Description: Drawing on alchemical theory, Édouard Laugier and Auguste Laurent set out to find the vital essence of life through the craft of perfumes. While drawing the ire of enlightened Bohemian Paris, they discovered fundamental differences in the structures of naturally occurring and synthetic molecules, inaugurating a persistent scientific mystery.
Brief description: Theresa Levitt is the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Professor of History at the University of Mississippi. She is the author of A Short Bright Flash and The Shadow of Enlightenment.
Review Quotes: Almost impossible to put down...Written with the propulsive flow of a novel, [Elixir] unfolds in two interconnected but sequential stories, each following a scientific hero...A whirlwind tour from the point of view of pomades, perfumes, and eau de cologne.--Michael D. Gordin "Science" (4/13/2023 12:00:00 AM)