A Perfect Red By Amy Butler Greenfield
Black Swan, £7.99

IF history books are your bag this could be one for you.

This book charts the history of the colour red.

It’s as heavy as it sounds, and those of you seeking a light, entertaining  read stay well clear!

Having said that, if you can stomach the history lesson you will be rewarded with knowledge from a book which travels the centuries and the continents.

It all started with the cochineal insect which gave the world a scarlet dye.

Treasured by the ancient Mexicans, and sold in Aztec markets, it was one of the world’s most precious commodities.

Thanks to the Spanish it was shipped to Europe, where it attracted the interest of other countries including the British.

There are colour illustrations which show how the dye came to signify power and how it was used in fashion and by leading artists.

The book is the winner of the 2006 Pen/Albrand prize for First Non Fiction.