num_pages: 352
description: A Perfect Red recounts the colorful history of cochineal, a legendary red dye that was once one of the world's most precious commodities. Treasured by the ancient Mexicans, cochineal was sold in the great Aztec marketplaces, where it attracted the attention of the Spanish conquistadors in 1519. Shipped to Europe, the dye created a sensation, producing the brightest, strongest red the world had ever seen. Soon Spain's cochineal monopoly was worth a fortune. Desperate to find their own sources of the elusive dye, the English, French, Dutch, and other Europeans tried to crack the enigma of cochineal. Did it come from a worm, a berry, a seed? Could it be stolen from Mexico and transplanted to their own colonies? Pirates, explorers, alchemists, scientists, and spies—all joined the chase for cochineal, a chase that lasted more than three centuries. A Perfect Red tells their stories—true-life tales of mystery, empire, and adventure, in pursuit of the most desirable color on earth.
language: English
title: A Perfect Red
titlecomplete: A Perfect Red
genres: Historical, History, Cultural, Travel, Microhistory, World History, Art History, Science, Nonfiction, Art
ratings_count: 2943
awards: awardedAt: 1136102400000
name: PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction Writers
publisher: Harper Perennial