Red, White, and Black Make Blue: Indigo in the Fabric of Colonial South Carolina Life

An in-depth study of the culture and material culture that surrounded 18th century South Carolina indigo production including slavery, trade, and many technical aspects. Sometimes I felt like it wandered a little aimlessly in its pursuit of Everything Indigo, but it was enjoyable nevertheless. I expected it to cover some more costume references, given that it is technically about a plant used in costume production

I love history. I like history involving dyes, fiber arts and anything interesting. The problem with this book, is that it was dry and over-thought....but maybe it's just me. I agree with the whole premise, I'm interested in the subject, but the book is dull and you struggle through it. This is the 2nd book lately that I've read (well, I listened to the other thing, and blessedly kept falling asleep through it multiple times), on fiber/textile arts....where the whole subject is just an over-thinking and over-analysis put down on paper, with not enough interesting stories or points to keep one's focus. The pictures were explained in over-wrought detail to fill pages, what one can see and understand with their own eyes by merely looking at the pictoral illustration.

Better then expected.

This is written like a textbook. It is an anthropological overview of the colonial abuse of Native Americans and African slaves in pursuit of profit through indigo. All worth knowing but would have been a better read if it included more about the botany and manufacture of indigo. As it stands it is a mea culpa and not much more.

I LOVE this book! One of my favorite books in my collection.