The Complete Book of Heraldry: An International History of Heraldry and Its Contemporary Uses

Rating:
Summary: Wide ranging survey
Review: This is a very wide-ranging survey of the heraldry of the world, with some very delightful illustrations.

This book covers both historical and contemporary issues, from the need for coat armour in mediaeval warfare to modern air-force insignia.

It doesn't spend a lot of space on blazon: just enough to get you started. But it does include right up-to-the-minute information about many countries and subfields, from Scandanavia to Japan, and from medical heraldry to armour.

My only criticism: it is very light on coverage of Scotland, which is arguably the country with the best developed and most enforced heraldic code in the world.