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Flag Worth Dying for: The Power and Politics of National Symbols
Flag Worth Dying for: The Power and Politics of National Symbols | Tim Marshall
14 posts | 7 read | 1 reading | 22 to read
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 of 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).
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TheEllieMo
Worth Dying for | Tim Marshall
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OriginalCyn620 📚👍🏻📚 4y
Eggs 📚👏🏻📚 4y
27 likes2 comments
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TheEllieMo
Worth Dying for | Tim Marshall
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In this book, 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.

#ToDieFor #SoaringScores
@Cinfhen @CrowCAH

Cinfhen Looks interesting 🤓 5y
CrowCAH Correct, many have died for political purposes. 5y
Lucy_Anywhere I enjoyed this! I also liked his first book, Prisoners of Geography 5y
26 likes3 comments
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keithmalek
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keithmalek
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Mehso-so

This book had a lot of interesting facts, but I didn't get too excited about it. Maybe I'm just spoiled from reading the other two books in Marshall's Politics of Place series (shown here), which were outstanding.

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keithmalek
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keithmalek
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And to think that all this time, I thought the orange beard meant that they were Irish.

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keithmalek
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keithmalek
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keithmalek
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keithmalek
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Currently reading

22 likes1 stack add
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ShannonOffDuty
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Pickpick

I love history so this book suited me well. Pretty basic info but definitely worth reading as I feel not being able to identify national flags is an embarrassment many adults suffer from.

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Kashyap.m94
Pickpick

After reading the book 'Prisoners of Geography', I couldn't stop searching for more books by Tim Marshall and luckily this book was due to release. I got hold of the book the day it released and started reading it. There were a lot of details in the book, which we as normal citizens, tend to ignore about our flags. It was captivating and well written. It's a definitely must real book.

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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 3! They've been around for thousands of years. We wave them, burn them, march to them, die for them. From the UN to the porch. They represent the high power and the mob. They unite us and divide us. In 9 chapters, the veteran journalist reveals the histories of flags and their various symbols through each region of the globe. I'm looking forward to this one! #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

RealBooks4ever Fun With Flags! 🇪🇸 7y
Gina Ooooooh yeahhhhh 7y
[DELETED] 3803335244 Super cool! As a veteran myself this would be an interesting read! 7y
73 likes5 stack adds3 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
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LeeRHarry SO in my wheelhouse!!!!! 😀 7y
Laalaleighh Almost bought this last week 7y
66 likes7 stack adds2 comments