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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This was fine. It felt all over the place. Sometimes the sections talked about specific history related to the flag, and other times it was felt like random historical facts. I think Marshall’s other works are better.
Crazy informative and mad mind-blowing. Loved this book; took me a while to get through it but that's not representative of the book itself! As with any Marshall, the writing itself is easy to follow but incredibly informational and intellectual. The subject matter is exactly what you'd expect from the title of the book, but I was pleasantly surprised by how deep and niche the history of many of these flags is, as well as the uniqueness of many of the origin stories. Also in terms of the topic, I think Marshall picked perfectly the chapter groupings for this book, as each chapter flows brilliantly and as a whole the book represents nation flags, continental flags and other flags such as a racing flag or Pride flag, which I think was a super interesting perspective that I didn't expect. Overall I would easily recommend this book, and I think given the readability and the straight-forwardness of the way Marshall writes, I would argue you don't even need to be a geography nerd to grasp and enjoy this book!
I read Marshall's Prisoners of Geography when it was released and loved it. I'm generally interested in the topic of flags so was happy to pick this up too. It's strongly written, interesting and full of tidbits that I never would have realised without the book- but there are also some problems here.
The entire 'Flags of Fear' section is dominated by flags of militant Islamist groups. The Nazi swastika is discussed in the chapter about Germany's flag history, but surely belongs here, given the symbol remains common among neo-Nazi groups. Equally, Marshall could have discussed the fascinating history of Northern Ireland and the flags utilised by its militant groups- all of which still have strong meanings and which are being widely discussed again with Brexit on the horizon. He could have discussed the Red Army Faction (Baader Meinhof), which gets a brief mention but isn't considered in depth- or even FARC, which was significant in world news in 2016. The decision to focus so heavily on fundamentalist Islam flags gives the book a firmly Western centrist outlook- it neglects to comprehend wider realities of so-called 'revolutionary' and terrorist groups.
Of course, the very nature of flags is that they draw an emotional response. I don't think any author could escape criticism on this front- 'flags' is not a topic where all corners can be appeased.
My other major issue with the book (which I read in ebook format) was that reading the descriptions of the flags was very unfriendly without an image to easily refer to. This made the reading experience quite stilted on a kindle.
That's not to say I didn't like this- the author's knowledge of Western flags is clearly great and I learned more about Middle Eastern and African flags than I had known before- I also learned a lot more about Islamist flags and how these bastardise genuine Islamic messages.
The end focus on flags that are famous while not standing for a nation state, like the Pride flag, was a nice way to end the book. I learned a lot- but in the end, perhaps this topic was too large for a pop-geography book.
The entire 'Flags of Fear' section is dominated by flags of militant Islamist groups. The Nazi swastika is discussed in the chapter about Germany's flag history, but surely belongs here, given the symbol remains common among neo-Nazi groups. Equally, Marshall could have discussed the fascinating history of Northern Ireland and the flags utilised by its militant groups- all of which still have strong meanings and which are being widely discussed again with Brexit on the horizon. He could have discussed the Red Army Faction (Baader Meinhof), which gets a brief mention but isn't considered in depth- or even FARC, which was significant in world news in 2016. The decision to focus so heavily on fundamentalist Islam flags gives the book a firmly Western centrist outlook- it neglects to comprehend wider realities of so-called 'revolutionary' and terrorist groups.
Of course, the very nature of flags is that they draw an emotional response. I don't think any author could escape criticism on this front- 'flags' is not a topic where all corners can be appeased.
My other major issue with the book (which I read in ebook format) was that reading the descriptions of the flags was very unfriendly without an image to easily refer to. This made the reading experience quite stilted on a kindle.
That's not to say I didn't like this- the author's knowledge of Western flags is clearly great and I learned more about Middle Eastern and African flags than I had known before- I also learned a lot more about Islamist flags and how these bastardise genuine Islamic messages.
The end focus on flags that are famous while not standing for a nation state, like the Pride flag, was a nice way to end the book. I learned a lot- but in the end, perhaps this topic was too large for a pop-geography book.
informative
I really enjoyed reading this book.
It is well written, educational and at the same time humorous. Tim Marshall is very good at what he is doing and in this book he manages to combine politics with history ina very effective way.
This is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the intricate dance of global politics, history, and identity. It offers a captivating journey through the world's most powerful symbols and the complex stories they tell.
Highly recommend it!
It is well written, educational and at the same time humorous. Tim Marshall is very good at what he is doing and in this book he manages to combine politics with history ina very effective way.
This is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the intricate dance of global politics, history, and identity. It offers a captivating journey through the world's most powerful symbols and the complex stories they tell.
Highly recommend it!
Best for: People interested in world politics.
In a nutshell: Tim Marshall examines many (though not all) of the flags of nations, as well as flags of political movements and other organizations as a way to examine what these symbols mean to people.
Worth quoting:
“The people of the nations of Europe have stubbornly resisted becoming one, not because they don’t like each other but because they like themselves.”
Why I chose it: I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Marshall’s examination of how geography influences world politics (https://cannonballread.com/2018/02/geopolitics-101/), so I was excited to see he has other books on somewhat similar topics. Considering what’s going on in the US with the national anthem, NFL, and protests against racial injustice, this seemed especially appropriate.
Review:
Can you make flags interesting? If you’re Tim Marshall, you can, and you do. I inhaled this book, finishing it over the course of two days while on vacation (in Portugal, whose flag includes a coat of arms that dates back to the 1100s). It’s not just an explanation of the symbolism of flags (though it is that); it’s a look at how the flags are viewed by those who fall under them, and by those who are outside them.
The book starts out with chapters on the US flag and the UK flag; I learned some new things about my own nation’s flag, and about the flag of my current home nation. It was interesting to be reminded of how the US flag is often burned abroad, and how the flags of both the US and UK have been co-opted at times by far-right nationalist groups that might make other residents of those nations uncomfortable with displaying them.
From these two deep dives into imperial nations, the book shifts to focusing on themes along different types of flags. Mr. Marshall looks at many flags of the EU member nations (and the EU flag itself), the flags in the Middle East, flags that are meant to invoke fear, flags in Asia, flags in Africa, flags in South America, and a smattering of others (including the Jolly Rodger and the Red Cross).
The book is full of some fun facts that you might find useful at a pub quiz or when playing trivial pursuit (1/6 of the world’s flags have Christian symbolism on them!), but it’s also full of interesting observations about what it means to have a flag, and what a flag can mean for a people, or a movement. June is Pride month in the US, and there is discussion of the rainbow flag in this book. While you might not be clear on what each of the six stripes represents (don’t worry, Mr. Marshall will inform you), you know what it means when you see it. That’s powerful.
In a nutshell: Tim Marshall examines many (though not all) of the flags of nations, as well as flags of political movements and other organizations as a way to examine what these symbols mean to people.
Worth quoting:
“The people of the nations of Europe have stubbornly resisted becoming one, not because they don’t like each other but because they like themselves.”
Why I chose it: I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Marshall’s examination of how geography influences world politics (https://cannonballread.com/2018/02/geopolitics-101/), so I was excited to see he has other books on somewhat similar topics. Considering what’s going on in the US with the national anthem, NFL, and protests against racial injustice, this seemed especially appropriate.
Review:
Can you make flags interesting? If you’re Tim Marshall, you can, and you do. I inhaled this book, finishing it over the course of two days while on vacation (in Portugal, whose flag includes a coat of arms that dates back to the 1100s). It’s not just an explanation of the symbolism of flags (though it is that); it’s a look at how the flags are viewed by those who fall under them, and by those who are outside them.
The book starts out with chapters on the US flag and the UK flag; I learned some new things about my own nation’s flag, and about the flag of my current home nation. It was interesting to be reminded of how the US flag is often burned abroad, and how the flags of both the US and UK have been co-opted at times by far-right nationalist groups that might make other residents of those nations uncomfortable with displaying them.
From these two deep dives into imperial nations, the book shifts to focusing on themes along different types of flags. Mr. Marshall looks at many flags of the EU member nations (and the EU flag itself), the flags in the Middle East, flags that are meant to invoke fear, flags in Asia, flags in Africa, flags in South America, and a smattering of others (including the Jolly Rodger and the Red Cross).
The book is full of some fun facts that you might find useful at a pub quiz or when playing trivial pursuit (1/6 of the world’s flags have Christian symbolism on them!), but it’s also full of interesting observations about what it means to have a flag, and what a flag can mean for a people, or a movement. June is Pride month in the US, and there is discussion of the rainbow flag in this book. While you might not be clear on what each of the six stripes represents (don’t worry, Mr. Marshall will inform you), you know what it means when you see it. That’s powerful.
this book didn’t really live up to my expectations, as it was mostly about the history and symbolism of flags instead of the power and politics of them. however i did enjoy reading it and i’ve learned a couple things i didn’t know already. an enjoyable and easy read :)
Another interesting book from Marshall, this time looking at the symbolism and sociology of flags. He doesn't set out to discuss each and every one ever conceived, as that would be an encyclopedic, impossible task. It is still a bit annoying to briefly discuss Denmark, for example, for a paragraph or two, then hop off again. The book does provide a perspective that most history books wouldn't though, being both global in scope and narrow in focus.
I don't know what I expected, it's a book about flags. Some history parts are quite interesting but I did find the book pretty boring overall.
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
I bought this book because I've seen so many of his books around and have always been interested in them, but have never picked one up. This one specifically caught my eye because of the drama of the title and the allusion to war, identity and nationalism themes, which interest me.
The book was organised very well, grouping certain flags and explaining the connections between them and their individual stories, often reading like a novel. I learnt lots, including about my own flag, the Union Jack. I was especially interested in the chapters 'Flags of Fear' and 'Flags of Freedom'.
Certain national flags were spoken about at length (especially those of the USA and UK) and others seemed to be oddly skipped over. It would probably be unreasonable to expect a history of every single nation state flag, given the confines of the length of the book, but I would be interested to know why some areas seemed to be largely ignored. Maybe this is just me wanting more, however.
This book did not only contain the stories of nation state flags - along with the aformentioned 'Flags of Fear' chapter which contained information on the flags of terrorist groups etc, the final chapter of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' discussed flags such as the rainbow pride flag, the white flag and the chequered flag, all of which were very interesting to read about and surprised me when I first picked up the book. The book therefore gave a wide-reaching view on the importance of flags to not just to national identity, but other aspects of identity and as a means of communication.
The tone of the book was very informative but slightly informal in places, which worked very well. I laughed at some of the humorous lines, such as"This is only marginally better than the fate which befell the Italian revolutionary Garibaldi, who went on to become a biscuit" and many others.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in flags, nationalism, humanity and identity. There is a hopeful tone throughout the book, discussing a coming together of both local and (sometimes) national communities as well as nations themselves to form multinational organisations such as the UN, Red Cross/Crescent/Crystal and NATO.
Note: not a criticism of the book, as it was published before the name was changed, but just a note that Eswatini is mentioned breifly and called Swaziland.
The book was organised very well, grouping certain flags and explaining the connections between them and their individual stories, often reading like a novel. I learnt lots, including about my own flag, the Union Jack. I was especially interested in the chapters 'Flags of Fear' and 'Flags of Freedom'.
Certain national flags were spoken about at length (especially those of the USA and UK) and others seemed to be oddly skipped over. It would probably be unreasonable to expect a history of every single nation state flag, given the confines of the length of the book, but I would be interested to know why some areas seemed to be largely ignored. Maybe this is just me wanting more, however.
This book did not only contain the stories of nation state flags - along with the aformentioned 'Flags of Fear' chapter which contained information on the flags of terrorist groups etc, the final chapter of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' discussed flags such as the rainbow pride flag, the white flag and the chequered flag, all of which were very interesting to read about and surprised me when I first picked up the book. The book therefore gave a wide-reaching view on the importance of flags to not just to national identity, but other aspects of identity and as a means of communication.
The tone of the book was very informative but slightly informal in places, which worked very well. I laughed at some of the humorous lines, such as
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in flags, nationalism, humanity and identity. There is a hopeful tone throughout the book, discussing a coming together of both local and (sometimes) national communities as well as nations themselves to form multinational organisations such as the UN, Red Cross/Crescent/Crystal and NATO.
Note: not a criticism of the book, as it was published before the name was changed, but just a note that Eswatini is mentioned breifly and called Swaziland.
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced