The Secret Lives of Color
Books | Art / History / General
4.3
(124)
Kassia St. Clair
One of USA Today's “100 Books to Read While Stuck at Home During the Coronavirus Crisis” A dazzling gift, the unforgettable, unknown history of colors and the vivid stories behind them in a beautiful multi-colored volume.“Beautifully written . . . Full of anecdotes and fascinating research, this elegant compendium has all the answers.” —NPR, Best Books of 2017The Secret Lives of Color tells the unusual stories of seventy-five fascinating shades, dyes, and hues. From blonde to ginger, the brown that changed the way battles were fought to the white that protected against the plague, Picasso’s blue period to the charcoal on the cave walls at Lascaux, acid yellow to kelly green, and from scarlet women to imperial purple, these surprising stories run like a bright thread throughout history.In this book, Kassia St. Clair has turned her lifelong obsession with colors and where they come from (whether Van Gogh’s chrome yellow sunflowers or punk’s fluorescent pink) into a unique study of human civilization. Across fashion and politics, art and war, the secret lives of color tell the vivid story of our culture.“This passionate and majestic compedium will leave you bathed in the gorgeous optics of light.” —Elle
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More Details:
Author
Kassia St. Clair
Pages
320
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2017-10-24
ISBN
1524704946 9781524704940
Community ReviewsSee all
"So so good!!! "
A
AJ
"Read 100 of 320 pages.<br/><br/>This is a good read in small doses. It's not one to sit and read straight through. That being said, I chose to return to the library early because it's on hold for someone else and it's just not grabbing me as much as other books are. I enjoyed the beginning when the author wrote about light and color and the science behind it as well as some of the history behind color. The remainder of the book is devoted to a short article every two pages or so on different colors and hues. I made it through the whites, the yellows, and into the oranges before I decided to stop. It was interesting, but it was enough for me."
Jennifer D