“The Secret Lives of Color”, Kassia St Clair
Published October 20, 2016
The Secret Lives of Colour tells the unusual stories of the 75 most 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 colours and where they come from (whether Van Gogh's chrome yellow sunflowers or punk's fluorescent pink) into a unique study of human civilisation. Across fashion and politics, art and war, The Secret Lives of Colour tell the vivid story of our culture.
“Someone wearing a snow-pale winter coat telegraphs a subtle visual message: “I do not need to take public transportation.”
Before you gasp about this being non-fiction and the fact that I am a non-fic hater, I just want to say that this is about color. And as a graphic designer, there are allowances to be made.
The Secret Lives of Color is an enchanting blend of history, art, science, and storytelling, all filtered through the spectrum of human experience with color. Kassia St. Clair takes what might sound like a niche subject—individual shades of color—and turns it into something endlessly fascinating. Each entry is a miniature essay, tracing the origins, cultural associations, and surprising histories of hues that we often take for granted. From the deadly allure of arsenic green to the royal exclusivity of Tyrian purple, the book reveals how color has shaped not only aesthetics but also politics, trade, and identity.
RELATED: If you enjoy this kind of book, you might also like The History of the World in 100 Plants by Simon Barnes. I learned of this book from Hailee Steinfeld’s Friday newsletter, Beau Society, which I think you should subscribe to.
What makes this book shine is its accessibility and charm. Like any good coffee table book, the essays are short enough to dip into one at a time, but together they weave a tapestry of human history that feels both playful and profound. St. Clair writes with clarity and curiosity, drawing from across disciplines without ever becoming dry or overly academic. The design of the book itself—with its swatches of color running down the margins—makes it a visual delight.
In the end, The Secret Lives of Color is more than just trivia about pigments and dyes. It’s about how humans assign meaning to the world, how something as simple as a shade of blue or red can carry centuries of power, beauty, or even danger. It’s a book that deepens the way you look at the everyday and makes you realize that behind every color is a story waiting to be told.
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Owned: Barnes & Noble hardcover