Scent: A Natural History of Fragrance

“But though Scent is a story of plants' ingenuity, it is also a tale of the human kind."—The Economist   “An easy read about a hugely wide subject…[Pearlstine] caught my real attention when she got into the territory of smell notes. I love the language of smell. It’s like winespeak, only better.”—Isabel Bannerman, The Daily Telegraph "New Scientist said it was about "curiosity and enquiry itself...and an exaltation of the fact humans can wonder at all". Elise Vernon Pearlstine's Scent: A natural history of fragrance explores that sense of wonder through smells."—Simon Ings, New Scientist 'Best Books of 2022' “This charming book discusses spices and scents including frankincense, saffron, rose, mint and musk. It also describes perfume manufacturing and the fashion world’s “hundreds, if not thousands” of perfume launches each year.”—Andrew Robinson, Nature “Pearlstine effortlessly unpacks a lifetime of knowledge. Meticulous information is shared through evocative writing to give you a passenger seat on a tour around the world's flora and fauna.”—Chris Stokel-Walker, New Scientist Received the Royal Palm Literary Award's Silver designation in the nonfiction category, sponsored by the Florida Writers Association “In this beautifully crafted and thoroughly researched book, Elise Pearlstine's evocative writing transports us to far-off lands and to long-forgotten times, revealing the fascinating secrets of the fragrance-filled plants that have shaped humanity.”—Stuart Farrimond, author of Science of Spice, Science of Cooking, and Science of Living “Elise Pearlstine has written a captivating page-turner of a book that blends history, science, and chemistry together into an evocative story.”—Stephen Buchmann, author of The Reason for Flowers: Their History, Culture, Biology, and How They Change Our Lives “Elise Pearlstine has written a beautiful account of an important medium of human expression. Her gentle prose and lush descriptions are so lovely that at times they almost amount to a sort of poetry: joyous to read and supported by immaculate research.”—Saskia Wilson-Brown, founder of The Institute for Art and Olfaction “In this plant’s-nose view of fragrance, the author plunges us into the redolent world of the vegetal Kingdom. We humans belong to another Kingdom to which plants are utterly indifferent, yet we are not indifferent to them, and our delight in their scents has had a major impact on civilization (from trade and courting rituals to cooking). In recounting how our respective histories (natural vs. cultural) have become entwined, this superb book will inspire the reader to discover their inner botanist and breathe deeply.”—David Howes, author of The Sensory Studies Manifesto “Elise Pearlstine gives voices to the unsung: the raw materials, pollinators, and plants that have inspired her and perfumers throughout history. Comprehensive and well researched, the book makes her passion for perfume palpable on every page.”—Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief, cafleurebon.com