The World Encyclopedia of Flags: The Definitive Guide to International Flags, Banners, Standards and Ensigns

Rating:
Summary: Lots of potential, little new material
Review: I had great expectations for this book, but opening it the first time I was let down by the overwhelming historical and heraldic content. I had to go 3/4's of the way back in the book to find the modern flags of the world. When I did find that portion of the book, not only wasn't it alphabetized, the descriptions and narratives about the flags were skimpy. I was expecting an alphabetized listing, showing ALL states, nations, territories, islands, dependencies, etc. with the coat-of-arms, date the flag was adopted, explanation of the colors/symbols on the flag,flag proportions, a current synopsis of the country's population, capital city, language, religion, land area included in the description, but only the name of the country, date of adoption and proportions were provided. It is a beautiful book, with great color illustrations, although there were several obvious errors, such as the flag of Taiwan, and Palestine (which pictured the flag of Spain) among others. My main gripe is that the book deals far too much with history and heraldry, and not enough on current flags.

Rating:
Summary: A Flag Encyclopedia With Depth Dimension & Grace
Review: It isn't just that he gives all the flags of the world's contemporary countries as UN members, but he lists and depicts the 8 or 9 secessionists who are dba as independent countries, recognition or not, UN membership or not. If you know flag books, this is uncommon. We're also used to US state flags and just to show we're more international now we'll tolerate Canadian Provincial flags and the territories which make up the UK. But the states of not only Germany and Switz., not only all the new colorful and imaginative flags of Republics of the Russian Federation, but get this! Appearing for the first time north of the equator, the flags of the states of Brazil! Plus ALL of the UK's colonial flags (including BR. Antarctic Terr. with the Union Jack, a singular white field, and a penguin scrolly badge the Brits are so very fond of!). We're also treated to a plethora of very accurate renditions of historical flags of the world, including some of the Republics spawned by the French Revolution, an 1861 State of Louisiana which is incorrectly labeled (about 5 such entries are the only marring of an otherwise highly accurate and very informative book) but which when I saw it for the first time, I said, "no way--couldn't be" but it too is accurate. Plus 2 Confederate flags I had never before seen depicted. A landmark of publications on the subject, it will be the standard to adhere to or the volume to best for at least the next 20 years.

Rating:
Summary: Welcome to a Much Needed Reference Book
Review: There has not been a comprehensive reference book about flags since Dr. Whitney Smith's "Flags Through the Ages and Across the World" was published in 1975. There have been a number of "observer" type books but now we have a scholarly work that goes beyond colorful images. Not that the images are neglected as this work supplies them in great quantity as well as quality, but there is also a well written text to accompany them. As another reviewer noted there are a number of pictorial errors (another is the Royal Banner of Scotland being substituted for that of the Dutch province of South Holland). However, these should not deter any potential purchaser to pass this book by as they would be missing a real treat. As someone who has been buying flag books and charts for more than thirty-five years (and who now goes to various on-line flag sites) I can readily say that this is the book that flag-lovers have been waiting for. If you are interested in learning about flags beyond the usual national flags that you can get in the "World Almanac" or any decent encyclopedia, this book will suppy you with a cornucopia of historical, regional and special purpose flags that should be a source of endless fascination.