Nautical flags are more than decoration: each one has a specific meaning and a particular way it must be displayed. With Chapman's quick illustrated reference to the different kinds of flags and what they represent, no one need look like a know-nothing landlubber--or worse yet, cause a serious accident by using a signal flag improperly. This volume was produced in the same handy format as the Chapman Quick Reference Captain's Guide and Chapman Quick Reference First Aid Guide, spiral-bound at the top and with laminated pages. It contains information on which flags to fly, where and when to fly them, and what constitutes good flag etiquette. One by one, every type of flag is covered, from national and organizational flags to yacht ensigns, pennants, and distress flags.

Members of the naval service will find that at all points in their careers they can expect to be involved to some extent in the planning and execution c~fofficial ceremonies and social events. Protocol is a code of established guidelines on proper etiquette and precedence which, when followed, lays the foundation for a successfid event. From this foundation, the host should consider the facets which make a particular situation unique, and fi-om there, use imagination to design a memorable occasion. The most important consideration in planning should always be the comfort of one's guests. A clever hostlhostess is able to reach a proper mixture of protocol and common sense that will enable guests to enjoy themselves completely. If this is accomplished, an event is truly successful.

Flag: An American Biography is a vivid narrative that uncovers little-known facts and sheds new light on the more than 200-year history of the American flag. The thirteen-stripe, fifty-star flag is as familiar an American icon as any that has existed in the nation's history. Yet the history of the flag, especially its origins, is cloaked in myth and misinformation. Flag: An American Biography rectifies that situation by presenting a lively, comprehensive, illuminating look at the history of the American flag from its beginnings to today. Journalist and historian Marc Leepson uncovers scores of little-known, fascinating facts as he traces the evolution of the American flag from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. Flag sifts through the historical evidence to--among many other things--uncover the truth behind the Betsy Ross myth and to discover the true designer of the Stars and Stripes. It details the many colorful and influential Americans who shaped the history of the flag. "Flag," as the novelist Nelson DeMille says in his preface, "is not a book with an agenda or a subjective point of view. It is an objective history of the American flag, well researched, well presented, easy to read and understand, and very informative and entertaining." "Our love for the flag may be incomprehensible to others, but at least we now have a comprehensive guide to its unfolding."--The Wall Street Journal

Each title in the Eyewitness series is an informative, visual account of the wonders of the world around us. Illustrated with colour photographs of objects from the natural world, from specialist museums and from rare private collections, the series offers a fresh approach to the mysteries of nature, history, science, arts, crafts and pastimes.