Most of us know that color can act differently and even have different primaries in different states., say pigments and light. Thrasher and Mudge explain a variety of other ways that we experience color. And they highlight 100 colors, explaining a bit about each and including interesting facts. These aren’t always what you even think of as colors – correction fluid? - but how it came to be is a good story. Other times it’s about uses or the science of the color. It can get a tiny bit technical, but overall is an easy read. I received a digital advanced copy compliments of Sasquatch Books and NetGalley.

The blurb calling this the ‘intersection of science and art’ is pretty much spot on. We start with an explanation of what colour even is, from both a scientific and slightly more poetic way of thinking about things. I really liked the ‘myth debunking’, which covers a lot of things from rainbows to some cool representations of colour blindness perceptions.

But of course, the main part of this book is those 100 colors. Each gets a ‘double spread’ – and oh, man, will this make for the most amazing coffee table book! – with not just a picture but also an explanation of why this colour, and some very cool names (I have always loved the creativity of naming colours!).

For instance, we start with ‘Cosmic Void’ – the colour of absolutely nothing, and probably most of the universe. And yet, it’s not as dark as ‘Vantablack’, an upsettingly man-made darkness than absorbs (almost) all visible light and will really play tricks on your brain!

Honestly, I went into this expecting some cool arty pictures with vaguely scientific sources, and instead I learned a lot of fascinating things! The colour we perceive in the absence of light, for example, is called ‘eigengrau’ and isn’t just a colour, but a perception created by the human brain and a survival tool.

We move through black, grey, and white, towards the rainbow hues, dancing between science and nature and some downright funny ones ‘landlord white’, for example, describing the most common off-white paint used in rentals. Seems daft, but there’s something wonderful about encapsulating the mundane human existence with the wonders of the stars.

If anything, I’d say this book was less ‘arty’ than I expected, more educational than merely pretty. Well, good!

The last section of the book starts with ‘Impossible colors’ – things that are beyond or perception, or can’t be experienced in a normal, straightforward manner. We can, however, be tricked into thinking we’re seeing them, and there are some fun, simple optical tricks to play along with.

I’d absolutely recommend this book, it was fun and fascinating. It would make a great gift for anyone in your life who likes both science, and a bit of art, or just learning about the universe we live in.

In a Nutshell: Love STEM-based books? Love admiring the colours of nature? Ever wonder what is ‘colour”? Here’s a fabulous addition to your TBR. Insightful, informative, mind-boggling. Loved the entire spectrum of information and hues in this book.

Ours is a world of light, and hence, of colours. It tough to think of colours as linked to energy, but that’s what they are. In school, we learn of the VIBGYOR spectrum, and we learn of the prism experiment that helps us scatter white light into a visible rainbow. But are sufficient light, an object, and functional eyesight enough to see all colours?

The book begins with an introductory note on the meaning of colour. (I love how it used the analogy of a music orchestra to explain how we see colours.) It includes several mind-blowing facts about colours, both visible and invisible to the human eye. (Did you know that red, yellow, and blue are NOT the primary colours of the universe?) The explanation is scientific but not too jargon-dominated.

Once the foundation of colours is set, the content moves on to what the title promises: the universe in a hundred colours. We see a hundred shades (Confession: A few of the shades appeared very similar to this human’s eye!) and learn fascinating details about them. The left-hand side contains a coloured photograph of the colour itself or some object in that precise shade. The right-hand side contains the physical composition of the colour (using a helpful symbol-based key to denote the nature of each colour) and textual insights into the shade.

Now you might wonder, as I did: how much text could be written about individual colours? Turns out, quite a lot! The explanations accompanying the colours cover an astonishing array of subjects such as history, zoology, botany, astronomy, chemistry, and even modern-day technology. Once the visible colour spectrum is exhausted, the content even covers iridescent colours (wow!) and imagined colours (went entirely above my head!)

Most of the explanation is straightforward, making it manageable for even a layperson with limited scientific knowledge to understand the more complex scientific bits. I appreciate how the content even addressed trickier issues such as Anish Kapoor's unethical behaviour in hoarding Vantablack or racism against certain cultures leading to colours named after them.

However, some of the pages did go too technical. I especially zoned out at the bits about chemical composition of various minerals. In a couple cases, the origin of the colour’s name is from another language such as feuille morte from French (dead leaves). It would have been great if they had mentioned this language reference as well. Reading ‘dead leaves’ as the meaning makes us understand why the colour is called ‘feuille morte’. (That said, I greatly appreciate being told the correct pronunciation of mineralogist Fuchs’ last name. 😁)

No major complaints. This would be a great coffee table book for anyone interested in the topic. It is entertaining as well as enlightening. It would work far better if you flip a page at random and read about the colour that pops up.

Definitely recommended. The colour photographs mean that it would be far better read as a physical copy.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Sasquatch Books for providing the DRC of “The Universe in 100 Colors” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Book Review: The Universe in 100 Colors by Tyler Thrasher and Terry Mudge

Rating: 5 Stars

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing The Universe in 100 Colors by Tyler Thrasher and Terry Mudge, and let me tell you, this book is a visual feast! At the intersection of science and art, it’s a captivating coffee table book that opened my eyes to a vibrant world of colors I never knew existed.

The authors take us on an exhilarating journey through the universe’s color palette, showcasing 100 stunning hues that are often overlooked. Over billions of years, life on Earth has created a dazzling array of colors, some of which serve specific functions in nature while others are human inventions crafted for unique purposes. From the soft beige of Cosmic Latte (the average color of the universe) to the deep crimson of Dragon’s Blood (a tropical tree with remarkable medicinal properties), this book highlights colors that are as mind-blowing as they are beautiful.

One of the things I loved most about this book is how it’s organized. The 100 colors are arranged in gradient order, making it easy to flip through and admire the stunning photography that showcases each hue. The authors cleverly include snappy descriptions alongside diagrams when necessary, which made understanding the science behind these colors a breeze. I found myself fascinated by entries like Sonoluminescence—a color produced by sound—and Eiengrau, the hue we perceive in total darkness (and no, it’s not just pitch black!).

As someone who enjoys both art and science, this book struck the perfect balance for me. Not only did it provide page after page of beautiful photographs, but it also offered fascinating facts and historical context about each color. I was pleasantly surprised to discover familiar names like Prussian Blue and Pompeian Red alongside lesser-known colors like Sonoluminescence and Astaxanthin. Each entry was a delightful nugget of knowledge that sparked my curiosity further.

Whether you're an artist seeking inspiration, a photography enthusiast who appreciates the beauty of the natural world, or simply someone looking for a stunning book for your coffee table, I can’t recommend The Universe in 100 Colors enough! It’s a book that invites you to explore, learn, and appreciate the vibrant tapestry of colors that surrounds us every day. Dive in, and prepare to be amazed!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

The Universe in 100 Colors wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was a fun and interesting read, none the less! I was expecting more about colors found naturally across earth and space, but was surprised to find many man-made items included. The photos were stunning and the science behind colors and color theory was fascinating to read! Great coffee table book!

I absolutely loved reading this book. I was completely drawn into the topic and could not stop reading it.

Absolutely the best read

Given the title, I thought this book would be more nature-based, but was surprised to see many manmade items. It is an interesting book explaining color theory and other topics. Good photographs. I think our library would purchase this title.

This book was an absolute delight. As an artist, color is one of the first things that I notice, and the brighter the colors, the more interesting the object. This book gave me page after page of amazing photography showcasing a broad spectrum of colors, complete with facts and history about each one. Some were familiar like Vantablack or Pompeian Red, But then there were colors like Anthocyanin, Sonoluminescense, or Astaxanthin, all of which describe fascinating information about beautiful colors. Whether you're an artist looking for inspiration, someone who enjoys excellent photography of the natural work, or just want something interesting on your coffee table to spark discussion, I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and publisher for providing an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun read! This book uses logic and science to focus on 100 different colors in the universe. I learned so much more than I expected. You don't have to already be science-savvy to enjoy this, plus there is a glossary of terms at the end of the book! 4 🌟

I think my expectations were too high for this book. As a fancy coffee-table book about a universe of colors, I expected it to be fascinating for both the vision scientist and the artist in me. And though I found much of the writing interesting, I found myself putting the book down quickly. Very few of the photographs were exciting and they usually weren't good illustrations of the concepts. I was not surprised to find that many of them were stock photos. The promise of a cosmic color experience wore off quickly, and turned into disappointment.

Lovers of art, science, and history will enjoy this coffee table book that focuses on unique colors of the natural world. The book is fascinating, edifying, and visually beautiful.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Every. Single. Page. is fascinating!!! I thought this would be about colors for artists, but it’s more like…colors for scientists! But actually I think that might make you a better artist. I learned so much, and yet it’s not a heavy, difficult read at all. It’s completely accessible to lay people.
In short, I loved it.
Thank you for the eARC!

This was a very beautiful and informative book, it was great to learn more about colours and how they shape the universe. Cosmic Latte was my favourite.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Universe in 100 Colors is a beautiful exploration of the science, history, culture, and art of the visual world around us. The early part of the book begins with an easy to understand scientific explanation of things like, what is color? Afterwards, each color is given a photo and an explanation of what it is and why. The very first color in the book is Cosmic Void, the nothingness that was there in the beginning before existence. Photos range from space, fungi, insects, brain scans, gems, and so much more. I learned a lot from this book, and enjoyed the beautiful artwork. It belongs on the coffee table of anybody that loves science and art!!

Some of my favorite pages were Eigengrau, Cosmic Latte, Egyptian Blue, Venusian yellow, and Luciferin. The blurb about Cosmic Latte is going to stay with me for quite awhile.