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A Perfect Red
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Arts & Entertainment, Art
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Publisher's Summary
A Perfect Red recounts the colorful history of cochineal, a legendary red dye that was once one of the world's most precious commodities. Treasured by the ancient Mexicans, cochineal was sold in the great Aztec marketplaces, where it attracted the attention of the Spanish conquistadors in 1519. Shipped to Europe, the dye created a sensation, producing the brightest, strongest red the world had ever seen. Soon Spain's cochineal monopoly was worth a fortune. Desperate to find their own sources of the elusive dye, the English, French, Dutch, and other Europeans tried to crack the enigma of cochineal. Did it come from a worm, a berry, a seed? Could it be stolen from Mexico and transplanted to their own colonies? Pirates, explorers, alchemists, scientists, and spies - all joined the chase for cochineal, a chase that lasted more than three centuries. A Perfect Red tells their stories - true-life tales of mystery, empire, and adventure, in pursuit of the most desirable color on earth.
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What listeners say about A Perfect Red
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tobia
- 08-17-16
History of a peculiar substance through the ages
This is a well researched, well written, and perfectly narrated history of the color red and of the first widely available red dye, Cochineal.
Very informative, the book includes the history of the relevant times, so as to be accessible even to those who might not be knowledgeable on kings and empires of the past centuries.
Mostly entertaining, except in a few boring places. Recommended if you're interested in the middle ages, the European conquest of the Americas, mysteries, espionage, and the actual PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN.
The narration is excellent, always clear, including great pronunciation of all the Spanish, French, and Italian names.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Yarngirl52
- 02-10-18
just as wonderful the second time
second time through and now I need to find my cochineal to dye some yarn.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alex
- 10-16-18
Fascinating!
Delicious book. Fascinating book. Makes me wish there were more books on the history of other colors by the same author.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Teresa Cooper
- 08-08-15
Red is still "the " colour.
The diverse and sometimes bloody history of true red, given to us by a very tiny beetle known as cochineal. The author takes the reader/listener on a history from cochineals discovery by the Spanish through attempts of other countries attempts to develop their own cochineal farms through the use of chemicals to create red back to the use,if somewhat limited, of the cochineal beetle. A good book well written, with a very few slow paced bits, well read with only minor pauses when pronouncing possibly unknown words. Would I read it again? Yes. Would I recommend the book? Yes I definitely would.
