An eighteen-year old with a failed chemistry experiment thought the black goop in his test-tube looked interesting. He dipped in a piece of cloth and discovered – the color than changed the world. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the invention of mauve. Also, Tracy Chevalier reads from The Girl with the Pearl Earring and poet Mark Doty contemplates the art of seeing.

Mark Doty is the author of five books of poetry and two memoirs. His most recent book is "Still Life with Oysters and Lemon." Doty tells Anne Strainchamps why he loves 17th century Dutch still lifes and how, like poetry, they reveal the awareness of their creators. Also, naturalist Terry Tempest Williams tells Steve Paulson about Hironymous Bosch's masterpiece "The Garden of Earthly Delights," and lists the amazing number of bird species she identified on the canvas.

Tracy Chevalier reads from her best-seller "Girl with a Pearl Earring," and tells Jim Fleming about her novel which is set in the household of the great painter Vermeer. And Stan Freberg weighs in with some remarks on color.

Simon Garfield is the author of "Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color that Changed the World." He tells Steve Paulson about Wiliam Perkin, the man who created the first aniline dye. Also, a selection from Ken Nordine's "Colors." And, Michelle Cassou tells Anne Strainchamps about her workshops that teach people to paint for the joy of it.

Books:

• Michelle Cassou, Point Zero : Creativity Without Limits (J.P. Tarcher)
• Tracy Chevalier, The Girl With the Pearl Earring (Dutton, Plume)
• Mark Doty, Still Life With Oysters and Lemon (Beacon Press)
• Simon Garfield, Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color That Changed the World (Norton)
• Terry Tempest Williams, Leap (Pantheon)

Music:

• Gabriel Faure: Pavane / Boston Pops Orchestra, John Williams conductor from a Philips CD called “Pops in Love”
• “Meet James Ensor”, by They Might Be Giants – on an Elektra CD called “John Henry”
• “The Toy Trumpet”, from “Reckless Nights and Turkish Twilights -- the music of Raymond Scott”. A Columbia CD.
• Music under Tracy Chevalier: music by Marin Marais, “Pieces de Viole du Troisieme Livre, 1711". Played by Jordi Savall, Ton Koopman and Hopkinson Smith. An Astree CD.
• Stan Freberg: from “Tip of the Freberg: The Stan Freberg Collection, 1951-1998" on Rhino Records.
• from “Organs in Orbit” – lounge music on EMI. “Patricia” – by Billy May and his Orchestra
• “Yellow” by Ken Nordine, on his “Colors” CD. Label: Asphodel
• “Vincent Van Gogh” by Jonathan Richman.

Distribution dates:

• week of 05/06/2001 - hour 2