Review of "Firecrackers: The Art and History" by Warren Dotz, Jack Mingo, George Moyer

Firecrackers were originally made from lengths of green bamboo that were tossed into fires. They exploded when the water that was trapped inside heated and expanded - sort of like popcorn. The Chinese used more advanced firecrackers in their rituals over the years. From the start of the 20th century, the art of the firecracker labels has fascinated collectors in the United States. The labels became highly colorful with designs showing everything from gods and wars to monkeys, and space flight. The gaudier the better to catch the eyes of the youth of America who were a great market for this fad. This book gives us a broad look at the both the process of manufacturing firecrackers and is filled with colorful examples of the art.