HOW THE TRICOLOR GOT ITS STRIPES

A joyously witty collection of bizarre stories from around the world and across time telling the story of flags. The star on the flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a reminder of what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once called the greatest crime against humanity. The eagle on Mexico's flag recalls the Aztec sacrifice to their gods of the daughter of a rival tribal leader. Just before the 1936 Summer Olympics, the Liechtenstein delegates noticed that their flag was identical to the flag of Haiti. They officially added a golden crown to the flag to avoid confusion! You are invited to immerse yourself in the stories of all nations as told by the flags they fly and how design can equip you with some interesting information on the history, geography and culture of the country that flies it. Each chapter starts with a well known flag for example the red, white and green tricolour of Italy and then to a host of other tricolours in different parts of the world. Featuring over 200 marvellous colour illustrations and many of the flags that might have been, such as the red Canadian maple leaf between two bands of blue, representing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Full of witty revelations, and charmingly written. 256pp, colour.