Save A Perfect Red: Empire, Espionage, and the Quest for the Color of Desire

Wide-ranging look at nations' quest for "the perfect red," and the immense impact that a simple INSECT can have on an entire nation's econmy.

Good intertwining examinations of the parallel stories of the economy, empire, espionage, piracy, trade, labor conditions (including slavery), racism, the "old" and "new" worlds, etc. Lots of good detail about the personalities involved and the twists and turns as researchers tried to discover the source of the "perfect red" at the heart of Spain's economy.

Fun aside: While you're reading the book, you find yourself noticing colors more. The book gives you an increased appreciation for the use of color in everyday life and a gratitude that in contemporary times everyone can afford colors of every hue, as opposed to centuries past when certain colors were only for the royals or other upper classes.Get more detail about A Perfect Red: Empire, Espionage, and the Quest for the Color of Desire.