“Delightful, rollicking history . . . A fun read, well-supported by extensive research.” — Los Angeles Times Book Review
“Fascinating...Greenfield has given us a superbly researched history of cochineal red, full of angles and tangents, curiosities and arcana.” — Diane Ackerman, Washington Post Book World
“With A PERFECT RED, she does for [red] what Mark Kurlansky in SALT did for that common commodity.” — Houston Chronicle
“A fascinating story of greed and subterfuge, mixing fashion, folly and ingenuity in equal measure... Written with style and verve.” — J. H. Elliott, University of Oxford
“A marvelous book... Meticulously researched, this saga will enchant lovers of historical mysteries, fascinating characters, and world economics.” — Mark Pendergrast, author of UNCOMMON GROUNDS and MIRROR MIRROR
“A gem of accessible history.” — San Diego Union-Tribune
“[An] intricate history...Greenfield paints a broad historical panorama, never neglecting the intimate, eccentric, and often absurd human details.” — Boston Globe
“Greenfield does what the best historical authors do--follows the thread of a story through history without missing a stitch.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer