Mauve
Book description
In 1856 eighteen-year-old English chemist William Perkin accidentally discovered a way to mass-produce color. In a "witty, erudite, and entertaining" (Esquire) style, Simon Garfield explains how the experimental mishap that produced an odd shade of purple revolutionized fashion, as well as industrial applications of chemistry research. Occasionally honored in certain…
Why read it?
1 author picked Mauve as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
A biography of a molecule that features in my book.
Mauve changed fashion, industry, and medicine. While trying to make quinine in the lab, the only malaria drug available at the time, William Perkin created mauve, the first artificial dye. Other chemists later discovered malaria drugs derived from Perkin’s mauve.
From Kathryn's list on chemistry that aren’t chemistry.
Want books like Mauve?
Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Mauve.
5 book lists we think you will like!
Interested in colors, malaria, and London?
10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about colors, malaria, and London.