Review by Choice Review
This is a visually stunning book at a surprisingly low price. Joann Eckstut (color consultant/designer) and Arielle Eckstut (author/publisher) explain that they are not color experts; they are instead "color tourists." The book provides an interesting introductory tour through the main topics related to color. Much of the content is engaging, with no shortage of entertaining facts. While the authors acknowledge the chemical and physical roots of the topics, it is disappointing that they do not present chemical formulas, chemical structures, or mathematical relationships. In some cases, the scientific explanations are inaccurate, which can be frustrating to informed readers. It is also disappointing that none of the facts are referenced (although a general bibliography is included). Further, it is difficult to determine the audience for the book. While written at a high school level, the elaborate style, references, and clever wordplay (e.g., "veni vidi verdigris," "je ne sais quoi," "purple reign," "red herring") would make it a challenge for a teenager. Though not recommended for use at the college level, the volume would make a nice gift and does contain an interesting collection of beautiful photographs and intriguing stories. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers. J. Allison The College of New Jersey
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Where does the phrase "blue blood" come from? Why do most doctors wear green scrubs? These and other questions are answered in the Eckstut's fascinating study of color. After throwing readers into the deep end with scientific explanations about how our brains process information and declarations like "wavelengths of light do not exist as color until we see them," the authors move on to more accessible and lively examinations of colors and the roles they've played in history as well as evolution. Each hue gets a biography of sorts, as the authors examine its cultural (the Egyptians placed a high value on blue and it was one of the first synthetic pigments) and in some cases biological significance (different colors attract different animals). The science behind rainbows and why they never appear the same way to two people; why the grass is always greener across the street (you're not seeing the imperfections); and a litany of other color-related trivia round out the book. The book's dynamic design and short entries make it easy to skim, but it's likely that those intending just a casual perusal will find themselves engrossed by this terrifically entertaining and informative volume. Illus. Agent: Jim Levine, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
This beautifully designed color primer has few secrets, but it does contain a clear, comprehensible introduction to the science of color. Color consultant Joanna Eckstut (founder, Roomworks; The Color Palette Primer) and Arielle Eckstut (cofounder, Book Doctors; The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published) link the way that images look to us with the construction of the eye and the behavior of light. In the chapters addressing how the physical world uses color, the authors never shy away from refreshing a reader's memory of high school physics. The chapters on color's cultural meanings are necessarily cursory but satisfyingly international in scope. Colored boxes and borders highlight tidbits of information and break up areas of text, keeping the reader engaged. VERDICT Because every concept is illustrated with lushly printed photographs and diagrams, this work will be a godsend for a visual learner. Recommended for beginning color enthusiasts and for those who enjoyed Jude Stewart's Roy G. Biv: An Exceedingly Surprising Book About Color.-Jessica Spears, Monroe Coll. Lib., Bronx, NY (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
