It’s only fair that given the amount of time I’ve spent writing about the smell of books that I should be focusing on the perfume book itself. Here are all of my books on perfume that I use for research, inspiration, and most importantly, a bit of eye candy. On Perfume Making by Frédéric Malle is a total coffee table book, with gorgeous photos but not much in the way of substantive text. For all of the theory heads out there, there is Anthony Synott’s Aroma: The Cultural History of Smell contains nerdier, scholarly texts on the social aspects of perfume. I also love looking at the cover art.
Can you suggest any books on perfume that I should add to my collection? Already on my wishlist: Alyssa Harad’s Coming to My Senses and Denise Beaulieu’s The Perfume Lover.
Mandy Aftel and Daniel Patterson. Aroma: The Magic of Essential Oils in Foods and Fragrance.
Mandy Aftel. Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of PerfumeAnna Barbara and Anthony Perliss. Invisible Architecture: Experiencing Places Through the Sense of Smell.Elisabeth Barille. The Book of PerfumeChandler Burr. The Emperor of ScentChandler Burr. The Perfect ScentRoja Dove. The Essence of Perfume.Jim Drobnick. The Smell Culture ReaderMichael Edwards. Perfume Legends: French Feminine FragrancesAvery Gilbert. What the Nose KnowsFrédéric Malle. On Perfume MakingMoran, Jan. Fabulous Fragrances: How to Select Your Perfume Wardrobe-The Women’s Guide to Prestige PerfumesMoran, Jan. Fabulous Fragrances II: A Guide to Prestige Perfumes for Women and MenEdwin Morris. Fragrance: The Story of Perfume from Cleopatra to ChanelCathy Newman. Perfume: The Art and Science of ScentAnthony Synott. Aroma: The Cultural History of SmellRichard Stamelman. Perfume: Joy, Scandal, Sin – A Cultural History of Fragrance from 1750 to the PresentLuca Turin and Tania Sanchez. Perfumes: The A-Z Guide.Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez. The Little Book of PerfumesLuca Turin. The Secret of Scent: Adventures in Perfume and the Science of Smell