’s construction, Davis doesn’t shy away from the perspectives of Native American communities, particularly the Lakota, for whom the Black Hills remain deeply sacred. He takes care to explore the ongoing debates over land rights and the broader cultural significance of Mount Rushmore, offering a nuanced discussion that acknowledges both its place in American identity and the unresolved grievances of indigenous peoples.

In the end, Davis delivers a timely and thought-provoking look at one of America’s most famous landmarks. By weaving together the stories of artistry, politics, and indigenous resistance, he offers readers a richer, more complicated view of Mount Rushmore just in time for its 100th anniversary.

[Kathryn E Hagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could give more than five stars to Matthew Davis for the voluminous and comprehensive research he has done for his book about Mount Rushmore, I would.

On the other hand, I believe some later parts of “A Biography of a Mountain” belong in another book.

Davis does a wonderful job explaining about the land, the indigenous people who have lived there for so very long and from whom the land was taken. He covers the treaty involving the land and court cases that have followed. Gutzon Borglum is portrayed as something of a scoundrel, as well as an accomplished artist. I had no idea he studied in Paris and that Auguste Rodin was his idol.

I imagine many of us wonder what it was like to be around Mount Rushmore while all the dynamite was exploding. Davis explained that Borglum had a special technique in which he used smaller amounts of explosive than others might have. In fact, in the original plan for the sculpture, Jefferson was supposed to be on the other side of Washington. It is possible that, on a day when Borglum was not present, the workers used more dynamite than he would have.

Davis did such a good job of reporting the feelings and experiences of those who call Mount Rushmore home. I hadn’t known what to expect when I began to read. Perhaps it would be more of a tour guide, mixed with some history. It is so much more than that.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy. This is my honest review.

[Bonny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Biography of a Mountain by Matthew Davis is an ambitious, researched look at the complicated story of Mount Rushmore, its creation, meaning, and legacy. Davis traces the land’s origins as sacred ground for Native tribes, the expansion of the American West, and the monumental (and controversial) work of sculptor Gutzon Borglum. The book also connects the site’s history to modern movements like Land Back and ongoing debates about how America memorializes its past.

While I think Mr. Davis tried to be somewhat evenhanded in presenting both the United States National Park perspective and that of Native Americans, but for me he was not completely successful. I came away with too many personal stories, too much history told in a rather dull, textbook-like way, and not enough from the Native American side of the story. For a book that sets out to center those voices, their presence often felt secondary.

Still, I appreciated Davis’s effort to grapple with such a difficult subject and his willingness to confront the political and moral complexities of the monument. A Biography of a Mountain is a thoughtful, if uneven, read that may appeal most to history buffs and those curious about how a single mountain can embody so many layers of the American story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on November 11, 2025.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

As someone with a history degree, sometimes I want to read about something historical I don’t know much about, but I don’t want it to feel like I’m reading it to write a paper or prepare for a test. Literary nonfiction fulfills this need. And few things, as far as books on history go, can beat a journalist writing literary nonfiction about a topic they have such an obvious curiosity and passion about. Matthew Davis’s “A Biography of a Mountain” reaffirms this.

I really thoroughly enjoyed this book. Davis gives you enough background information about the places, people, and peoples for you to have a decent grasp of the various contexts surrounding Mount Rushmore. If you don’t come to this book with particularly forceful feelings about the site, you may leave it with some. At the very least, unless you’re already an expert, you’re likely to come away with a much fuller understanding of this storied place in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

I particularly appreciated how accessible Davis makes what may be for some, a first venture into Native history. The Lakota are such central figures in the story of Mount Rushmore, past and present, and this book did a really beautiful job of trying to help the reader understand their story.

Would love to read more from the author and highly recommend this book. Very grateful to have received an early copy.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

[Steven Conger · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gift to be offered a copy of A Biography of a Mountain by Matthew Davis. I received this ARC from Net Galley and St Martin's Press.

It is a fascinating tale about so much more than Mount Rushmore. but that iconic monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota makes for a amazing adventure. My wife and I visited Mount Rushmore for the first time last August -- on our way back to Chicago following a cross country trip to Portland. I remember being awed by the majesty of the monument, but something felt off in the whole experience. Thankfully, Matthew Davis helped to identify that dis-ease that was in my soul.

This is an exceptional book that will give insight into the process that lead up to the building of the monument, the men who built it, and the worldview that they attached to the "four boys". But, fortunately, it doesn't end there. Davis also gives us insight into the "Land Back" movement and how it relates to Mount Rushmore.

I know our history isn't perfect, and I appreciate opportunities to learn and grow from some of the mistakes we have made along the way. Thank you Matthew Davis for this eye-opening look at the Black Hills. I am sure that many will not share this view, but I am always grateful for the opportunity to see the world from another's perspective and I now have a whole new appreciation for the Mountain we call Mount Rushmore.

[Cara Kupferman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Biography of a Mountain is a riveting, well-researched, and appropriately nuanced view of Mount Rushmore: its ancient and ongoing sacredness to the Lakota people, the chaotic history of the monument’s creation, and the complex, controversial meaning of the mountain today. Author Matthew Davis’s writing gives the book the feeling of an epic novel, and the narration brings it to life with emotion and vivacity.

I came into this book looking to learn, primarily, about the Native narrative of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills more generally. Davis delivers on this desire; he has spent meaningful time learning from the Lakota peoples and other Native tribes of the region and shares both their pre-conquest history and the more modern history of oppression, genocide, and forced assimilation that have impacted the indigenous Americans of the plains. I also appreciated the inclusion of contemporary Native activists who are working to preserve and disseminate their history and fiercely fighting the uphill battle to win their land back.

Students of history and anyone curious about the divisive history and current state of American memory and monuments will find this book intriguing and engaging. I’m very glad for the chance to read this and will recommend it widely! Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for a free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Brilliance Audio for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Biography of a Mountain was such an interesting read/listen! To be sure, the book is full of political controversy, marginalized voices, and cultural identity. Much like anything that has to deal with United States history, you’ll find that screwing over Native Americans is usually at the forefront. We just weren’t taught it at school. The story of Mount Rushmore is not just how Gutzon Borglum created the monument, you find out about the people and places that were affected.

The history of mountain chosen for Mount Rushmore was actually sacred to the Lakota people, so that was yet another slap in the face to the indigenous people. The complexity of the issues were sometimes a little hard to wrap my head around, but it is vital that we keep seeking out truths like this. This type of confrontational history needs to learned and taught, otherwise, what are we really doing, anyway?

The audiobook was narrated by Scott Merriman, who does an admirable job with the text. His voice has the gravitas needed for such an important topic. As stunning as Mount Rushmore is as an example of art, it’s also important to recognize the damage done to the relationship between the white man and Native Americans.

[Jean Mader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Davis’s Biography of a Mountain is a timely and thought-provoking exploration of Mount Rushmore, released in honor of the monument’s centennial. Blending history, reportage, and personal voices, Davis traces the layered story of the Black Hills—from their sacred significance to Native tribes, through the violence of Wounded Knee and Indian Boarding Schools, to today’s Land Back movement. Alongside this painful history, he also captures the economic, political, and artistic ambitions that brought the mountain into being, including the controversial but undeniably talented sculptor, Gutzon Borglum.

What makes this book compelling is Davis’s refusal to give readers only the “warm, fuzzy” version of Rushmore. Instead, he honors both the majesty of the monument and the deep wounds it represents. With careful research and vivid storytelling, Biography of a Mountain asks us to reconsider what—and who—we are commemorating. A nuanced, essential read for anyone interested in American history and memory. (I have to say…I have been to Mt. Rushmore and it is very compelling to see.)

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.

[Debra Pawlak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. I have visited Mount Rushmore once and I can say with confidence, it dominates the area. An oversized monument carved in the side of a mountain honoring four past presidents: Washington, (Teddy) Roosevelt, Lincoln, and Jefferson. What I didn't know was that Mount Rushmore stands in the middle of what was once Indian Territory in the Black Hills as assigned through a treaty. I began this book believing it to be this story behind the mountain, which it was. I did not anticipate the politics behind it. I understand that the two are related and you can't have one without the other. This book was very well written and researched, but I rarely read books dealing with politics because I have found that they are always slanted based on the author's view. This part of the book was a bit disappointing for me personally hence the four stars. That being said, Gutzon Borglum's dream of making this sculpture didn't happen overnight and the long winding road that led to the mountain in South Dakota is both interesting and tragic. If you don't mind a little politics with your history, give it a try. It is enlightening, entertaining, and very much a tale that needed to be told.

[Ryann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six holes were drilled into a mountain in South Dakota, thus beginning the work on Mount Rushmore on August 10, 1927 in front of an audience that included President Calvin Coolidge. The brainchild of Sculptor, Gutzson Borglum, it would not see completion until October 31, 1941 by his son Lincoln Borglum, under the Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The research for this American landmark is top notch. It begins with the Lakota Indian’s history with the Black Hills (a great follow-up after reading about Deadwood), and includes Custard and Crazy Horse and the broken treaties between the US government and the Lakota Nation, which is important to the story. I also enjoyed learning about Gutzson and his troublesome history. What I did not care for was the author’s sour remarks and condescension of the sculpture, the people on the sculpture and the villainizing of anyone who dares to appreciates it. If Davis desired a productive conversation about its legacy, he missed the mark.

I want to thank NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing and Brilliance Audio for allowing me the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pub Date Nov 11, 2025
I feel that the author did a remarkable job of presenting the injustices surrounding the creation of this impressive memorial to four exemplary old white guys who were responsible for positive changes in American government in past eras. While lacking the usual photographs, there is no shortage of historical documentation from a plethora of sources indicating due diligence on his part.
I liked it well enough to pre-order a copy to share.
I requested and received a temporary unedited electronic galley from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
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