Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
—Nina Martyris, NPR’s Best Books of 2017
“If you adore color, you’ll love The Secret Lives of Color. This passionate and majestic compedium . . . will leave you bathed in the gorgeous optics of light.”
—Elle
“A kaleidoscope of charming, discursive essays . . . A light and lively guide [that] offers plenty of fresh clues for the brain’s colorful calculations.”
—The Economist
“Fascinating.”
—BuzzFeed
“Gorgeous.”
—The Guardian
“The history of colors, it turns out, is the story of science as well as art. Kassia St. Clair’s entertaining book brings them both into vivid relief.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair presents readers with [an] opportunity to relish in otherwise mundane aspects of reality. . . . An engaging mix of aesthetic analysis and optical science, it could make anyone a keen observer of our kaleidoscopic world.”
—Popular Science
“Riveting . . . diligently researched . . . Whatever your opinion of a shade, The Secret Lives of Color provides some illuminating perspectives on it.”
—Hyperallergic
“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, New York Times bestselling author of Just My Type: A Book About Fonts
“St. Clair delivers a mix of science, humor, and art history in this collection of bite-sized essays on the cultural and social lore of colors. . . . Her sentences guarantee sustained reading. . . . [Her] rhetoric beautifies the form of the brief essay.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The Secret Lives of Color holds surprise and satisfaction at every striation of the rainbow.”
—Booklist
“Brimming with facts, historical insights and curious tales.”
—Elle Decoration
“Weirdly fascinating.”
—Wired
“Charming.”
—The Financial Times
“Fascinating insights . . . a lexicon of colors, simultaneously revealing the cultural attitudes that determine our responses to them.”
—Country Living
“What The Secret Lives of Color offers really is, in some sense, a flash portrait of human civilization, a zigzagging and unpredictable exploration of how significantly color has shaped histories and disciplines, fueled empires, changed the nature of war and caused species to flourish or face extinction.”
—Chemistry World
“A must for anyone interested in color [or] decorating, but also language, culture and art.”
—The Chromologist
“A work of art in its own right, The Secret Lives Of Color is a beautiful tactile book.”
—The Pool
“St. Clair serves up a chromatic buffet.”
—Nature
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Book About the Importance of Colors Throughout History
Great Purchase. When I started reading it I worried that I was over my head, that the book was too much science, chemistry, history and not enough of the fascinating facts and color information related to people, places and times. I was so wrong, and glad that I kept on reading. St. Clair has presented 75 colors with names, dates, interesting stories, great historical references, literary connections, and so many amazing facts that I kept pestering my husband, reading aloud to him. Loved it!
5.0 out of 5 stars Opening the Secrets of Color
The writer is a lady who has been interested in Color all her life and has done the investigative work to share about how they came to be, where they came from, and relevant history & science of colors in general. Fascinating!
5.0 out of 5 stars WELL BEYOND Expectations
BUY!! NO KIDDING!! ENGAGING AND FUN AND GAME CHANGER: I'm a little hard to get going into stories. I'm A.D.D. and I just need hooks. I didn't really expect this to be more than a need-to-read for professional upgrading. I especially struggle with dry stories, which this seemed to HAVE to be, right? A book on color. Come on. I expected this book to be at least a little helpful with understanding color and understanding color benefits basically all areas of life (in some way or another).But WOW. I am reading this book and I. Am. Engaged!! That sounds cheesy, but MAN is it filled with really *really* cool facts and somehow it's like reading a book of trivia that is also profoundly impacting my entire world of color understanding. It's not just helping a little; this book is re-framing color for me. CLAPS to the author!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you SO much! Just. I'm stunned. And so impressed. Thank you!
4.0 out of 5 stars Needed to he cushioned.
Book was damaged. Needed to be cushioned before placing in shipping box. It had been dropped hard enough to bend 3 of the corners and top and bottom of spine. So far, the book is very interesting. First damaged item I have had from Bolo. Undamaged, I would have rated it a 5.
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended Read for Creatives of All Kinds
Whether you're a painter, artist, author, or even a spiritual leader, this book has extremely valuable information about the origins of various pigments, their spiritual and metaphorical meanings, and the history of how those meanings interact with socio-political movements. If you're using color in your work, whether literally or in descriptions of "cloth of purple" and "pitch-black night," this book has information that can deepen your understand and improve your use of color.
5.0 out of 5 stars An Ultimate Book on Color
The Secret Lives of Color is a non-fiction book by journalist Kassia St. Clair. She is passionate about the subject which explores the cultural and social history of colors. She assembled this book from her columns in British magazine Elle Decoration. It is organized in a series of chapters by color, arranged from white to black. Lovely
5.0 out of 5 stars And very interesting lives too...
This is a delightfully crafted mini coffee-table book of the best kind. The book begins with a general introduction to the topic of color including the general physics of light, psychology and culture and materials. The rest of the book is divided into color types like "white" featuring related color names like "silver, ivory" and so forth. Each section is a quick, but literate discussion of how each color was made and has been used in history, including some of the less-savory implications. The quest for pretty colors can come with a steep price in terms of toxicity or wars over possessing the raw materials (but we are learning to be more thoughtful). This book knows that color also adds meaning to our lives - a world without flowers, rainbows or glass beads would be far less joyful.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, beautiful book
I saw this on a friend’s coffee table, picked it up to take a look inside, and immediately ordered one for myself. I love color. I love history. And color history is fascinating! The book is of good quality, has beautiful images, and is soooo interesting! Highly recommend.
ce livre est en anglais (mais on le savait)
Donc on attend la traduction... mais les articles sont drôles et on révise son anglais
The most surprising and pleasant read.
This book beautifully and surprisingly illustrates our colourful history, science and culture. It's little bite sized reads on our favourite shades of colours. Really enjoyed reading it!
Buen regalo
Fue para un regalo y se que le encanto
Fasinating Read.
A fascinating, informative, and interesting book. I highly recommend it.
Loved this book!
Very interesting and readable book! It inspired me to do some further research into colour and the place in our lives and emotions. Especially, as an art historian, is very useful to me but also enjoyable for the curious "layperson".
Visit the Penguin Books Store
The Secret Lives of Color
AED10585
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Similar suggestions by Bolo
More from this brand
Similar items from “Use of Color”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.ae/products/U0143131141
Visit the Penguin Books Store
The Secret Lives of Color
AED10585
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
—Nina Martyris, NPR’s Best Books of 2017
“If you adore color, you’ll love The Secret Lives of Color. This passionate and majestic compedium . . . will leave you bathed in the gorgeous optics of light.”
—Elle
“A kaleidoscope of charming, discursive essays . . . A light and lively guide [that] offers plenty of fresh clues for the brain’s colorful calculations.”
—The Economist
“Fascinating.”
—BuzzFeed
“Gorgeous.”
—The Guardian
“The history of colors, it turns out, is the story of science as well as art. Kassia St. Clair’s entertaining book brings them both into vivid relief.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair presents readers with [an] opportunity to relish in otherwise mundane aspects of reality. . . . An engaging mix of aesthetic analysis and optical science, it could make anyone a keen observer of our kaleidoscopic world.”
—Popular Science
“Riveting . . . diligently researched . . . Whatever your opinion of a shade, The Secret Lives of Color provides some illuminating perspectives on it.”
—Hyperallergic
“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, New York Times bestselling author of Just My Type: A Book About Fonts
“St. Clair delivers a mix of science, humor, and art history in this collection of bite-sized essays on the cultural and social lore of colors. . . . Her sentences guarantee sustained reading. . . . [Her] rhetoric beautifies the form of the brief essay.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The Secret Lives of Color holds surprise and satisfaction at every striation of the rainbow.”
—Booklist
“Brimming with facts, historical insights and curious tales.”
—Elle Decoration
“Weirdly fascinating.”
—Wired
“Charming.”
—The Financial Times
“Fascinating insights . . . a lexicon of colors, simultaneously revealing the cultural attitudes that determine our responses to them.”
—Country Living
“What The Secret Lives of Color offers really is, in some sense, a flash portrait of human civilization, a zigzagging and unpredictable exploration of how significantly color has shaped histories and disciplines, fueled empires, changed the nature of war and caused species to flourish or face extinction.”
—Chemistry World
“A must for anyone interested in color [or] decorating, but also language, culture and art.”
—The Chromologist
“A work of art in its own right, The Secret Lives Of Color is a beautiful tactile book.”
—The Pool
“St. Clair serves up a chromatic buffet.”
—Nature
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Book About the Importance of Colors Throughout History
Great Purchase. When I started reading it I worried that I was over my head, that the book was too much science, chemistry, history and not enough of the fascinating facts and color information related to people, places and times. I was so wrong, and glad that I kept on reading. St. Clair has presented 75 colors with names, dates, interesting stories, great historical references, literary connections, and so many amazing facts that I kept pestering my husband, reading aloud to him. Loved it!
5.0 out of 5 stars Opening the Secrets of Color
The writer is a lady who has been interested in Color all her life and has done the investigative work to share about how they came to be, where they came from, and relevant history & science of colors in general. Fascinating!
5.0 out of 5 stars WELL BEYOND Expectations
BUY!! NO KIDDING!! ENGAGING AND FUN AND GAME CHANGER: I'm a little hard to get going into stories. I'm A.D.D. and I just need hooks. I didn't really expect this to be more than a need-to-read for professional upgrading. I especially struggle with dry stories, which this seemed to HAVE to be, right? A book on color. Come on. I expected this book to be at least a little helpful with understanding color and understanding color benefits basically all areas of life (in some way or another).But WOW. I am reading this book and I. Am. Engaged!! That sounds cheesy, but MAN is it filled with really *really* cool facts and somehow it's like reading a book of trivia that is also profoundly impacting my entire world of color understanding. It's not just helping a little; this book is re-framing color for me. CLAPS to the author!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you SO much! Just. I'm stunned. And so impressed. Thank you!
4.0 out of 5 stars Needed to he cushioned.
Book was damaged. Needed to be cushioned before placing in shipping box. It had been dropped hard enough to bend 3 of the corners and top and bottom of spine. So far, the book is very interesting. First damaged item I have had from Bolo. Undamaged, I would have rated it a 5.
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended Read for Creatives of All Kinds
Whether you're a painter, artist, author, or even a spiritual leader, this book has extremely valuable information about the origins of various pigments, their spiritual and metaphorical meanings, and the history of how those meanings interact with socio-political movements. If you're using color in your work, whether literally or in descriptions of "cloth of purple" and "pitch-black night," this book has information that can deepen your understand and improve your use of color.
5.0 out of 5 stars An Ultimate Book on Color
The Secret Lives of Color is a non-fiction book by journalist Kassia St. Clair. She is passionate about the subject which explores the cultural and social history of colors. She assembled this book from her columns in British magazine Elle Decoration. It is organized in a series of chapters by color, arranged from white to black. Lovely
5.0 out of 5 stars And very interesting lives too...
This is a delightfully crafted mini coffee-table book of the best kind. The book begins with a general introduction to the topic of color including the general physics of light, psychology and culture and materials. The rest of the book is divided into color types like "white" featuring related color names like "silver, ivory" and so forth. Each section is a quick, but literate discussion of how each color was made and has been used in history, including some of the less-savory implications. The quest for pretty colors can come with a steep price in terms of toxicity or wars over possessing the raw materials (but we are learning to be more thoughtful). This book knows that color also adds meaning to our lives - a world without flowers, rainbows or glass beads would be far less joyful.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, beautiful book
I saw this on a friend’s coffee table, picked it up to take a look inside, and immediately ordered one for myself. I love color. I love history. And color history is fascinating! The book is of good quality, has beautiful images, and is soooo interesting! Highly recommend.
ce livre est en anglais (mais on le savait)
Donc on attend la traduction... mais les articles sont drôles et on révise son anglais
The most surprising and pleasant read.
This book beautifully and surprisingly illustrates our colourful history, science and culture. It's little bite sized reads on our favourite shades of colours. Really enjoyed reading it!
Buen regalo
Fue para un regalo y se que le encanto
Fasinating Read.
A fascinating, informative, and interesting book. I highly recommend it.
Loved this book!
Very interesting and readable book! It inspired me to do some further research into colour and the place in our lives and emotions. Especially, as an art historian, is very useful to me but also enjoyable for the curious "layperson".
Similar suggestions by Bolo
More from this brand
Similar items from “Use of Color”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.ae/products/U0143131141