What do you think?
Rate this book
State names, seals, flags, and symbols: A historical guide
This must-have third revised and newly expanded edition of the only single reference source for information about state symbols features over 300 information updates plus three new chapters, updated license plate illustrations, and a newly formatted design for ease of use. Libraries that hold earlier editions of this work need this edition to keep their information on the states and territories current. With the addition of new chapters on state and territory universities, state and territory governors throughout U.S. history, state professional sports teams, and a complete revision of the chapter on state and territory fairs and festivals, the work now totals 17 chapters of essential information that is a treasure trove for students. This completed redesigned reference work features chapters on state and territory names and nicknames, mottoes, seals, flags, capitals, flowers, trees, birds, songs, legal holidays and observances, license plates, postage stamps, miscellaneous designations, fairs and festivals, universities, governors, professional sports teams, and a bibliography of state and territory histories. The work features full-color illustrations of every state and territory seal, flag, flower, tree, bird, commemorative postage stamp, and license plate (updated for this edition).
239 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 19, 2020
I honestly like reference books, I really do; my Goodreads shelves are peppered with reference books I rather enjoyed, such as American Murder, The Courthouses of Texas, and The World Encyclopedia of Flags (more about the latter book below). But so help me, this third edition of State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide was one of the driest reference books I've ever attempted to read, and as such it's nearly impenetrable as a reference book and almost completely useless for anything resembling enjoyment.
Authors Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer seem to be something of experts on the subject covered by State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols; Benjamin Shearer's three-volume collection The Uniting States seems to be considered a core work on related subject matter. But State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols doesn't even begin to present its information in an engaging format. It's not even set up like a traditional textbook (something that the back cover suggests is a tool for students who use this book); it's more of a traditional encyclopedia, and not even a pictorial one such as The World Encyclopedia of Flags or a narrative one such as American Murder or the many successful works by Jay Robert Nash. State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols has as a benefit over, say, The World Encyclopedia of Flags that it offers a bit more depth and nuance as to the symbolism of state and territorial flags, but that's the extent of it; the Shearers' book squanders any such benefit by not presenting any necessary pictorial information in a format that's easy to consult, and even then the pictures frequently don't exhibit the detail necessary to meaningfully compare with the Shearers' narrative, such as it is.
In fact, State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols fails on a multiplicity of levels. Only marginally useful for its trivia content—hence the marginal three-star rating I gave it—the book almost immediately devolves into a series of sterile quotations from the state and territorial legal codes it cites, right down to the dimensions and materials of the flags and seals (for example), and I couldn't get much further than that, so disappointing was this presentation; on some level, I can't quite fathom how any student, particularly in grades 1-12, could possibly find this work useful as a practical matter. There is a benefit in the middle of the book of conveniently listing the various random symbols and emblems of the fifty states and five or so territories (it's no secret that for years I've wanted to write a book entertainingly delving into the various emblems and symbols of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, such that in that regard the Shearers' book might come in handy—but only might), as well as a benefit of occasionally providing some legislative history of the symbology of the United States, state legislative history generally not being so easy to find even for law librarians, but that's about where the benefits of State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols end; the former is too deep in the book, and almost entirely lacks context, such that it probably makes no difference to any theoretical casual reader, and the latter is presented so drily—and sparsely enough at that—that it's only minimally useful, if at all.
I can see how State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols could be useful, at least in a reference library, and frankly, the expense of the book is such that that may be the only justifiable place for it; for virtually any other purpose, the Shearers' work is at best redundant and at worst basically useless.
Authors Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer seem to be something of experts on the subject covered by State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols; Benjamin Shearer's three-volume collection The Uniting States seems to be considered a core work on related subject matter. But State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols doesn't even begin to present its information in an engaging format. It's not even set up like a traditional textbook (something that the back cover suggests is a tool for students who use this book); it's more of a traditional encyclopedia, and not even a pictorial one such as The World Encyclopedia of Flags or a narrative one such as American Murder or the many successful works by Jay Robert Nash. State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols has as a benefit over, say, The World Encyclopedia of Flags that it offers a bit more depth and nuance as to the symbolism of state and territorial flags, but that's the extent of it; the Shearers' book squanders any such benefit by not presenting any necessary pictorial information in a format that's easy to consult, and even then the pictures frequently don't exhibit the detail necessary to meaningfully compare with the Shearers' narrative, such as it is.
In fact, State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols fails on a multiplicity of levels. Only marginally useful for its trivia content—hence the marginal three-star rating I gave it—the book almost immediately devolves into a series of sterile quotations from the state and territorial legal codes it cites, right down to the dimensions and materials of the flags and seals (for example), and I couldn't get much further than that, so disappointing was this presentation; on some level, I can't quite fathom how any student, particularly in grades 1-12, could possibly find this work useful as a practical matter. There is a benefit in the middle of the book of conveniently listing the various random symbols and emblems of the fifty states and five or so territories (it's no secret that for years I've wanted to write a book entertainingly delving into the various emblems and symbols of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, such that in that regard the Shearers' book might come in handy—but only might), as well as a benefit of occasionally providing some legislative history of the symbology of the United States, state legislative history generally not being so easy to find even for law librarians, but that's about where the benefits of State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols end; the former is too deep in the book, and almost entirely lacks context, such that it probably makes no difference to any theoretical casual reader, and the latter is presented so drily—and sparsely enough at that—that it's only minimally useful, if at all.
I can see how State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols could be useful, at least in a reference library, and frankly, the expense of the book is such that that may be the only justifiable place for it; for virtually any other purpose, the Shearers' work is at best redundant and at worst basically useless.
Want to read
June 23, 2012Review by: Susan Overton
Dictionary Reference
State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide
Shearer, B. F., & Shearer, B. S. (1994). State names, seals, flags, and symbols: A historical guide. (3 ed.). Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Call Number JR 929.92 Sh31s
Price: $99.49
Relevance and Relationship: This book is a guide through each state of the United States of America concerning flag, state observances, license plates, etc.
Purpose: This reference book provides students with a vast amount of information for each state.
Format: This book is in print.
Arrangement and Presentation: The book is arranged by topic. Then within each chapter gives on the particular topic about each state.
Diversity: This book will assist the students in learning the culture and tradition of other states.
Dictionary Reference
State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide
Shearer, B. F., & Shearer, B. S. (1994). State names, seals, flags, and symbols: A historical guide. (3 ed.). Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Call Number JR 929.92 Sh31s
Price: $99.49
Relevance and Relationship: This book is a guide through each state of the United States of America concerning flag, state observances, license plates, etc.
Purpose: This reference book provides students with a vast amount of information for each state.
Format: This book is in print.
Arrangement and Presentation: The book is arranged by topic. Then within each chapter gives on the particular topic about each state.
Diversity: This book will assist the students in learning the culture and tradition of other states.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews