The Secret Lives of Colour

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A mind-expanding tour of the world without leaving your paintbox. Every colour has a story, and here are some of the most alluring, alarming, and thought-provoking. Very hard painting the hallway magnolia after this inspiring primer.' Simon Garfield 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.

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The Secret Lives of Color

The unforgettable, unknown history of colors and the vivid stories behind them in a beautiful multi-colored volume 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. "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, author of Just My Type

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The Golden Thread

** A RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK ** 'Fascinating . . . The history of the world through the eye of a needle . . . I recommend this book to anyone' THE SPECTATOR 'A charming, absorbing and history that takes us on a journey from the silk roads to sportswear, from ruffs to spacesuits . . . I devoured this quietly feminist book' SUNDAY TIMES 'Joyful and beautiful' NATURE 'Will make you rethink your relationship with fabric' ELLE DECORATION All textiles begin with a twist. From colourful 30,000-year old threads found on the floor of a Georgian cave to what the linen wrappings of Tutankhamun's mummy actually meant; from the Silk Roads to the woollen sails that helped the Vikings reach America 700 years before Columbus; from the lace ruffs that infuriated the puritans to the Indian calicoes and chintzes that powered the Industrial Revolution, our continuing reinvention of cloth tells fascinating stories of human ingenuity. When we talk of lives hanging by a thread, being interwoven, or part of the social fabric, we are part of a tradition that stretches back many thousands of years. Fabric has allowed us to achieve extraordinary things and survive in unlikely places, and this book shows you how -- and why. With a cast that includes Chinese empresses, Richard the Lionheart and Bing Crosby, Kassia St Clair takes us on the run with escaped slaves, climbing the slopes of Everest and moonwalking with astronauts. Running like a bright line through history, The Golden Thread offers an unforgettable adventure through our past, present and future.

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Secret Language of Color

In this beautiful and thorough investigation, The Secret Language of Color celebrates and illuminates the countless ways in which color colors our world. Why is the sky blue, the grass green, a rose red? Most of us have no idea how to answer these questions, nor are we aware that color pervades nearly all aspects of life, from the subatomic realm and the natural world to human culture and psychology. Organized into chapters that begin with a fascinating explanation of the physics and chemistry of color, The Secret Language of Color travels from outer space to Earth, from plants to animals to humans. In these chapters we learn about how and why we see color, the nature of rainbows, animals with color vision far superior and far inferior to our own, how our language influences the colors we see, and much more. Between these chapters, authors Joann Eckstut and Ariele Eckstut turn their attention to the individual hues of the visible spectrum?red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet?presenting each in fascinating, in-depth detail. Including hundreds of stunning photographs and dozens of informative, often entertaining graphics, every page is a breathtaking demonstration of color and its role in the world around us. Whether you see red, are a shrinking violet, or talk a blue streak, this is the perfect book for anyone interested in the history, science, culture, and beatuty of color in the natural and man-made world.

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The Secret Lives of Planets

'A deft, frequently dramatic tour' Nature 'A wonderfully clear and readable book . . . Gives a splendid overview of our Sun's planetary system, including its history and exploration' Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell * We have the impression that the solar system is perfectly regular like a clock, or a planetarium instrument. On a short timescale it is. But, seen in a longer perspective, the planets, and their satellites, have exciting lives, full of events - for example, did you know that Saturn's moon, Titan, boasts lakes which contain liquid methane surrounded by soaring hills and valleys, exactly as the earth did before life evolved on our fragile planet? Or that Mercury is the shyest planet? Or, that Mars' biggest volcano is 100 times the size of Earth's, or that its biggest canyon is 10 times the depth of the Grand Canyon, or that it wasn't always red, but blue? The culmination of a lifetime of astronomy and wonder, Paul Murdin's enchanting new book reveals everything you ever wanted to know about the planets, their satellites, and our place in the solar system.

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The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters the ultimate heart warming read for 2018

‘Packed with humour and warmth’ - Heat

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The Secret Lives of Richard Andr 1834 1907

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The Secret Book of Tree

Listen to ancient tales from Oakheart the Brave, the oldest and wisest tree in the forest, and be inspired by the magic and mystery of nature. Combining non-fiction with a splash of fantasy, this is a book you will get lost in, time and again.

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Renoir s Dancer

In the 1880s, Suzanne Valadon was considered the Impressionists’ most beautiful model. But behind her captivating façade lay a closely-guarded secret. Born in poverty in rural France, as a teenager in Montmartre, Suzanne began posing for – and having affairs with – some of the age’s most renowned painters. Then Renoir caught her indulging in a passion she had been trying to conceal: the model was herself a talented artist. Some found her vibrant still lifes and frank portraits as shocking as her bohemian lifestyle. At eighteen, she gave birth to an illegitimate child, future painter Maurice Utrillo. But her friends Toulouse-Lautrec and Degas could see her skill. Rebellious and opinionated, she refused to be confined by tradition or gender, and in 1894, her work was accepted to the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, an extraordinary achievement for a working-class woman with no formal art training. Renoir’s Dancer tells the remarkable tale of an ambitious, headstrong woman fighting to find a professional voice in a male-dominated world.

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Halliwell s Teleguide

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The Secret Language of Your Body

The essential reference guide for traditional and alternative health practitioners, and anyone interested in the inner workings of their body, self-healing and wellbeing.In this newly revised, expanded and updated edition of her bestselling book, author Inna Segal unveils the secrets to understanding the messages of your body and reveals the underlying mental, emotional and energetic causes of physical symptoms and medical conditions. This powerful handbook delves deeply into the possible reasons for health issues in all areas of your body. Inna offers a unique, step-by-step method to assist in returning your body to its natural state of health. By encouraging you to connect with your innate healing intelligence and calling on your body's in-built ability to heal itself, Inna gently guides you on a journey of life-changing transformation and empowerment where you will:- Heal the emotional, mental and energetic cause of physical ailments- Use easy, quick, practical exercises to heal your organs- Learn the secret language of disease and powerful processes for healing- Understand and release limiting thoughts and emotions- Discover how to use colour to heal your life- Uncover and apply the messages your body has to teach youWHAT'S NEW IN THIS EDITION?- Powerful and intensified healing processes to restore your body to health and wellness.- Total of 360 ailments now covered with over 140 new medical conditions added to the 'Secret Language of Physical Ailments' section.- Expanded 'Secret Language of your Body' chapter with additional body parts.- More information on the mental, emotional and energetic causes of illness and disease in different parts of the body.- Specific colours and emotions to work with to address and help heal physical problems.- Further insight into Inna Segal's personal battle with back pain, anxiety and the skin condition psoriases, and how she was able to overcome her challenges using the techniques in this book.

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Secret Lives

'These novellas are small, sad gems...by three completely different stylists who are implicitly banging the drum for individuality, compassion and understanding. From Wakefield's fat lady who meets and finds friendship with a lonely gay man on holiday in Tunisia, to Gale's tough career girl who compromises her independence, to King's proud Japanese servant, lover of a barrister dying of AIDS, these tales are subtle, spare, beautifully crafted. Tom Wakefield has a deceptively naive style which hides great emotional perception; Patrick Gale has a fine line in pricking contemporary cultural yuppiedom; Francis King has never, even in his early novels, been better on cultural and emotional incomprehension? Mary Hope, Financial Times

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Secret Lives

Following on from the success of Brief Lives, published in 1997, and Political Lives, Stage and Screen Lives, and Literary Lives, published in 2001, Secret Lives, which will publish alongside three other titles, Royal Lives, Military Lives, and Musical Lives, will be a welcome addition to theseries to anyone with an interest in the secret underworld of political and military intrigue.What is it like to be a spy? What makes someone decide to lead a secret life? What qualities do such people have in common? How do they get away without being detected? How do they slip up? How are they found out? What makes their life so extraordinary? What makes their life so ordinary?Why did 'Kim' Philby become a spy? What events first sparked Sir Colin McVean Gubbins's interest in irregular warfare? What part did businessman Greville Wynne play in the Cuban missile crisis? Who really was Guy Fawkes?Eminent historian and former wartime intelligence officer, M. R. D. Foot, has made a personal selection of around 100 mini-biographies taken from the archives of the Dictionary of National Biography of some of the men and women who have in their lifetime made themselves famous (or made themselvesinfamous) working in secret intelligence.Viewed individually each article in this collection is a permanent historic record of a life in a particular period in time, from the times of Guy Fawkes to the end of the last century. Viewed as a collection the biographies allow for a fascinating tour through the history of secret intelligence.Entries include:Benedict Grinsburg on Edith CavellChristopher Andrew on Sir M. G. S. CummingSidney Lee on Guy FawkesPeter Wilkinson on Sir Colin McVean GubbinsNigel Clive on 'Kim' PhilbyM. R. D. Foot on Violette SzaboSidney Lee on Sir Francis WalsinghamJohn Hamilton on William WindhamM. R. D. Foot on Greville Maynard Wynne

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Outlook

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The Secret Life of Insects

Pond life - Termites - Diptera - Ants - Bess and wasps - Camouflage and mimicry - Butterflies and moths - Metamorphosis of the caterpillar - Scarab beetles - Jumping insects - Locuststs_

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The Secret Life of Gujjar Mal and Other Stories

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The Secret Life of Textiles

Illustrated largely in colour, 'The Secret Life of Textiles' offers brief catalogue summaries of 48 archive groups of textile pattern books that make up six regional holdings, and will be of interest to scholars, historians, and those with an interest in textiles, pattern design and local history.

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The Secret Language of Color

Explores color's countless manifestations, providing insight into such phenomena as the visible spectrum, light absorption and reflection, how humans see color, how vision evolved, the sky, rainbows, colored gems, animal pigmentation, how animals use color to find mates and to protect themselves, and the use of color in human religion, ritual, design, navigation, communication, and personal identity.

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The Secret Lives of Puffins

Puffins are among the most instantly recognisable, iconic and well loved of birds. For many they are a highlight of the UK's summer coastline and their colourful appearance, comedy antics and approachability just add to their popularity. Several 'hotspot' are attracting high levels of interest in visits to their colonies. In spite of the high level of interest in, and appeal of, these birds there has been a surprising lack of books focused on Puffins as a species. Award-winning wildlife photographer Mark Sisson has spent several years photographing Puffins and this new book combines images that beautifully encapsulate their charm and visual appeal with an accessible text written by leading wildlife writer Dominic Couzens. The book covers the birds' life cycle, behaviour, habitats and the current and future challenges that they face, along with many surprising facts and anecdotes.

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Dressed

We are all dressed. But how often do we pause to think about the place of our clothes in our lives? What unconscious thoughts do we express when we dress every day? Can memories, meaning and ideas be wrapped up in a winter coat? These are the questions that interest Shahidha Bari, as she explores the secret language of our clothes. Ranging freely through literature, art, film and philosophy, Dressed tracks the hidden power of clothes in our culture and our daily lives. From the depredations of violence and ageing to our longing for freedom, love and privacy, from the objectification of women to the crisis of masculinity, each garment exposes a fresh dilemma. Item by item, the story of ourselves unravels. Evocative, enlightening and dazzlingly original, Dressed is not just about clothes as objects of fashion or as a means of self-expression. This is a book about the deepest philosophical questions of who we are, how we see ourselves and how we dress to face the world.

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