This book is a highly illustrated, immensely entertaining exploration of the science of plant colour. Beginning with potent reminders of how deeply interwoven plant colours are with human life and culture – from the shifting hues that told early humans when fruits and vegetables were edible to the indigo dyes that signified royalty for later generations – Lee moves easily through details of pigments, the evolution of colour perception, the nature of light, and dozens of other topics. Lee reveals the profound ways that efforts to understand and exploit plant colour have influenced every sphere of human life, from organic chemistry to Renaissance painting to the highly lucrative orchid trade.
409 pages, 83 line drawings, 31 halftones.
"Nature's Palette is a spacious book, full of wonder and wonders, in which the scientific and the personal, the poetic and the historical, come together in the most delightful way - it is a pure pleasure to read." - Oliver Sacks "Lee takes his readers through the social history, ecology, evolution and biochemistry of plant color. Lee makes no apologies for his unabashedly personal approach, and his love and enthusiasm for the subject shine through on every page." - Sandra Knapp, Times Literary Supplement "A great book that will leave you looking at leaves and petals with renewed admiration." - New Scientist "The book is beautifully illustrated.... The science in the book is solid, but is presented in a clear, nonintimidating fashion. Nature's Palette will appeal to a wide audience." - Choice "Lee's book is packed with many gems from botanical and social history.... His paean provides a compelling case that botany is full of intellectual challenges, many shamefully neglected." - Philip Ball, Nature"