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Mauve

How one man invented a colour that changed the world
Series: Canons
3.67 goodreads logo

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( 1,893 ratings, 186 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Mauve by Simon Garfield explores the fascinating story of how one man's accidental discovery led to a revolution in fashion and industry. The book delves into the life of William Perkin, a young chemist whose creation of the first synthetic dye transformed the world of textiles and set the stage for the modern chemical industry. This blend of biography and history reveals the unexpected impact of a colour that changed the world.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you have an interest in the fascinating history of scientific discovery and innovation. It explores how a curious mind revolutionised both the fashion industry and industrial chemistry through the unexpected development of a synthetic dye. This is a compelling read for those intrigued by the intersection of science, history, and culture.

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Mauve

The strange and wonderful story of how one colour changed the world, from the bestselling author of Just My Type and On the Map.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! 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.

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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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