Click Here To Purchase From Amazon A Perfect Red

Author: Amy Butler Greenfield

Publisher: Harper Perennial

ISBN-13: 978-0-06-052276-6

ISBN-10: 0-06-052276-3

The story of the search for the ultimate red dye, A Perfect Red contains the stuff of Hollywood: swashbuckling pirates, adventuresome explorers a la Indiana Jones, and royal bureaucrats intent on conquest and glory. If only history textbooks were written as Amy Butler Greenfield has crafted this story!

Ms. Greenfield has managed to take an obscure commodity and place it into context with world figures and events so that the story revolving around a seemingly banal subject—red dye—reads like a novel. Beyond the historic aspects, we learn about science, art, and a great deal of etymology of the English language.

History “by the numbers”—recitation of dates, etc.—is dry and boring. But this book blends the stories of the personalities puffed with pride, nations bent on economic domination and the methods used to control a lowly bug that lives only on a certain cactus in a limited environment in a much more entertaining way that intertwines dates, names, and events. Not only that, we learn the scientific aspects of the work of early dyers and textile workers and how they faced stiff competition to produce quality goods.

The demand was high from the elite when red fabric was scarce and expensive; hence, the livelihoods of those in the textile trade were determined by the whims of the rich and powerful. Local dyers competed against one another, as did those in rival nations, each trying to capture this market niche. The economic stability of individuals and countries, especially that of Spain, was balanced on the control of the best red dyestuff. What happened when the competition became heated is the type of history that can’t be gleaned from rote memorization, but which this book reveals in detail. It involved individuals and their lust for power and money, laws and morality, circumstances of nature, and many behind-the-scenes machinations. 

Ms. Greenfield covers the full timeline through modern chemical advancements in the dye industry, when a rainbow of colors became available cheaply. The resulting vulgarity of vivid colors caused sobering blues and black to be preferred by the wealthy. Even though red may have faded as a color of commerce and class, it still maintains its bold appeal in advertising and other eye-catching applications.

A Perfect Red is well researched, with extensive notes and bibliography. The author acknowledges assistance from family, friends, and professionals, especially for scientific assistance. It is obvious she had a consuming interest in the subject mater, which helps to make this book so interesting. Her writing style adds to its appeal.

The above review was contributed by:  Beth Burke. Beth is a freelance editor, a fiber artist, and a stay-at-home mom. Previous hats she has worn include procedure and proposal writer for government, commercial nuclear, and environmental services concerns; advertising copywriter; newspaper reporter; and college-level writing instructor.  Click Here to view more of Beth’s reviews.

Click Here To Purchase From Amazon A Perfect Red