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London Review of Books Christmas Books

After the Deluge subscriber-only content

Peter Campbell

  • The Rainbow Bridge: Rainbows in Art, Myth and Science by Raymond Lee and Alistair Fraser

First the rainbow brought messages, later it demanded explanations. In the story of Noah it is God’s promise of an end to floods; in Greek mythology, Iris was both goddess of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods. Then, once a scientific theory was called for, it proved far from easy to come up with a satisfactory one.

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Peter Campbell is the London Review’s resident designer and art critic.

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