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Colourful language
BOOKS & ARTS
For more reviews and to add your comments, visit www.NewScientist.com/books-art
Say red to see it
ALEX WEBB / MAGNUM PHOTOS
An exploration of colour makes a good case for the influence of language on thought
ibpp`ljjlkiv&dobbk)qebobt^p ^pqo^kdbkbpp^_lrqfq+Fp^Îtfkb* a^ohpb^Ïfk`obaf_ivmlbqf`lo grpqlaa<Di^apqlkbtlkaboba Reviewed by Christine Kenneally fcEljboÑplcc*hfiqbom^ibqqb FKQEB.52-p)qeb obsb^ibaklq^mlsboqvlc ?ofqfpep`eli^o) i^kdr^db)_rqlcmbo`bmqflk+ mlifqf`f^k^ka AfaEljbo)^kafkabba^iiqeb crqrobmofjb ^k`fbkqp)ebpmb`ri^qba)pbb jfkfpqboTfiif^j jlpqivfk_i^`h^katefqb< Di^apqlkbmolraiv Di^apqlkbÑptlohj^v_bifqqib* mr_ifpeba^ ob^aklt)_rqefpjrpfkdplk .4--*m^dbtloh `lilrohf`hbalcclkblcqebjlpq lkqebtofqfkdplcEljbo+ c^p`fk^qfkd^kaco^`qflrpab_^qbp Qeblmrpo^kdbalsboDobbh fkqebmpv`elildf`^ip`fbk`bp7albp dbldo^mev)pl`fbqv^kajlo^ifqv) qebi^kdr^dbvlrpmb^h^ccb`qqeb ^kafqfk`iraba^pj^ii_rq t^vvlrpbbqebtloia<Fc)clo obj^oh^_ib`e^mqbolkqebrpblc fkpq^k`b)vlre^sbkltloaclo `lilrofkqebFif^a^kaqebLavppbv+ sflibq)`^kvlr^`qr^iivmbo`bfsb Di^apqlkbl_pbosbaqe^qEljbo) qe^q`lilro<Te^qfcvlroi^kdr^db telpbmltboplcabp`ofmqflk^ka l_ifdbpvlrqlpmb`fcvqeb`ljm^pp bsl`^qflktbob^pbu`bmqflk^i afob`qflklc^kl_gb`qbsbovqfjb qebk^pqebvtboberkaobaplc vlrjbkqflkfq8albpqe^qjb^k vb^op_bclob)t^plaaivklk* vlrÑii^it^vphklttebobkloqefp< bur_bo^kqtebkfq`^jbql`lilro+ FkQeolrdeQebI^kdr^dbDi^ppÌ Qebbmf`mlbqlsbotebijfkdiv ^_llhplol_rpqivobpb^o`eba^ka abp`of_bal_gb`qp^pbfqebo_i^`h tlkabocriivqliaqe^qfqfpe^oaql lotefqb)^katebkebjbkqflkba mrqaltkÌDrvAbrqp`eboqo^`bp ^k^`qr^i`lilro)ifhbobalo%jr`e qebmbkarirjptfkdlcp`fbkqfcf` Through the Language Glass: How words colour your world by Guy Deutscher, William Heinemann, £20
44 | NewScientist | 5 June 2010
lmfkflklkqefpfpprb)cl`rpfkd jlpqivlkqebpqlovlc`lilro+ Abrqp`ebo)^kelklo^ov obpb^o`ecbiilt^qqebRkfsbopfqv lcJ^k`ebpqbo)RH)^ka^rqelolc QebRkcliafkdlcI^kdr^db)_ofkdp qldbqebojlobqe^k^`bkqrovÑp tloqelc`^mqfs^qfkd`e^o^`qbop) fk`fabkqp^kabumbofjbkqpqe^q fiirjfk^qbqebobi^qflkpefm _bqtbbktloap^kajfka+ Qebpbfk`irab^j^ppfsb.542 qo^fk`o^pefkPtbabkqe^qibaql qebafp`lsbovlcqebmebkljbklk klt`^iiba`lilro_ifkakbpp)^ka^ pfdkfcf`^kq.565qofmq^hbk_vqeb bumbofjbkq^impv`elildfpqTfiif^j Ofsbop+Ebt^pfksbpqfd^qfkd `lilroqbojprpba_vfpi^kabop fkqebQloobpPqo^fq)_bqtbbk >rpqo^if^^kaKbtDrfkb^)^ka efppqravt^pqebcfopqlcj^kv qlpeltgrpqeltafccbobkqiv i^kdr^dbp`^kÎq^ih^_lrqÏ`lilro+ Pljbi^kdr^dbp)clofkpq^k`b) tfiilkivabcfkfqfsbivfabkqfcv _i^`h)tefqb^kaoba+Pr`ecfkafkdp e^sbibafkgrpqqebi^pqcbtvb^op ql`ibsbobumbofjbkqpqe^qpelt elt`lilrotloap`^kpmbbarm ob`ldkfqflklcqelpbpe^abp+ Abrqp`eboj^hbp^`lksfk`fkd `^pbcloqebfkcirbk`blci^kdr^db lkqelrdeq)^kafkalfkdpleb obsb^ip^pjr`e^_lrqqebt^v `lilrotloappe^mblrombo`bmqflk ^p^_lrqqebt^vqe^qp`fbkqfcf` aldj^^kac^peflk`^k_ifkarp+
Efp_llhbu^jfkbpeltpefcqfkd `riqro^is^irbpe^sbpe^mbalro sfbtlcl_bpfqvpfk`b^k`fbkq qfjbp+Afccbobkqpl`fbqfbpe^sb _i^jbafqlktb^h`e^o^`qbo)mllo afbq)_^adbkbp)mlsboqv^kapfk+ Klttbe^sb^kbtk^oo^qfsb) p^vpDfij^k)^Îjlo^im^kf`Ïlsbo ^dil_^il_bpfqvbmfabjf`qe^q e^pc^qqeob^qbkfkdpl`fbqv^p^ telib+>ptfqedil_^it^ojfkd) absbilmbak^qflkpe^sbabpqolvba qebfobksfolkjbkq^ka^ob `loormqfkdqebobpqlcqebtloia8 qeb`robfppbbk^p^obqrokqlqeb Îk^qro^iÏ^kaÎpiltÏcllap%^ka s^irbp&lcqebm^pq+FqÑp^qelrdeq* molslhfkdmbopmb`qfsblklkblc lrojlpqrodbkqeb^iqemol_ibjp+
Carbon counting How Bad Are Bananas? The carbon footprint of everything by Mike Berners-Lee, Green Profile, £8.99 Reviewed by Kayleigh Lawrence
BSBOtlkaboba te^qqeb`^o_lk cllqmofkqlc^qbuq jbpp^dbfp<Lo^ mfkqlcjfih<Lo mboe^mp^m^folc qolrpbop<Tbii) Jfhb?bokbop*Ibb e^palkbqebkrj_bo*`ork`efkd ql`ljbrmtfqeqeb^kptbop+ >ptb^obbumlpbaql^cilla lc^ii*qll*lcqbk`lkqo^af`qlov qfmplkdobbkboifsfkd)j^hfkd Weighty issue bksfolkjbkq^iivobpmlkpf_ib ab`fpflkp`^k_b^mbomibufkd Obesity: The biography by Sander _rpfkbpp+?bokbop*Ibbt^kqp L. Gilman, Oxford University Press qefpql`e^kdb)^kaqebab`i^oba £12.99/$24.95 mromlpblcefp_llhfpqldfsbrp Reviewed by Jo Marchant ^iiqebÎ`^o_lkfkpqfk`qÏ+ B>Qlk`b^a^v) Elt?^a>ob?^k^k^p<fp pibbmlk^e^oa_ba m^`hbatfqefkcloj^qflk^_lrq ^kat^ihk^hbaclo qebbsbova^vqefkdptbal^ka ^pilkd^pmlppf_ib+ rpbqe^qmboe^mptbafaklq Pr`et^pqeb ob^ifpbe^a^kvfjm^`qlkqeb ^asf`blcqeb bksfolkjbkq^q^ii+FqÑp^k Dobbhmevpf`f^k bkd^dfkd_llhqe^qj^k^dbpql Efmml`o^qbpql mobpbkqpboflrpp`fbk`btfqelrq ^kvlkbtfpefkdqlpeba^cbt mob^`efkd+Fqlccbopqllipqe^q^kv mlrkap+QebobÑpklqefkdkbt ob^abotfii_b^_ibrpbqlj^hb ^_lrqmblmib_bfkdtloofbaqe^q fkclojba`elf`bp)^kabsbk qebv^obdbqqfkdc^q)klqbp`riqro^i pb^plkbab`l*bkqerpf^pqptfii efpqlof^kP^kaboI+Dfij^k+ _bfkclomibkqvlcpromofpbp+
For more reviews and to add your comments, visit www.NewScientist.com/books-art
Say red to see it
ALEX WEBB / MAGNUM PHOTOS
An exploration of colour makes a good case for the influence of language on thought
ibpp`ljjlkiv&dobbk)qebobt^p ^pqo^kdbkbpp^_lrqfq+Fp^Îtfkb* a^ohpb^Ïfk`obaf_ivmlbqf`lo grpqlaa<Di^apqlkbtlkaboba Reviewed by Christine Kenneally fcEljboÑplcc*hfiqbom^ibqqb FKQEB.52-p)qeb obsb^ibaklq^mlsboqvlc ?ofqfpep`eli^o) i^kdr^db)_rqlcmbo`bmqflk+ mlifqf`f^k^ka AfaEljbo)^kafkabba^iiqeb crqrobmofjb ^k`fbkqp)ebpmb`ri^qba)pbb jfkfpqboTfiif^j jlpqivfk_i^`h^katefqb< Di^apqlkbmolraiv Di^apqlkbÑptlohj^v_bifqqib* mr_ifpeba^ ob^aklt)_rqefpjrpfkdplk .4--*m^dbtloh `lilrohf`hbalcclkblcqebjlpq lkqebtofqfkdplcEljbo+ c^p`fk^qfkd^kaco^`qflrpab_^qbp Qeblmrpo^kdbalsboDobbh fkqebmpv`elildf`^ip`fbk`bp7albp dbldo^mev)pl`fbqv^kajlo^ifqv) qebi^kdr^dbvlrpmb^h^ccb`qqeb ^kafqfk`iraba^pj^ii_rq t^vvlrpbbqebtloia<Fc)clo obj^oh^_ib`e^mqbolkqebrpblc fkpq^k`b)vlre^sbkltloaclo `lilrofkqebFif^a^kaqebLavppbv+ sflibq)`^kvlr^`qr^iivmbo`bfsb Di^apqlkbl_pbosbaqe^qEljbo) qe^q`lilro<Te^qfcvlroi^kdr^db telpbmltboplcabp`ofmqflk^ka l_ifdbpvlrqlpmb`fcvqeb`ljm^pp bsl`^qflktbob^pbu`bmqflk^i afob`qflklc^kl_gb`qbsbovqfjb qebk^pqebvtboberkaobaplc vlrjbkqflkfq8albpqe^qjb^k vb^op_bclob)t^plaaivklk* vlrÑii^it^vphklttebobkloqefp< bur_bo^kqtebkfq`^jbql`lilro+ FkQeolrdeQebI^kdr^dbDi^ppÌ Qebbmf`mlbqlsbotebijfkdiv ^_llhplol_rpqivobpb^o`eba^ka abp`of_bal_gb`qp^pbfqebo_i^`h tlkabocriivqliaqe^qfqfpe^oaql lotefqb)^katebkebjbkqflkba mrqaltkÌDrvAbrqp`eboqo^`bp ^k^`qr^i`lilro)ifhbobalo%jr`e qebmbkarirjptfkdlcp`fbkqfcf` Through the Language Glass: How words colour your world by Guy Deutscher, William Heinemann, £20
44 | NewScientist | 5 June 2010
lmfkflklkqefpfpprb)cl`rpfkd jlpqivlkqebpqlovlc`lilro+ Abrqp`ebo)^kelklo^ov obpb^o`ecbiilt^qqebRkfsbopfqv lcJ^k`ebpqbo)RH)^ka^rqelolc QebRkcliafkdlcI^kdr^db)_ofkdp qldbqebojlobqe^k^`bkqrovÑp tloqelc`^mqfs^qfkd`e^o^`qbop) fk`fabkqp^kabumbofjbkqpqe^q fiirjfk^qbqebobi^qflkpefm _bqtbbktloap^kajfka+ Qebpbfk`irab^j^ppfsb.542 qo^fk`o^pefkPtbabkqe^qibaql qebafp`lsbovlcqebmebkljbklk klt`^iiba`lilro_ifkakbpp)^ka^ pfdkfcf`^kq.565qofmq^hbk_vqeb bumbofjbkq^impv`elildfpqTfiif^j Ofsbop+Ebt^pfksbpqfd^qfkd `lilroqbojprpba_vfpi^kabop fkqebQloobpPqo^fq)_bqtbbk >rpqo^if^^kaKbtDrfkb^)^ka efppqravt^pqebcfopqlcj^kv qlpeltgrpqeltafccbobkqiv i^kdr^dbp`^kÎq^ih^_lrqÏ`lilro+ Pljbi^kdr^dbp)clofkpq^k`b) tfiilkivabcfkfqfsbivfabkqfcv _i^`h)tefqb^kaoba+Pr`ecfkafkdp e^sbibafkgrpqqebi^pqcbtvb^op ql`ibsbobumbofjbkqpqe^qpelt elt`lilrotloap`^kpmbbarm ob`ldkfqflklcqelpbpe^abp+ Abrqp`eboj^hbp^`lksfk`fkd `^pbcloqebfkcirbk`blci^kdr^db lkqelrdeq)^kafkalfkdpleb obsb^ip^pjr`e^_lrqqebt^v `lilrotloappe^mblrombo`bmqflk ^p^_lrqqebt^vqe^qp`fbkqfcf` aldj^^kac^peflk`^k_ifkarp+
Efp_llhbu^jfkbpeltpefcqfkd `riqro^is^irbpe^sbpe^mbalro sfbtlcl_bpfqvpfk`b^k`fbkq qfjbp+Afccbobkqpl`fbqfbpe^sb _i^jbafqlktb^h`e^o^`qbo)mllo afbq)_^adbkbp)mlsboqv^kapfk+ Klttbe^sb^kbtk^oo^qfsb) p^vpDfij^k)^Îjlo^im^kf`Ïlsbo ^dil_^il_bpfqvbmfabjf`qe^q e^pc^qqeob^qbkfkdpl`fbqv^p^ telib+>ptfqedil_^it^ojfkd) absbilmbak^qflkpe^sbabpqolvba qebfobksfolkjbkq^ka^ob `loormqfkdqebobpqlcqebtloia8 qeb`robfppbbk^p^obqrokqlqeb Îk^qro^iÏ^kaÎpiltÏcllap%^ka s^irbp&lcqebm^pq+FqÑp^qelrdeq* molslhfkdmbopmb`qfsblklkblc lrojlpqrodbkqeb^iqemol_ibjp+
Carbon counting How Bad Are Bananas? The carbon footprint of everything by Mike Berners-Lee, Green Profile, £8.99 Reviewed by Kayleigh Lawrence
BSBOtlkaboba te^qqeb`^o_lk cllqmofkqlc^qbuq jbpp^dbfp<Lo^ mfkqlcjfih<Lo mboe^mp^m^folc qolrpbop<Tbii) Jfhb?bokbop*Ibb e^palkbqebkrj_bo*`ork`efkd ql`ljbrmtfqeqeb^kptbop+ >ptb^obbumlpbaql^cilla lc^ii*qll*lcqbk`lkqo^af`qlov qfmplkdobbkboifsfkd)j^hfkd Weighty issue bksfolkjbkq^iivobpmlkpf_ib ab`fpflkp`^k_b^mbomibufkd Obesity: The biography by Sander _rpfkbpp+?bokbop*Ibbt^kqp L. Gilman, Oxford University Press qefpql`e^kdb)^kaqebab`i^oba £12.99/$24.95 mromlpblcefp_llhfpqldfsbrp Reviewed by Jo Marchant ^iiqebÎ`^o_lkfkpqfk`qÏ+ B>Qlk`b^a^v) Elt?^a>ob?^k^k^p<fp pibbmlk^e^oa_ba m^`hbatfqefkcloj^qflk^_lrq ^kat^ihk^hbaclo qebbsbova^vqefkdptbal^ka ^pilkd^pmlppf_ib+ rpbqe^qmboe^mptbafaklq Pr`et^pqeb ob^ifpbe^a^kvfjm^`qlkqeb ^asf`blcqeb bksfolkjbkq^q^ii+FqÑp^k Dobbhmevpf`f^k bkd^dfkd_llhqe^qj^k^dbpql Efmml`o^qbpql mobpbkqpboflrpp`fbk`btfqelrq ^kvlkbtfpefkdqlpeba^cbt mob^`efkd+Fqlccbopqllipqe^q^kv mlrkap+QebobÑpklqefkdkbt ob^abotfii_b^_ibrpbqlj^hb ^_lrqmblmib_bfkdtloofbaqe^q fkclojba`elf`bp)^kabsbk qebv^obdbqqfkdc^q)klqbp`riqro^i pb^plkbab`l*bkqerpf^pqptfii efpqlof^kP^kaboI+Dfij^k+ _bfkclomibkqvlcpromofpbp+