Description

Codul culorilor looks at eleven main colours in human life. Paul Simpson traces how they link to evolution, politics and culture. He asks how colour can express freedom or limit it. This work of nonfiction links colour to choices we make each day. These range from shoes and cars to art.

He looks at the shame linked to green hats in China. He also looks at Japan’s cherry blossoms and the colour of mummies. He explores red’s ties to revolution. Black clothes have links to royal revenge. White has modern ties to purity.

Artists and actors appear in the book, as do composers. Film directors and fashion designers play a part too. So do chemists, physicists and dentists. There are dictators, gods, mystics and poets. The book also features musicians, frauds, industrialists and tigers.

Simpson writes about culture. He has won awards for his work in journalism. He launched FourFourTwo, a football magazine. He edits a journal for the Design Council. He writes for Financial Times, Campaign and Wanderlust. His past work covers cult films and Elvis Presley. It also covers J.R.R. Tolkien.

A yellow suit sparked his interest in colour. He bought it, then learned he could not wear it at work.

Ines Hristea translated this edition from English. It forms part of the Savoir-vivre Aquarelle series.