Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of Flags - from the author of the global bestseller Prisoners of Geography

by TimMarshall (Author), Tim Marshall (Author)

New
hardcover

$17.24

When you see your nation's flag fluttering in the breeze, what do you feel?; For thousands of years flags have represented our hopes and dreams. We wave them. Burn them. March under their colours. And still, in the 21st century, we die for them. Flags fly at the UN, on the Arab street, 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 we need to understand the symbols, old and new, that people are rallying round.; In nine chapters (covering the USA, UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, international flags and flags of terror), Tim Marshall draws on more than twenty-five years of global reporting experience to reveal the histories, the power and the politics of the symbols that unite us - and divide us.

Synopsis

When you see your nation's flag fluttering in the breeze, what do you feel?; For thousands of years flags have represented our hopes and dreams. We wave them. Burn them. March under their colours. And still, in the 21st century, we die for them. Flags fly at the UN, on the Arab street, 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 we need to understand the symbols, old and new, that people are rallying round.; In nine chapters (covering the USA, UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, international flags and flags of terror), Tim Marshall draws on more than twenty-five years of global reporting experience to reveal the histories, the power and the politics of the symbols that unite us - and divide us.

$17.24

Quantity

2 in stock

More Information

Format: hardcover
Publisher: Elliott & Thompson
Published:
ISBN 10: 178396281X
ISBN 13: 9781783962815
Book Overview: * New from the internationally bestselling author of Prisoners of Geography.; * Punchy and engaging insights into global politics - this is an intelligent, accessible approach to a complex topic, through the visually arresting medium of flags.; * Tim is an established and respected media commentator on foreign affairs, and has a large and loyal following.; * He will be on television and radio to promote the book.; * The subject has never been more potent as the symbols of terrorism and counter-terrorism proliferate online.

Media Reviews

Full of sharp analysis and a very entertaining read --Andrew Neil; A fascinating tour of the world's ensigns, their histories and meanings ... a sobering lesson in just how silly we human beings can be --Daily Mail; Timely ... explores how the threads of history and legend are woven into the fabric of a country's banner - Times Literary Supplement; This might be the comprehensive flag volume we've all been waiting for - a slick yet detailed and well-researched journey through some of the world's most infamous and interesting flags ... Marshall guides us through this myriad of stories admirably - Geographical magazine; Insightful and entertaining ... a truly fascinating book that feels all the more considered and urgent in today's world of Brexit, Trump, China and ISIS --Dan Lewis, Wanderlust magazine; Marshall points out that we often forget the aggressive symbolism of established flags ... [they] are a quick, visual way of communicating loyalties, power and ideas --Robbie Millen, The Times; An engagingly written, veritable page-turner. Whether the topic is ethnic identity, Japanese imperialism, Panamanian shipping law or the defeat of Nazism, flags speak volumes about our human condition -- Lawrence Joffe, Jewish Chronicle; In today's globalised and media savvy environment, the role of state and non-state symbols has become more important and in many cases more dangerous and evocative. This witty book brings to our attention this power, alongside the reality that we must not underestimate or misunderstand how the flags of our world came to be. A must read for anyone wishing to grasp the meanings behind today's international affairs. --Human Security Centre

Author Bio

Tim Marshall is a leading authority on foreign affairs with more than twenty-five years of reporting experience. He was diplomatic editor at Sky News, and before that was working for the BBC and LBC/IRN radio. He has reported from forty countries and covered conflicts in Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Israel. He is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps that Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics; Dirty Northern B*st*rds! and Other Tales from the Terraces: The Story of Britain's Football Chants; and Shadowplay: The Overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic (a bestseller in former Yugoslavia). He has written for The Times, Sunday Times, Guardian, Independent and Daily Telegraph, and his blog Foreign Matters was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize 2010. He is founder and editor of the current affairs site TheWhatandtheWhy.com.