A Flag Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of National Symbols (Politics of Place)
Product ID: 102292538
Combining keen analysis of current events with world history, Tim Marshall, author of the New York Times bestseller Prisoners of Geography , provides “an entertaining whistle-stop tour of world flags” ( Library Journal )—how their power is used to unite and divide populations and intimidate enemies. For thousands of years flags have represented our hopes and dreams. We wave them. Burn them. March under their colors. And still, in the twenty-first century, we die for them. Flags fly at the UN, on Arab streets, from front porches in Texas. They represent the politics of high power as well as the politics of the mob. From the renewed sense of nationalism in China, to troubled identities in Europe and the USA, to the terrifying rise of Islamic State, the world is a confusing place right now and it’s important to understand the symbols, old and new, that people are rallying around. In nine chapters (covering the USA, UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, international flags, and flags of terror), Tim Marshall’s A Flag Worth Dying For is a “brisk, entertaining read…that successfully answers a puzzling question: how can a simple piece of cloth come to mean so much? Marshall presents an informative survey of these highly visible symbols of national or international pride” ( Publishers Weekly ), representing nation states and non-state actors (including ISIS, Hezbollah, and Hamas), and explains how they figure in diplomatic relations and events today. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of global reporting experience to reveal the true meaning behind the symbols that unite us—and divide us—Marshall “writes with the cool drollery that characterized the work of Christopher Hitchens or Simon Winchester” ( USA TODAY ). The “illuminating” ( The New York Times ) A Flag Worth Dying For is a winning combination of current affairs, politics, and world history and “a treasure vault for vexillologists, full of meaning beyond the hue and thread of the world’s banners” ( Kirkus Reviews ). Review: Vexillology - What a better round the world guided tour than reading Tim Marshall's "A Flag Worth Dying For". Colorful and rich in detail, Marshall gives us brief (and occasionally not so brief) histories of how flags came into being for many nations. Vexillology, or the study of flags, begins with our own Stars and Stripes. While, as an American, this chapter I know best, there were still facts presented that added to my knowledge. A particular treat in the first couple of chapters is the author's sense of humor in his narration. As he moves through Europe through the Middle East and to Asia, Marshall's humor lessens as the culture of war becomes more dramatic in assessing the development of flags in these areas. Geographically, we go south of the equator to visit Africa and South America. What strikes me most are the similarities of flags in certain regions...i.e. Scandanavia and Central America. Finally, Marshall ends up with a chapter called, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" which features the Jolly Roger, the Olympics and the Rainbow Flag. Nicely ordered in accompaniment to the story are all the flags that the author discusses. It's a nice reference point to an unusual but important book. I highly recommend it. Review: Good, brief overview of many different flags. - I purchased this book to continue on with Tim Marshall's series. I read Prisoners of Geography and absolutely loved it because it gave some relevant information about a few selected countries. He went a little deeper while covering a smaller % of countries. In this book, he took the opposite approach by spending a little time on a lot of flags including flags that do not represent countries. It was an interesting quick read and I'll look forward to continuing the series soon!
| Best Sellers Rank | #853,563 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #149 in Nationalism (Books) #293 in International Diplomacy (Books) #2,689 in History & Theory of Politics |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,600 Reviews |
J**T
Vexillology
What a better round the world guided tour than reading Tim Marshall's "A Flag Worth Dying For". Colorful and rich in detail, Marshall gives us brief (and occasionally not so brief) histories of how flags came into being for many nations. Vexillology, or the study of flags, begins with our own Stars and Stripes. While, as an American, this chapter I know best, there were still facts presented that added to my knowledge. A particular treat in the first couple of chapters is the author's sense of humor in his narration. As he moves through Europe through the Middle East and to Asia, Marshall's humor lessens as the culture of war becomes more dramatic in assessing the development of flags in these areas. Geographically, we go south of the equator to visit Africa and South America. What strikes me most are the similarities of flags in certain regions...i.e. Scandanavia and Central America. Finally, Marshall ends up with a chapter called, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" which features the Jolly Roger, the Olympics and the Rainbow Flag. Nicely ordered in accompaniment to the story are all the flags that the author discusses. It's a nice reference point to an unusual but important book. I highly recommend it.
B**N
Good, brief overview of many different flags.
I purchased this book to continue on with Tim Marshall's series. I read Prisoners of Geography and absolutely loved it because it gave some relevant information about a few selected countries. He went a little deeper while covering a smaller % of countries. In this book, he took the opposite approach by spending a little time on a lot of flags including flags that do not represent countries. It was an interesting quick read and I'll look forward to continuing the series soon!
Z**.
Great guide to so many flags
Marshall goes into detail about the stories of how many flags came to be. At first it seemed like he would only talk about a few but he then went on to a fairly comprehensive tour of all sorts of flags. It is a fun read
A**R
Flag images are missing...
Very interesting to read. However there are only a handful of black/white images of the flags. If an exotic flag is described over 5 pages, at least include an image so I don't have to google it...
A**R
Great book, make sure you read "Prisoners of Geography" as well
Another fantastic book from Tim Marshall. I highly recommend reading "Prisoners of Geography" as well. Tim's pragmatic and unbiased approach to cataloging geopolitical phenomena makes learning about these topics fun, engaging, and easy.
D**Y
Good read
It’s an easy read. It combines well geopolitics, history, flags and the power that symbols play in our world. Offers a fresh perspective and different take about flags that many often overlook.
C**7
it is nice to have a new book to add to the ...
A decent entry into a very sparse collection of books about flags. However, the effort seemed rushed and often times faulty or too little information was given. As an introduction to the study of flags it leaves too much unexplained or undefined for too long. As a serious book for those more 'in the know' about flags and vexillology (the study of flags) it doesn't have quite enough new to add. When you add to that the generally casual tone and voice of the author, its hard to know who this book is for. Overall, however, it is nice to have a new book to add to the library of any serious fan of flags, but if you are well versed in world flag lore and categorization, this may not have anything to say to you.
A**R
Purchase Options - Worth Dying For: The power and Politics of Flags
Very good. It arrived earlier than advised. My only issue is that on your on-line booking, it does not clearly, or prominently, distinguish between a hard cover or paper cover copies of this book. As a result I purchased by accident the more expensive hard cover copy. Perhaps you you could make such options more prominent. Thanks, Ralph Bartlett
I**A
A captivating read
A very engaging way to go round the world learning history, geography, culture, and politics. Love Tim Marshall's easy and jovial style!
I**.
Such a great read
Informative & pleasant to read. Very well documented. What else?
J**S
Solid narrative history of selected groups of flags
Yes this had much of what I was looking for: how many European flags came to be based on crosses and how those of the Middle East came to incorporate Islamic symbols. There is a tedium in some of the detailed descriptions but Marshall finds many interesting stories to share - including discursions on terrorist groups and pirate flags.
E**A
Interesante
Libro ameno donde a parte de exolicar el origen de algunas banderas, puedes entender (por encima) mejor la situación e historia de dichos países
K**R
Informative book on national flags
Excellent book for those interested in the origin of several national flags from around the world. Very informative and well-written.
Trustpilot
2 weeks ago
2 months ago