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Kassia St Clair

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The Secret Lives of Color Kindle Edition

by Kassia St. Clair (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4,463 ratings

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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 2017

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.

“This passionate and majestic compedium will leave you bathed in the gorgeous optics of light.” —Elle

From the Publisher

art book,artist gifts,books about color,Kassia St Clair,secret lives of color,books for artists

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Beautifully written and thoughtfully produced . . . Full of anecdotes and fascinating research, this elegant compendium has all the answers.”
—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

Kassia St. Clair is a freelance journalist and author based in London. She graduated from Bristol University with a first-class honors degree in history in 2007 and went on to do a master’s degree at Oxford. There she wrote her dissertation on women’s masquerade costumes during the eighteenth century and graduated with distinction. She has since written about design and culture for publications including The Economist, House & Garden, Quartz, and the New Statesman. She has had a column about color in Elle Decoration since 2013 and is a former assistant books and arts editor for The Economist.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01MSCJNN8
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 24, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 5.6 MB
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1524704940
Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #129,089 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2 in Graphic Design Color Use
- #9 in Color in Art
- #113 in Fashion Coloring Books for Grown-Ups

Customer Reviews:
4,463 ratings

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Kassia St Clair

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Kassia St. Clair is an acclaimed author and storyteller and the UK’s best selling historian under 40. She specialises in telling illuminating stories about the overlooked and the everyday.

Kassia has sold hundreds of thousands of books globally and is best known for 'The Secret Lives of Color', which was a Sunday Times top-ten bestseller, Radio 4′s Book of the Week and has been translated into over 20 languages. Her other books include 'The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History', 'The Race to the Future: The Adventure that Accelerated the 20th Century' and 'Liberty: Design. Pattern. Color'.

She is valued for her thoughtful use of historical details that make ambitious and technical subjects accessible and memorable. Readers find themselves learning new and unexpected things about the world around them. Her writing is sumptuous, witty and a joy to read.

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4,463 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book fascinating and engaging, with well-researched content that provides historical context about colors and their uses in everyday life. The writing style is easy to read with humorous touches, and the design is visually beautiful, with one customer noting its applicability to fashion and art. Customers appreciate its value for artists and as a gift, particularly for budding artists.

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Readability Color history Information quality Writing style Design History Art book Gift value

188 customers mention "Readability"188 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating and engaging, with stories that are genuinely interesting.

"What a great book! One of my favorites. I have read it and listened to the audiobook and still go back and read sections again...." Read more

"...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..." Read more

"...So far, the book is very interesting. First damaged item I have had from Amazon. Undamaged, I would have rated it a 5." Read more

"...topic of color including the general physics of light, psychology and culture and materials...." Read more

138 customers mention "Color history"132 positive6 negative

Customers appreciate the book's exploration of color history, particularly how colors came about and their uses in everyday life.

"...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...." Read more

"...The book begins with a general introduction to the topic of color including the general physics of light, psychology and culture and materials...." Read more

"...I love color. I love history. And color history is fascinating! The book is of good quality, has beautiful images, and is soooo interesting!..." Read more

"...I never knew the history behind colors could be so interesting!..." Read more

71 customers mention "Information quality"69 positive2 negative

Customers find the book well-researched and educational, providing great facts and serving as a valuable reference.

"...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..." Read more

"I enjoyed reading this book. Lots of facts, lots of footnotes and citations. If you paint, you may be especially interested...." Read more

"...Threanecdotes within are illuminating and insightful...." Read more

"I wish the print were bigger, but it is a very long book. Worth it to have a a working tool when you are considering painting rooms." Read more

59 customers mention "Writing style"50 positive9 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well-crafted and easy to read, with humorous touches throughout.

"...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..." Read more

"...Would be a great bedtime story for children -crayons are a lot ,but how the colors came to be chosen might be of interest." Read more

"...essays are short enough to be read through in 5-10 minutes and beautifully written...." Read more

"...Threanecdotes within are illuminating and insightful. The book is playful and has the ability to transform the way you see some of your surroundings..." Read more

49 customers mention "Design"49 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's design, describing it as visually beautiful and well-structured, with one customer noting its relevance to fashion and art.

"...And color history is fascinating! The book is of good quality, has beautiful images, and is soooo interesting! Highly recommend." Read more

"...Great as a young person's book, however. And the cover design is first rate." Read more

"...Worth the purchase. A tidy little, well designed book. CEF" Read more

"a nice volume to have alongside David Coles’s concise and beautiful book Chromatopia : An Illustrated History of Color ." Read more

35 customers mention "History"35 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's historical content fascinating, with one customer noting how the information comes from art history, while another mentions how it includes military history.

"...The information comes from art history, of course, but also includes military history..." Read more

"...This certainly is educational with lots of historical facts...." Read more

"...knowledge & paints an historical spectrum for study. Worth the purchase. A tidy little, well designed book. CEF" Read more

"...It’s part history-book, part artist-book, and part teaching-book on the origin of colors. Beautifully done. Great for all ages." Read more

24 customers mention "Art book"24 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate this art book, noting it's not just for artists but also serves as a valuable resource for designers, stylists, and craftspeople.

"This is a delightfully crafted mini coffee-table book of the best kind...." Read more

"...Read this book to learn about the long, intricate and often fascinating history of color -- the search for and discovery of how to make life..." Read more

"I really think this is a clever idea for a book! It has 75 storiettes that begin on pg. 43...." Read more

"...It’s part history-book, part artist-book, and part teaching-book on the origin of colors. Beautifully done. Great for all ages." Read more

12 customers mention "Gift value"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book makes a nice gift, particularly for budding artists.

"...I also like the page edging rainbow effect. A perfect gift for any artist or aspiring one" Read more

"...A great gift for the graphic designer or artist in your life." Read more

"...It makes a fantastic coffee table gift as it consists of short, manageable, and intensely interesting blurbs for each color...." Read more

"...A great gift for yourself or an artist friend." Read more

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Elizabeth Willett
Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

What a great book! One of my favorites. I have read it and listened to the audiobook and still go back and read sections again. A great book to give for anyone interested in art and color.

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Jane
WELL BEYOND Expectations
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
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!

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3 people found this helpful

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mica
Intresting color book
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Lo vengo queriendo desde hace mucho, si eres amante del diseño y buscas un libro que no sea el típico libro sobre el color este es el adecuado. Tiene la historia sobre más de 100 colores y algunas historias atrás de cada uno, es un libro muy entretenido. Recomendadisimo, no es grande pero si tiene pasta dura y es gordito

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mica

Intresting color book

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2025
Lo vengo queriendo desde hace mucho, si eres amante del diseño y buscas un libro que no sea el típico libro sobre el color este es el adecuado. Tiene la historia sobre más de 100 colores y algunas historias atrás de cada uno, es un libro muy entretenido. Recomendadisimo, no es grande pero si tiene pasta dura y es gordito

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One person found this helpful

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Teddy
Needed to he cushioned.
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
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 Amazon. Undamaged, I would have rated it a 5.

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Elizabeth Pyatt
And very interesting lives too...
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
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.

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5 people found this helpful

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Annjulie Villela
Excellent, Fun and Best Choice EVER
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Please buy this book! So entertaining to read! I finished it in 3 days, couldnt get enough. I wish there was a series and more books with more shades and colors. WOW! If you love art, history or your profession revolves around colors, BUY IT!

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3 people found this helpful

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JustAnotherOpinion
Fascinating, beautiful book
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
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.

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4 people found this helpful

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Ingrid
The Secret Lives Of Color by Kassia St. Clair
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This book is absolutely fascinating! I never knew the history behind colors could be so interesting! The only downside is that I wish the book had the history of even more colors because once I started reading, I couldn't stop; I was so enthralled by the stories! Shipping was super quick, and the book was packaged so incredibly well!! Super duper happy with this book :)

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One person found this helpful

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Client d'Amazon
ce livre est en anglais (mais on le savait)
Reviewed in France on August 27, 2018
Verified Purchase

Donc on attend la traduction... mais les articles sont drôles et on révise son anglais

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A fantastic book that opens our eyes to history, science and culture through colours.
The most surprising and pleasant read.
Reviewed in Australia on April 29, 2023
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
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!

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carlos marques
nice
Reviewed in Spain on January 4, 2023
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Nice

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richix9
Fasinating Read.
Reviewed in Germany on February 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
A fascinating, informative, and interesting book. I highly recommend it.

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Brenda Fischer-Campbell
Loved this book!
Reviewed in Canada on December 5, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
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".

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The Secret Lives of Color Kindle Edition

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Intresting color book

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Intresting color book

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5.0 out of 5 stars ce livre est en anglais (mais on le savait)

5.0 out of 5 stars The most surprising and pleasant read.

4.0 out of 5 stars nice

5.0 out of 5 stars Fasinating Read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!

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ce livre est en anglais (mais on le savait)

The most surprising and pleasant read.

nice

Fasinating Read.

Loved this book!