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The Rarest Blue: The Remarkable Story of an Ancient Color Lost to History and
US $86.30
Approximately£63.88
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New
A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. See the seller's listing for full details.
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Located in: Sparks, Nevada, United States
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eBay item number:405419213937
Item specifics
- Condition
- Publication Date
- 2012-11-20
- Pages
- 336
- ISBN
- 9780762782222
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Globe Pequot Press, T.H.E.
ISBN-10
0762782226
ISBN-13
9780762782222
eBay Product ID (ePID)
117361073
Product Key Features
Book Title
Rarest Blue : the Remarkable Story of an Ancient Color Lost to History and Rediscovered
Number of Pages
320 Pages
Language
English
Publication Year
2012
Topic
Ancient / General, Judaism / History, Life Sciences / Marine Biology, History
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Religion, Science, History
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Weight
0 Oz
Item Length
7.5 in
Item Width
5.5 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
Reviews
"The Stermans' dedication is admirable and their research comprehensive … Ambitious." - Kirkus Reviews "An amazing tale of historical sleuthing told by a true storyteller who captures both the drama and the magic of the quest for Biblical blue." -Simcha Jacobovici, Emmy Awardwinning journalist, director, and author "A story of science and religion, of craft and history, and told in such an engaging way. The Rarest Blue is spellbinding, each page a revelation. In lovely, engaging prose, the Stermans reveal the rediscovery of snail indigo-a detective story with cultural origins and a spiritual ending. A wonderful book." -Roald Hoffmann, winner of the Nobel Prize for chemistry " The Rarest Blue is truly a multidisciplinary story. At its most basic, it represents and employs a genuine fusion of Torah and science, accessible and useful to both scholar and layman. But beyond that, it spans a rich spectrum of disciplines in the realms of science and the humanities as it tracks a historical saga across many generations. The Stermans have done a masterful job in relating this captivating tale." -Rabbi Dr. Ari Zivotofsky, Interdisciplinary Program for Brain Science, Bar-Ilan University, "Sterman's expansive and fascinating microhistory covers the historical importance of the dye, the closely guarded manufacturing process, controversies over fraudulent versions of the color, the chemistry behind the dye molecule, the events leading to the rediscovery of the dye process, and even the physics explaining the rarity of the color in nature. Although Sterman tackles a broad range of topics, his emphasis on Jewish traditions and ancient practices keeps it centered and illuminating." - Booklist "The Stermans' dedication is admirable and their research comprehensive … Ambitious." - Kirkus Reviews "An amazing tale of historical sleuthing told by a true storyteller who captures both the drama and the magic of the quest for Biblical blue." -Simcha Jacobovici, Emmy Awardwinning journalist, director, and author "A story of science and religion, of craft and history, and told in such an engaging way. The Rarest Blue is spellbinding, each page a revelation. In lovely, engaging prose, the Stermans reveal the rediscovery of snail indigo-a detective story with cultural origins and a spiritual ending. A wonderful book." -Roald Hoffmann, winner of the Nobel Prize for chemistry " The Rarest Blue is truly a multidisciplinary story. At its most basic, it represents and employs a genuine fusion of Torah and science, accessible and useful to both scholar and layman. But beyond that, it spans a rich spectrum of disciplines in the realms of science and the humanities as it tracks a historical saga across many generations. The Stermans have done a masterful job in relating this captivating tale." -Rabbi Dr. Ari Zivotofsky, Interdisciplinary Program for Brain Science, Bar-Ilan University, "You'll love this Indiana Jonesstyle chemistry adventure: an enlightening hunt for the lost source of history's most valuable dye." -Mental Floss magazine "An adventure ... a fascinating journey that takes the reader back in time, offering an exciting and thorough overview into the ancient world of dyeing ... this book offers something for everyone. ... From Crete to Masada and from Galileo to Gandhi, no stone is left unturned in presenting the glorious past of the blue dye. The key players are beautifully presented along with their biographies and the historical context in which they lived and were influenced. Readers will even learn how Aristotle and Pliny affected the search for the murex snail. The Rarest Blue is simply delightful." - Torah Musings "Sterman's expansive and fascinating microhistory covers the historical importance of the dye, the closely guarded manufacturing process, controversies over fraudulent versions of the color, the chemistry behind the dye molecule, the events leading to the rediscovery of the dye process, and even the physics explaining the rarity of the color in nature. Although Sterman tackles a broad range of topics, his emphasis on Jewish traditions and ancient practices keeps it centered and illuminating." - Booklist "The Stermans' dedication is admirable and their research comprehensive … Ambitious." - Kirkus Reviews "An amazing tale of historical sleuthing told by a true storyteller who captures both the drama and the magic of the quest for Biblical blue." -Simcha Jacobovici, Emmy Awardwinning journalist, director, and author "A story of science and religion, of craft and history, and told in such an engaging way. The Rarest Blue is spellbinding, each page a revelation. In lovely, engaging prose, the Stermans reveal the rediscovery of snail indigo-a detective story with cultural origins and a spiritual ending. A wonderful book." -Roald Hoffmann, winner of the Nobel Prize for chemistry " The Rarest Blue is truly a multidisciplinary story. At its most basic, it represents and employs a genuine fusion of Torah and science, accessible and useful to both scholar and layman. But beyond that, it spans a rich spectrum of disciplines in the realms of science and the humanities as it tracks a historical saga across many generations. The Stermans have done a masterful job in relating this captivating tale." -Rabbi Dr. Ari Zivotofsky, Interdisciplinary Program for Brain Science, Bar-Ilan University
TitleLeading
The
Synopsis
The Rarest Blue tells the incredible story of tekhelet, the elusive sky-blue color mentioned throughout the Bible. Minoans discovered it; Phoenicians stole it; Roman emperors revered it; and Jews--obeying a commandment to affix a thread of it to their garments--risked their lives for it. But as the Roman Empire dissolved, the color vanished. Then, in the nineteenth century, a marine biologist marveled as yellow snail guts smeared on a fisherman's shirt turned blue. But what had caused this incredible transformation? Meanwhile, a Hasidic master obsessed with the ancient technique posited that the source of the dye was no snail but a squid. Bitter controversy divided European Jews until a brilliant rabbi proved one side wrong. But had an unscrupulous chemist deceived them? In this richly illustrated book, Baruch Sterman brilliantly recounts the amazing story of this sacred dye that changed the color of history., For centuries, dyed fabrics ranked among the most expensive objects of the ancient Mediterranean world, fetching up to 20 times their weight in gold. Huge fortunes were made from and lost to them, and battles were fought over control of the industry. The few who knew the dyes' complex secrets carefully guarded the valuable knowledge. The Rarest Blue tells the amazing story of tekhelet, or hyacinth blue, the elusive sky-blue dye mentioned 50 times in the Hebrew Bible. The Minoans discovered it; the Phoenicians stole the technique; Cleopatra adored it; and Jews--obeying a Biblical commandment to affix a single thread of the radiant color to the corner of their garments--risked their lives for it. But with the fall of the Roman Empire, the technique was lost to the ages. Then, in the nineteenth century, a marine biologist saw a fisherman smearing his shirt with snail guts, marveling as the yellow stains turned sky blue. But what was the secret? At the same time, a Hasidic master obsessed with reviving the ancient tradition posited that the source wasn't a snail at all but a squid. Bitter fighting ensued until another rabbi discovered that one of them was wrong--but had an unscrupulous chemist deliberately deceived him? Baruch Sterman brilliantly recounts the complete, amazing story of this sacred dye that changed the color of history., For centuries, dyed fabrics ranked among the most expensive objects of the ancient Mediterranean world, fetching up to 20 times their weight in gold. Huge fortunes were made from and lost to them, and battles were fought over control of the industry. The few who knew the dyes' complex secrets carefully guarded the valuable knowledge. The Rarest Blue tells the amazing story of tekhelet , or hyacinth blue, the elusive sky-blue dye mentioned 50 times in the Hebrew Bible. The Minoans discovered it; the Phoenicians stole the technique; Cleopatra adored it; and Jews-obeying a Biblical commandment to affix a single thread of the radiant color to the corner of their garments-risked their lives for it. But with the fall of the Roman Empire, the technique was lost to the ages. Then, in the nineteenth century, a marine biologist saw a fisherman smearing his shirt with snail guts, marveling as the yellow stains turned sky blue. But what was the secret? At the same time, a Hasidic master obsessed with reviving the ancient tradition posited that the source wasn't a snail at all but a squid. Bitter fighting ensued until another rabbi discovered that one of them was wrong-but had an unscrupulous chemist deliberately deceived him? Baruch Sterman brilliantly recounts the complete, amazing story of this sacred dye that changed the color of history., For centuries, blue and purple dyed fabrics ranked among the ancient world's most desirable objects, commanding many times their weight in gold. Few people knew their secrets, carefully guarding the valuable knowledge, and strict laws regulated their production and use. The Rarest Blue tells the incredible story of tekhelet, the elusive sky-blue color mentioned throughout the Bible. Minoans discovered it; Phoenicians stole it; Roman emperors revered it; and Jews--obeying a commandment to affix a thread of it to their garments--risked their lives for it. But as the Roman Empire dissolved, the color vanished. Then, in the nineteenth century, a marine biologist marveled as yellow snail guts smeared on a fisherman's shirt turned blue. But what had caused this incredible transformation? Meanwhile, a Hasidic master obsessed with the ancient technique posited that the source of the dye was no snail but a squid. Bitter controversy divided European Jews until a brilliant rabbi proved one side wrong. But had an unscrupulous chemist deceived them? In this richly illustrated book, Baruch Sterman brilliantly recounts the amazing story of this sacred dye that changed the color of history.
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- m***m (2293)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseI’m thrilled with my recent purchase . The website was user-friendly, and the product descriptions were accurate. Customer service was prompt and helpful, answering all my questions. My order arrived quickly, well-packaged, and the product exceeded my expectations in quality. I’m impressed with the attention to detail and the overall experience. I’ll definitely shop here again and highly recommend from this seller to others. Thank you for a fantastic experience!
- a***n (43)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseMistakenly ordered a paperback that I thought was a hardcover, not sellers fault; it was described properly on the listing. Seller still processed a refund the day I went to return the item and let me keep the item anyway. A+++ service. Book arrived quickly in great condition and for a great price. Thank you so much! Amazing seller!
- n***c (94)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseseller was communicative about my shipment, media mail took a while and tracking wasn't updated frequently, but seller communicated to me very quickly on status. the item came new and wrapped as described, though the packaging in it was packed wasn't sturdy and falling apart when it got to me.
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Seller Feedback (512,678)
- m***m (2293)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseI’m thrilled with my recent purchase . The website was user-friendly, and the product descriptions were accurate. Customer service was prompt and helpful, answering all my questions. My order arrived quickly, well-packaged, and the product exceeded my expectations in quality. I’m impressed with the attention to detail and the overall experience. I’ll definitely shop here again and highly recommend from this seller to others. Thank you for a fantastic experience!
- a***n (43)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseMistakenly ordered a paperback that I thought was a hardcover, not sellers fault; it was described properly on the listing. Seller still processed a refund the day I went to return the item and let me keep the item anyway. A+++ service. Book arrived quickly in great condition and for a great price. Thank you so much! Amazing seller!
- n***c (94)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseseller was communicative about my shipment, media mail took a while and tracking wasn't updated frequently, but seller communicated to me very quickly on status. the item came new and wrapped as described, though the packaging in it was packed wasn't sturdy and falling apart when it got to me.