Star-Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America's National Anthem
by Marc Ferris
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- See description
- ISBN 10
- 1421415186
- ISBN 13
- 9781421415185
- Seller
-
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
First edition hardcover, which is in very good condition (see photos) and signed and inscribed by the author. There are a couple of bumped corners and a small crease on the bottom edge of the book from shelf wear, but binding is tight and pages are clean and crisp. Seller will carefully wrap book in bubble wrap, box it, and ship it with tracking.
The first comprehensive history of America's controversial national anthem and how it evolved from an English barroom ballad into a patriotic hit.
Nearly every American knows The Star-Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the United States of America. Yet many people dislike the song, contend that it glorifies militarism, and question its suitability as the musical embodiment of nationhood. Even professional vocalists have trouble singing the multi-octave melody and remembering the words. So why in 1931 did Congress designate it as the official national anthem, more than a century after Francis Scott Key put pen to paper?
Filled with fascinating, little-known facts drawn from a variety of primary sources, Star-Spangled Banner provides the first narrative history of this controversial song, which turns 200 years old in 2014. Marc Ferris's lively account, which traces the evolution of the song's instant popularity as well as its use and abuse by Americans of different political stripes, also explains the changing rituals surrounding the song, including the practice of standing―with hats removed and hand held over the heart―during public performances.
This entertaining book will appeal to patriots of all persuasions, along with sports fans, musicians, veterans, history buffs, and anyone who has ever struggled to hit the high notes in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Book Nook (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- D-331
- Title
- Star-Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America's National Anthem
- Author
- Marc Ferris
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 1421415186
- ISBN 13
- 9781421415185
- Publisher
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Place of Publication
- Baltimore, Md
- Date Published
- 2014-08
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Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Crisp
- A term often used to indicate a book's new-like condition. Indicates that the hinges are not loosened. A book described as crisp...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
- Shelf Wear
- Shelf wear (shelfwear) describes damage caused over time to a book by placing and removing a book from a shelf. This damage is...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...