Worth Dying For

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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 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 usFull of sharp analysis and a very entertaining readAndrew NeilA fascinating tour of the world s ensigns, their histories and meanings a sobering lesson in just how silly we human beings can be Daily MailInsightful and entertaining a truly fascinating book that feels all the considered and urgent in today s world of Brexit, Trump, China and ISISDan Lewis, Wanderlust magazineMarshall points out that we often forget the aggressive symbolism of established flags they are a quick, visual way of communicating loyalties, power and ideasRobbie Millen, The TimesAn 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 conditionLawrence Joffe, Jewish ChronicleIn today s globalised and media savvy environment, the role of state and non state symbols has become important and in many cases 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 affairsHuman Security Centre Read Worth Dying For – kino-fada.fr My first impressions of this book were highly positive Instantly, I imagined giving this book a rating of five stars What drew me in the beginning was the chapter names I really liked the way that the book was structured The first few chapters were stimulating, concise, and highly educational I certainly learned a great deal Then, I reached the chapter on Arabian flags, and I spotted a few sloppy er...A Flag Worth Dying For The Power and Politics of National Symbols by Tim Marshall is a look at the flags of the world and their origins Marshall is a British journalist, author, and broadcaster, known for his analysis of developments in foreign news and international diplomacy Marshall formerly diplomatic editor and also foreign affairs editor for Sky News is a guest commentator on world events for the BBC, Sky News, and a guest presenter on LBC He has written four books, including Prisone A Flag Worth Dying For The Power and Politics of National Symbols by Tim Marshall is a look at the flags of the world and their origins Marshall is a British journalist, author, and broadcaster, known for his analysis of developments in foreign news and international diplomacy Marshall formerly diplomatic editor and also foreign affairs editor for Sky News is a guest commentator on world events for the BBC, Sky News, and a guest presenter on LBC He has written four books, including Prisoners of Geography which I reviewed September 2015.Ame...This is exactly the sort of nonfiction I love Smart, educational without being pedantic, exceptionally well written, humorous and informative Marshall is no stranger to politics and this book definitely showcases his erudite knowledge, this is geopolitics mixed in with historical data and even anthropology and sociology Flags are crucially important not only as the emblems of nations, but also political and or social parties, organizations, etc They are wildly recognizable and imbued with a This is exactly the sort of nonfiction I love Smart, educational without being pedantic, exceptionally well written, humorous and informative Marshall is no stranger to politics and this book definitely showcases his erudite knowledge, this is geopolitics mixed in with historical data and even anthropology and sociology Flags are crucially important not only as the emblems of nations, but also political and or social parties, organizations, etc They are wildly recognizable and imbued with a power far beyond their representational qualities alone They also have fascinat...This is what it says on the cover a book about flags And a very good one at that For someone with an insatiable curiosity like me, books such as this one are pure gems they give me very useful information packaged in a highly appealing way Marshall is a very good writer, and he can be incredibly funny laugh out loud type of funny even in a book about the history of flags Do pick it up if you have the time, and definitely do pick it up if you re just...Worth Dying For is an interesting book which presents the history and ideologies behind a variety of flags.The chapter on the Union Jack was particular interesting, it is a flag that I am so accustomed to seeing but have never really given much consideration towards its complicated history and so found this to be an enlightening and informative.The political overtones of the flags within Europe and the Balkans make for fascinating reading, giving pause for thought at some of the discoveries ma Worth Dying For is an interesting book which presents the history and ideologies behind a variety of flags.The chapter on the Union Jack was particular interesting, it is a flag that I am so accustomed to seeing but have never really given much consideration towards its complicated history and so found this to be an enlightening and informative.The political overtones of the flags within Europe and the Balkans make for fascinating reading, giving pause for thought at some of the discoveries made Flags of Revolut...Entertaining book, a little bit too much centered around the US and Europe but informative nonetheless If you want a brief historical background about mot countries and why they chose the flags they did this is the book for you Very brief mention abo...The book discusses an interesting topic and you learn a fair bit about the history and meaning of flags of countries, organisations, and institutions I picked up this book having heard raving reviews about Prisoners of Geography, which I am yet to read However, what irked me were areas where Tim discusses, often unrequired for the context of the book, the political and cultural positioning of countries These areas appear to be basedon Tim s opinions rather than facts, contain inconsiste The book discusses an interesting topic and you learn a fair bit about the history and meaning of flags of countries, organisations, and institutions I picked up this book having heard raving reviews about Prisoners of Geography, which I am yet to read However, what irked me were areas where Tim discusses, often unrequired for the context of the book, the political and cultural positioning of countries These areas appear to be basedon Tim s opinions rather than facts, contain inconsistencies and stereotypes, and make the book fall short of a good read.For example, Tim focuses on militant Islamic organisations in the chapter Flags of Fear The Nazi swastika or the KKK flag would ve equally suited this chapter, but Tim only discusses them in the passing in other sections In another instance, Tim confuses religious conservatism and fundamentalism by pointing out that a Muslim man having a beard but shaving the top...This book reads as though it was written in the middle of the night by a smug and overconfident high school student on a deadline, simultaneously cherry picking factoids from Wikipedia and the CIA World Factbook while augmenting the f...Average read, prisoners of geography was a hugely captivating read, yet Tim Marshal s latest left me feeling flat There we sole genuinely interesting parts to the book but there was also a great deal of unnecessary wish wash.Tim Marshall s bias is evident throughout this whole book that barely talks about flags, spending most of its time presenting the author s old man fallacious rants The book is full of inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and opinions presented as facts I do not recommend this book to anyone, ever.

Worth Dying For
  • English
  • 21 February 2017
  • Hardcover
  • 266 pages
  • 178396281X
  • Tim Marshall
  • Worth Dying For