How many colors are there in a rainbow? In the West, we see seven, the Chinese see five, and the Pirahã tribe in the Amazon don't have words for the spectrum at all. Color isn't what we see, it's how we think about it.

Paul Simpson explores how eleven key colors shape the evolution of humanity as a species and influence politics and culture. His book explores the 'gender reversal' of pink, the toxic potential of green, the dubious reputation of yellow, the royal status of purple, and how orange influenced power in Europe.

With stories of color and actors, artists, chemists, composers, dentists, dictators, fashion designers, filmmakers, gods, musicians, mystics, physicists, poets, and charlatans, this book changes the way we think about the spectrum.

Who is this book for?

For anyone who wants to know how colors affect us and our culture.