Description: Discover the importance of smell in our lives, from food to sex to friendship, with this first book on the subject by the worlds leading scientific expert on this vital sense.
Brief description:
Since 2000, Rachel Herz, Ph.D., has been on the faculty of Brown University. She has appeared on the Discovery Channel, ABC News, the BBC, National Public Radio, and the Learning Channel, and is the subject of a Scientific American profile piece.
Review Quotes:
"This is a spicy perfume of a book, redolent with fascinating facts and provocative hypotheses." - Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor, Harvard University, author of The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, and The Stuff of Thought
"Filled with intriguing bits of information." - Weekly Standard
"You'll never take your nose for granted again once you've read The Scent of Desire." - USA Today
"A great reference book that everyone should read. An excellent overview of the sense of smell. It kills some of the myths that have long been corrupting Perfumery and explains where the higher debates should really be. Thank you, Rachel Herz, for gathering these facts about olfaction in one place." - Christophe Laudamiel, Senior Perfumer, Fine Fragrances & Innovation
THE SCENT OF DESIRE was a finalist for the 2009 AAAS Excellence in Science Writing Award - The American Association for the Advancement of Science
"Astounding and sometimes mind-boggling with (a) wonderfully charming voice and writing style." - Blogcritics.org
"Charming. A reminder that life without aromas...would be sad indeed." - Curled Up with a Good Book
"Intriguing...This illuminating book argues convincingly that the sense of smell should never be taken for granted." - Publishers Weekly
"Fascinating . . . A serious book, with many whiffs of delight." - Washington Post Book World
"A delightfully unexpected blend of personal anecdotes, pop-cultural erudition and scientific understanding. " - Kirkus Reviews