5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Pictorial History of U.S. Flag with Real Examples, October 21, 2008
This review is from: A Grand Old Flag: A History of the United States Through its Flags (Hardcover)
A year after Madaus & Smith's The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, another gorgeous volume has come along, telling the story of the U.S. flag through the holdings of a personal collection. This time it's that of Peter Keim, a retired family-practice doctor, and his architect son, Nathan, who over 30 years have amassed what they call "one of the richest and most comprehensive collections of antique Stars and Stripes held by one family".
The father-son duo weaves a deeply meaningful interpretation of the history of the U.S. flag, in a lavishly-illustrated volume in the full Dorling Kindersley style of colorful, active images on every page bursting from the glossy white background. Nathan brings an architect's eye to flag design and construction, a welcome and unusual perspective.
Due to the book's broad scope, it can be forgiven its propagation of a few flag myths--such as the "war stripe" or the misidentification of the designer of the Confederate Stars and Bars as Mrs. Napoleon Lockett--and for committing other minor historical errors. It is not primarily a history book although the historical background provided is extensive and useful; the history included in the book should be treated as the context for understanding the flags themselves.
The Keims advance an interesting theory, never before advanced, of why the U.S. flag uses stars and stripes--they attribute the stars to the astronomical fascination of Francis Hopkinson and others (spurred by the 1770 Rittenhouse orrery and the Lextell comet the same year), and the stripes to the lashes of a whip (symbolizing for the colonists provocation and defiance). Dr. Keim articulated on this theory in his presentation at the 42nd annual meeting of the flag-studies group NAVA in Austin, Texas in October 2008.
Depicting over 100 flags and even more related images, the book is a visual and vexillological delight, with excellent production values. Its chronological narrative follows states' admissions and number of stars in the canton. Among the gems: a rare 19-star printed parade flag, an unusual 32-star (8-8-8-8) flag celebrating Minnesota's admission, and a 33-star flag flown by Union troops at the Battle of Bull Run in 1861.
The book is particularly strong in its explanation of textile technology, history, and terminology, and of their application to flags. NAVA member and antique flag dealer Jeff Bridgman has already given away 50 copies to his clients!
The outsized book includes a separate poster, with an innovative " Timeline of the Stars and Stripes", a 64-inch fold-out showing years (1755-1975), presidents, wars & conflicts, state admissions dates & maps, and key events in national, flag, & textile history, along with a nice little "Star -Spangled Banner History" and, on the back, 16 more flag images.
More than another pretty "picture book" on the U.S. flag, A Grand Old Flag is a loving but discerning tribute to the Stars and Stripes and a beautiful and important addition to the libraries of flag enthusiasts everywhere.
Edward B. Kaye
Editor, Raven, A Journal of Vexillology
North American Vexillological Association
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If You The Love Flag, November 14, 2007
This review is from: A Grand Old Flag: A History of the United States Through its Flags (Hardcover)
It's simple, if you love our American flag, this book is a must have. I loved it from start to finish. It's a great history lesson for students learning about individual states and their flags or of our collective history but mostly it is a beautiful photographic document of the flags of our country's history. Have you ever seen a flag with 18 stars or 24 stars, a flag that represents the state of Illinois with only 21 stars. That is the uniqueness of this book. Don't miss out on this great book, especially if you have a child that loves American history.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A GRAND OLD FLAG A History of the US through its Flags, March 12, 2008
This review is from: A Grand Old Flag: A History of the United States Through its Flags (Hardcover)
As a patriot, I feel this is the greatest expression of patriotism for our flag, and deserves to be read and re read for generations. I feel this is the perfect addition to any library or to given to any young, or old, American. It was given to me on my 78th birthday and I will always treasure it Fortunately, the authors have autographed my copy, and I have met and visited with the authors, and the book is always laid out for others to our home to read. We hope a local gallery will display some of the flags this year, and in future years.
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