Red: A History of the Redhead

by Jacky Colliss Harvey

Overview

Red is a brilliantly told, captivating history of red hair throughout the ages. A book that breaks new ground, dispels myths, and reinforces the special nature of being a redhead, with a look at multiple disciplines, including science, religion, politics, feminism and sexuality, literature, and art.

With an obsessive fascination that is as contagious as it is compelling, author Jacky Colliss Harvey (herself a redhead) begins her exploration of red hair in prehistory and traces the redhead gene as it made its way out of Africa with the early human diaspora to its emergence under Northern skies. She goes on to explore red hair in the ancient world; the prejudice manifested against red hair across medieval Europe; red hair during the Renaissance as both an indicator of Jewishness during the Inquisition and the height of fashion in Protestant England, under the reign of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I; the modern age of art and literature, and the first positive symbols of red hair in children's characters; modern medicine and science and the genetic and chemical decoding of red hair; and finally, red hair in contemporary culture, from advertising and exploitation to "gingerism" and the new movement against bullying.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603764032
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	06/09/2015
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	255,106
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

Jacky Colliss Harvey is a writer and editor, and the author of Red: A History of the Redhead and My Life As A Redhead: A Journal. She studied English at Cambridge University and art history at the Courtauld Institute. She has worked in museum publishing and is a commentator and reviewer who speaks on the arts and their relation to popular culture. She divides her time between London and New York.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Way, Way Back, Many Centuries Ago 13

Chapter 2 Black and White and Red All Over 29

Chapter 3 Different for Girls 57

Chapter 4 The Excrement of the Head 89

Chapter 5 Sinners and Stunners 115

Chapter 6 Rapunzel, Rapunzel 145

Chapter 7 Freaks of Fashion 175

Chapter 8 Redhead Days 199

Reading for Redheads 219

Acknowledgments 221

Art and Photography Credits 222

Index 224

Editorial Reviews

"An important, fascinating read for redheads—and others—everywhere."—Elle

"Lively...intellectually wide-ranging."—The Wall Street Journal

"The magnetic appeal of red hair... is the subject of a fascinating new book, RED: A History of the Redhead, by Jacky Colliss Harvey - herself one of the tribe."—Vogue

"Engaging...light-hearted but erudite history."—Washington Post

From the Publisher

05/15/2015
Harvey, whose experiences as a ginger add a personal touch to her findings, traces the cultural, scientific, and sociological journey of the redhead through the centuries and around the world. Offering examples from literature, art, politics, and religion that range from the traditional—Mary Magdalene and Elizabeth I—to the contemporary—Lucille Ball (who was famously not born a redhead) and the television show South Park's "Kick a Ginger Day" episode—she presents the prevailing stereotypes about redheads and theorizes their origins. Why are the women so often thought of as fiery vixens and the men as feminine and unattractive? Harvey describes the push back as well, citing Thomas Knights' REDHOT 100 exhibit, a photographic campaign to rebrand the view of the redheaded man. While the narrative can sometimes raise more questions than it provides concrete answers for, the speculation is eye opening. VERDICT With a plethora of individual anecdotes and presented research, first-time author Harvey brings to light the unique history and current perceptions of redheads everywhere.—Kate DiGirolomo, Library Journal

Library Journal

Red hair, the rarest of the hair colors, carries with it a host of preconceived assumptions and ideas about the bearer's personality. This is a topic near and dear to author Jacky Colliss Harvey, a redhead herself, so it’s fitting that she narrates her in-depth exploration of the history and biology of redheads throughout the world. Harvey has a pleasant British accent with clear diction and a knack for tonal variation. She recounts her personal experiences with “gingerism,” prejudice against redheads, in her homeland of Great Britain, where preconceptions about redheads seem to be particularly strong. She relates fascinating historical and scientific tidbits, culminating in an account of her experience in the Netherlands at a redhead festival, where, for once, redheads were the majority rather than the minority. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2015 - AudioFile

Red hair, the rarest of the hair colors, carries with it a host of preconceived assumptions and ideas about the bearer's personality. This is a topic near and dear to author Jacky Colliss Harvey, a redhead herself, so it’s fitting that she narrates her in-depth exploration of the history and biology of redheads throughout the world. Harvey has a pleasant British accent with clear diction and a knack for tonal variation. She recounts her personal experiences with “gingerism,” prejudice against redheads, in her homeland of Great Britain, where preconceptions about redheads seem to be particularly strong. She relates fascinating historical and scientific tidbits, culminating in an account of her experience in the Netherlands at a redhead festival, where, for once, redheads were the majority rather than the minority. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2015 - AudioFile