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Top reviews from the United States

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R. Lee Hadden
4.0 out of 5 stars Color me Surprised!
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2018
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I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I wasn't expecting very much, but was surprised by the depth of research in each of the colors shown here. The information comes from art history, of course, but also includes military history (who knew Lord Mountbatten had a camouflage color named after him?); archaeology (Neolithic paintings with a description of the color palette used by stone age people) and chemistry (who knew that some of the chemical techniques to make colors were so complex or lengthy to complete?).

Each page has the color placed on the edge, and an anecdotal description and history of each color or shade. Each description is a page and a half or more, but each one did the best thing that an author can do- make the reader want to find out more. The old description of good writing, that it is "for provocation rather than information", is accomplished here, since the reader is provoked to find out more.

Recommended for larger libraries with reference sections; art libraries and collections; general humanities collections, and high school libraries. Not a good book for reading in one sitting, but it is a good travel book or one for reading with frequent interruptions (in short, a good bathroom book). I enjoyed it.
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Craig A. SAUNDERS
5.0 out of 5 stars A Quirky History of Color
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2017
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I'm a history buff so this book caught my attention and I was not disappointed, the author gives each color a short 2-3 page history an added bonus is each page of the color has a band down the side of that color, there are some colors I have never heard of before, so that history was interesting and it uses in art explains why the artist were so exacting in their craft, so if off beat history books are your thing, I would suggest getting this book. It is a keeper. I will look fwd to seeing other books by this author.
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Pemi
5.0 out of 5 stars Unique, beautiful book!
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2018
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This is such a fun, original, fascinating book. I love color and design, and got this as a Christmas present. It's an interesting cross between a reference book and coffee table book - you could definitely leave it out in your living room, but it's not so big that you can't read it in bed. It's beautiful, and I like the simple design. Having the histories and associations of the most "colorful" colors is so fun, and the re-readability is great. I would recommend!
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Eugene Underwood
5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL, FASCINATING, EASY TO READ
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2018
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Completely fascinating book. You get a college education in history and geography as well as pigment history by reading it, yet it is very conversationally written. You can pick it up and flip through it and read whatever interests you or you can read it color chapter by chapter. IT'S A WONDERFUL BOOK that many artists, craftspeople and others would love as a gift.
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TrixieTop Contributor: Watercolor Painting
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully entertaining, informative, fun, thoughtful book
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2018
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GREAT, fun, entertaining, informative, lively book. If you love color, history, culture, how people lived and thought regarding color, you cannot do better than this book! I am an artist, photographer, teacher and more.

I've many books on color, and tons of art history books. I just collect and read a lot of books dealing with creativity in a wide variety of media and eras. So many books I have little room nor money for yet another art book. I lusted for this for months, after looking at it first at library. I made an Amazon order and had to throw this in. So glad I did.

This is so fun to randomly open and read. Then read other stories about that color or another. A great go-to book, for re-reading, for light reading, for whatever.

I truly admire the author for all her research. Her writing is conversational and delightful. I love it!
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NtnKtn
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2018
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I'm having such a good time reading this book. I'm a self-proclaimed Chromophile. I don't paint, I knit and garden and see color before anything else. This book is so interesting and completely fascinating. I love it.
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Marco M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book - inside and out
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2017
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I rarely write reviews, but this book stood out from my recent purchases. I bought this as a gift for a friend who is into painting and, as someone who is not artistically inclined, I was pleasantly surprised. The stories are genuinely interesting, and I found myself (carefully) flipping through them before wrapping the book up. Definitely not the cliche-y content I was expecting. Externally, the binding is excellent, and the edges of the chapters are in the respective colors - a nice touch that makes the book stand out. Highly recommended
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Carolyn O'Neill
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, sensual book with riveting portraits of colors
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2017
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Absolutely gorgeous. Indispensable to poets and writers, as well as anyone fascinated by color.
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Top reviews from other countries

J. Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed this book. Lots of technical & historical background to pigment production.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2017
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Pleasantly surprised. There's quite a lot of background info of a technical nature into the source and production of pigments, which I didn't expect, but which really took the book to another level. Also, each chapter on a particular colour has the margins dyed in the particular colour under discussion : another unexpected but very welcome touch. Quite a bit of historical background too. It's one of these books you'll be happy to read through several times and the quality of the covers and paper are first class. Must have cost lots to print. If you are technically minded, or just interested in pigments etc, this book is for you.
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Kristin
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2019
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Its one of those books that you can read through, or just open a page randomly at. After an interesting introduction talking about what colour is and how we see it, you then are taken through the entire rainbow, shade by shade, learning the history of the colour through it meanings, uses or pigments. Some were highly prized, others are just interestingly made, all are a really good read. Ought as a present for my father, who work in the printing industry, and he loved it, but then he also loves unusual books, so a win all round. I actually didnt want to wait to borrow it, so bought myself the kindle version too!
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Sal the Traveller
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2017
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A great book, well produced and designed, to dip into if you are interested in the history and nature of colour. I love the Pantone Styling! This is not a dreary scholarly tome.
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Bridie Graham
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2017
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This is a perfect book! You can read it right through, you can dip to the colour you feel like, you can read just about one colour.... And all the way, it is full of wonderful tidbits of stories from history and present day. A sort of QI about colour. LOVED IT!
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Ms. Sharman von Dallwitz
5.0 out of 5 stars Interested in how colour influences us - day to day?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2019
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Although I haven't had the time to read this cover to cover - I've 'dipped' into it and personally have found it fascinating.
Remember sometime ago hearing a series on BBC Radio4 and this is THE book behind the series.
Advertisers use colour to influence us the consumer, so, why don't we as the consumer use colour in our own lives to help ourselves?
Why be influenced by trends?
Let's use colour to soothe/heal/energizer ourselves.
My personal hope is that this book will help me to do that.
AND
I think it would be the Perfect gift for a friend or relative who has an interest or hobby - art/decorating/craft making to enable them to expand their knowledge.
Plus it actually feels nice to hold. A tactile hardcover.
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