A Humorous Guide to Heraldry!
Did you know a cockatrice is a mythical creature with a rooster’s head and a dragon’s body? Or that the 14th century ushered in the heater shield? Do you even know what a heater shield is? Right, neither did I. Jack Carlson’s A Humorous Guide to Heraldry! explains everything you need to know and everything you didn’t know you wanted to know about heraldry. This guide “for little tykes and old folks alike” is not only a fun read, but notably thorough. Partitions, tinctures, wreaths, helmets, blazon, and much more are whimsically illustrated by hand. I don’t know what’s more impressive, that Carlson managed to turn a potentially vapid subject matter into an entertaining read or that he illustrated and wrote this book at the ripe age of 14. Either way, that heraldic tie in your closet just became a little more interesting.
left a comment on 10/29/2011 at 9:20 PM:
Shouldn’t it actually be “Everything one needs to know about Heraldry, presented in a humorous fashion”? Prince Charles does speak in the third person, after all!
left a comment on 10/16/2011 at 5:37 PM:
I’ll definitely have to check out a copy of this—Jack was the year above me at BB&N
left a comment on 10/10/2011 at 10:33 PM:
Interesting post. Heraldry is actually a rich subject as most heraldry comes from a time when not many people could read - so these seals/crests/banners/flags convey a lot of information if one knows how to read or interpret them properly. Though fashion designers ripping off (or drawing inspiration from, depending on your POV) historical motifs is a post for another day.
garydirteen left a comment on 5/9/2012 at 5:23 PM:
hello dennis this is there contact address , they have 30% disc at the moment , tell them gary dirteen told you to ring