Overview
"An explanation of how the peace symbol-that upside-down V with a vertical column running through the middle, all surrounded by a circle-came to be."
-The Washington Post
The peace sign is probably the most commonly used symbol of protest in the world. Instantly recognizable as the universal sign for peace, in 2008 it turned 50 years old. With accounts from around the world, this book tells the story of the enduring power of the line drawing that began life as the official sign for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). Tracing the roots of Gerald Holtom's design, it details the many ways the peace sign has been put to use, including politics, fashion, pop, film and marketing.
Contents include:
- 1957-1960 Ban The Bomb - Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is formed
- 1960-1975 Stop The War - In the U.S. the Hippies adopt the symbol
- 1970-1980 Sign Of The Times - Other uses of the sign
- 1965-2005 Wear It Well - Use in fashion, music, design
- 1980-Present Anti-Nuclear Families - How it's still in use
- Happy Birthday Peace - Original birthday cards from numerous famous contributors
Synopsis
"An explanation of how the peace symbol-that upside-down V with a vertical column running through the middle, all surrounded by a circle-came to be."
-The Washington Post
The peace sign is probably the most commonly used symbol of protest in the world. Instantly recognizable as the universal sign for peace, in 2008 it turned 50 years old. With accounts from around the world, this book tells the story of the enduring power of the line drawing that began life as the official sign for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). Tracing the roots of Gerald Holtom's design, it details the many ways the peace sign has been put to use, including politics, fashion, pop, film and marketing.
Contents include:
- 1957-1960 Ban The Bomb - Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is formed
- 1960-1975 Stop The War - In the U.S. the Hippies adopt the symbol
- 1970-1980 Sign Of The Times - Other uses of the sign
- 1965-2005 Wear It Well - Use in fashion, music, design
- 1980-Present Anti-Nuclear Families - How it's still in use
- Happy Birthday Peace - Original birthday cards from numerous famous contributors
School Library Journal
Adult/High School
With more than 250 photos and illustrations and in clear, lively prose, Miles portrays the development of the peace symbol from its modest beginning to its representation of an era of widespread protest and cultural revolution. On April 8, 1958, a small group of disarmament protesters marched from London to Aldermaston, the site of Britain's top-secret nuclear weapons factory. A few days before, someone decided it would be a good idea to have a symbol to put on their placards. One of the marchers, a textile designer named Gerald Holtom, volunteered to see what he could come up with. He decided on a combination of the naval semaphoric signals for the letters "N" and "D" (for nuclear disarmament) encased in a circle. Despite the initial apathy with which it was met, the simple and unique design has endured to become one of the most universally recognized symbols in the world. The author explores its life as an icon of chic style and its adaptation by Hollywood, the music industry, the art world, certain political campaigns, and environmental groups. He provides background leading up to the birth of the antinuclear weapons movement, as well as ample evidence of the peace sign's extensive, multifaceted use worldwide. Among the many stunning images are a photo of three Australian Aboriginals with the sign painted on their faces, a photo of the peace sign amid antigovernment graffiti on a wall in Algeria in 2001, and an overhead view of some 3000 people forming a torch-lit peace sign in Budapest in 2006.-Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA
Editorials
School Library Journal
Adult/High School
With more than 250 photos and illustrations and in clear, lively prose, Miles portrays the development of the peace symbol from its modest beginning to its representation of an era of widespread protest and cultural revolution. On April 8, 1958, a small group of disarmament protesters marched from London to Aldermaston, the site of Britain's top-secret nuclear weapons factory. A few days before, someone decided it would be a good idea to have a symbol to put on their placards. One of the marchers, a textile designer named Gerald Holtom, volunteered to see what he could come up with. He decided on a combination of the naval semaphoric signals for the letters "N" and "D" (for nuclear disarmament) encased in a circle. Despite the initial apathy with which it was met, the simple and unique design has endured to become one of the most universally recognized symbols in the world. The author explores its life as an icon of chic style and its adaptation by Hollywood, the music industry, the art world, certain political campaigns, and environmental groups. He provides background leading up to the birth of the antinuclear weapons movement, as well as ample evidence of the peace sign's extensive, multifaceted use worldwide. Among the many stunning images are a photo of three Australian Aboriginals with the sign painted on their faces, a photo of the peace sign amid antigovernment graffiti on a wall in Algeria in 2001, and an overhead view of some 3000 people forming a torch-lit peace sign in Budapest in 2006.-Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA