Books › The Secret Lives Of Colour
The Secret Lives Of Colour
336 pages
A kaleidoscopic journey through history that transforms the way you see the everyday world.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like wandering through a beautifully curated museum of human history, guided by a passionate and deeply knowledgeable curator. The leisurely pace allows you to dip in and out of its seventy-five bite-sized chapters, each one a vibrant vignette that uncovers the surprising, often dark, and always fascinating origins of a specific hue. The prose is elegant and richly descriptive, painting vivid historical landscapes that range from ancient caves to modern fashion runways. It cultivates a wonder-filled, contemplative mood, transforming something as ubiquitous as color into a lens for understanding war, art, politics, and human ingenuity. It is an absolute delight for artists, history buffs, and anyone who loves discovering the hidden magic woven into the fabric of everyday life.
- Mood
- vibrant
- wonder-filled
- contemplative
- Tone
- curious
- elegant
- engaging
- informative
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- hidden histories · cultural evolution · human ingenuity · intersection of art and science · material culture
- The writing
- Richly descriptive and elegantly accessible, weaving historical facts into vibrant, bite-sized narratives.
- The arc
- Begins with simple aesthetic curiosity and deepens into a profound, interconnected appreciation for human civilization.
- Who it's for
- Designers, artists, and curious minds who delight in microhistories and the hidden stories behind everyday things.
Content notes
- historical disease
- toxicity and poisoning
- historical violence
About the book
"The unforgettable, unknown history of colors and the vivid stories behind them in a beautiful multi-colored volume The 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. "A mind-expanding tour of the world without leaving your paintbox. Every color has a story, and here are some of the most alluring, alarming, and thought-provoking."--Simon Garfield, author of Just My Type"--
Description from Open Library.
Books like The Secret Lives Of Colour
See why they match
ColorVictoria FinlayA globe-trotting exploration of the history, art, and social impact of the hues that color our world.
The Secret of ScentLuca TurinA witty and passionate deep-dive into the contentious scientific mysteries behind the world's most evocative sense.
Ways of SeeingJohn BergerA radical, mind-altering lens that permanently changes how you look at art, advertising, and the world around you.
On LookingAlexandra HorowitzA gentle invitation to wake up and notice the hidden wonders scattered across your daily routine.
Information is BeautifulDavid McCandlessA visually stunning antidote to information overload that transforms complex data into beautiful, digestible art.
The lonely cityOlivia LaingA nocturnal wander through the lives of marginalized artists that transforms the ache of urban isolation into a profound sense of shared humanity.