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Mauve
How one man invented a colour that changed the world
Series: Canons
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Check link for latest rating. ( 1,893 ratings, 186 reviews)
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Mauve
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See moreThe strange and wonderful story of how one colour changed the world, from the bestselling author of Just My Type and On the Map.
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Description
1856. Eighteen-year-old chemistry student William Perkin's experiment has gone horribly wrong. But the deep brown sludge his botched project has produced has an unexpected power: the power to dye everything it touches a brilliant purple. Perkin has discovered mauve, the world's first synthetic dye, bridging a gap between pure chemistry and industry which will change the world forever.
From the fetching ribbons soon tying back the hair on every fashionable head in London, to the laboratories in which scientists first scrutinised the human chromosome under the microscope, leading all the way to the development of modern vaccines against cancer and malaria, Simon Garfield's landmark work swirls together science and social history to tell the story of how one colour became a sensation.
Series: Canons
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Mauve by Simon Garfield is celebrated for its artful blend of science and narrative, offering an intriguing and elegantly written account. Reviewers praise Garfield for his thorough research and ability to weave chemistry and social history into an engaging tale about the synthetic dye industry. The book has been described as witty, erudite, and an example of excellent pop history, with Garfield's enthusiasm and storytelling talent making a potentially mundane topic come alive.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781786892782
Publisher: Canongate Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 03 May 2018
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Canongate Canons
Edition: Main - Canons
Illustration: 8pp plate section
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 15.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 200.0mm
Weight: 200g
Pages: 256
About the Author
Simon Garfield is the author of seventeen acclaimed books of non-fiction including A Notable Woman (as editor), To the Letter, On the Map, Just My Type and Mauve. His study of AIDS in Britain, The End of Innocence, won the Somerset Maugham prize. www.simongarfield.com
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