 | The Secret of Scent: Adventures in Perfume and the Science of Smell by Luca Turin
Buy new: $20.47 / Used from: $0.99 A fascinating and superbly-written book of science. Luca Turin is well-known to perfume fans as a perfumer reviewer, fragrance molecule designer, and as the subject of Chandler Burr's excellent book "The Emperor of Scent." The level of technicality, especially towards the end of the book, may be challenging for some. Nonetheless, a unique look into the science of smell.
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 | Perfume: Joy, Scandal, Sin - A Cultural History of Fragrance from 1750 to the Present by Richard Stamelman
Buy new: $53.55 / Used from: $29.99 This is a wonderful book about the development of modern perfumery. Mr. Stamelman is an engaging and extremely literate writer. The illustrations, too, are outstanding. If you buy only one encyclopaedic coffee-table size book on perfumes and perfumery, let it be this one. It is well worth the price and more.
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 | The Emperor of Scent: A Story of Perfume, Obsession and the Last Mystery of the Senses by Chandler Burr
Buy used from: $3.99 Chandler Burr's book focuses on Luca Turin, a maverick scientist and perfume collector whose work is not universally accepted. This book is a wonderful, very accessible read and was a primary inspiration for my current level of interest in perfumes.
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 | Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of Perfume by Mandy Aftel
Buy new: $11.55 / Used from: $8.98 Perhaps the most compact and informative overview of natural perfumery on the market. Ms. Aftel is a notable perfumer herself, and her expertise as a crafter of scents is matched by her abilities as a writer.
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 | Scents & Sensibilities: Creating Solid Perfumes for Well-Being by Mandy Aftel
Buy used from: $3.80 Like "Essence and Alchemy" this book is succint and beautifully written. Ms. Aftel provides clear instructions on making the most of natural ingredients. A fantastic book to give as a small gift.
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 | Perfumes: The Guide by Luca Turin
Buy new: $18.45 / Used from: $4.54 Pending publication, 2008. This promises to be a fascinating look at a wide range of modern and classic perfumes by biophysicist and author Luca Turin with co-writer Tania Sanchez.
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 | The Scent Trail by Celia Lyttelton
Buy used from: $62.27 This book promises a fascinating journey through perfumery as we accompany the author in her exploration of fragrance. Further comments pending review.
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 | A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman
Buy new: $10.85 / Used from: $0.97 The first chapter of this book is on the sense of smell, and it is by far one of the best exploratory essays on this sense that I have read. Beautifully written and extensively researched Ackerman's book is a perfect introduction to anyone interested in living a more sensual (in the literal sense) life.
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 | Perfumes, Splashes & Colognes: Discovering and Crafting Your Personal Fragrances by Nancy M. Booth
Buy new: $10.17 / Used from: $4.90 I found this book fascinating and very well-researched. From recipes to essays on fragrant materials and their effects, this book has proven to be a fun and interesting resource.
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 | Smell: The Secret Seducer by P. A. Vroon
Buy used from: $2.73 A great little book on the sense of smell. Though it is lacking in some areas of research and is not specifically devoted to the topic of perfumery, it contains plenty of well-organized, useful, and easy-to-digest information on the subject of olfaction.
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 | The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to the Use of Oils in Aromatherapy & Herbalism by Julia Lawless
Buy used from: $30.58 Invaluable resource for anyone who is interested in essential oils, the character and safety information for commonly-used natural materials, and especially for anyone who intends to create their own fragrances. A must-buy.
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 | 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols by Jeanne Rose
Buy new: $11.53 / Used from: $7.13 This is a thorough and highly useful listing of essential oils. Ms. Rose includes information on the source, safety, and character of each essential oil covered and includes interesting essays on distillation and the usage of scented products.
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 | Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin by Steffen Arctander
Buy new: $349.00 / Used from: $848.85 If you purchase just one three-hundred-dollar book on perfumery, this is a strong candidate. Considered by many to be the benchmark in research on natural materials, it is encyclopedic in scope and thoroughly researched.
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 | Perfume Legends: French Feminine Fragrances by Michael Edwards
Buy used from: $225.00 A gorgeous coffee-table style book that covers a list of French "masterpiece" fragrances, including stories about their origins and their impact on later perfumes. A lovely, if expensive, book.
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 | Perfume: The Art and Science of Scent by Cathy Newman
Buy used from: $2.91 A well-photographed coffee-table size book published by National Geographic that is compact enough not to overwhelm. A nice option to give as a gift for someone who is just beginning to explore perfumery.
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 | Art of Perfume: Discovering and Collecting Perfume Bottles by Christie Mayer Lefkowith
Buy used from: $54.99 My favorite book so far on the art of perfume bottles. The illustrations are wonderful and the book is incredibly well-written and thoroughly researched.
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| The Smell of Books: A Cultural-Historical Study of Olfactory Perception in Literature by Hans J. Rindisbacher
Buy used from: $125.00 Outstanding cultural-historical resource, particularly for those who are interested in the linguistics of olfaction and the sense of smell in literature.
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| Fragrance: The Story of Perfume from Cleopatra to Chanel by Edwin T. Morris
Buy used from: $7.28 A very useful resource on the history of perfumery. The illustrations are largely black and white and less interesting than the well-researched and informative text.
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 | Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind
Buy new: $10.08 / Used from: $1.92 Riveting, evocative, and seriously weird. Love it.
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 | Fabulous Fragrances II : A Guide to Prestige Perfumes for Women and Men by Jan Moran
Buy new: $23.96 / Used from: $14.25 A useful listing of many popular and mass-market fragrances. Ms. Moran's review style is upbeat, so you're not likely to find any echoes of Luca Turin's more subjective advice on the quality of the listed fragrances.
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 | Fragrances of the World 2007: Parfums du Monde by Michael Edwards
Buy used from: $221.03 Each year a new edition is available of this benchmark reference manual. Thousands of frangrances are listed and categorized according to olfactive family. Extremely useful for anyone in the perfume sales industry.
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 | The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell by Rachel Herz
Buy new: $18.96 / Used from: $2.22 Pending review.
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 | The Smell Culture Reader by Jim Drobnick
Buy new: $28.82 / Used from: $10.95 Pending review.
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 | The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York by Chandler Burr
Buy new: $19.00 / Used from: $1.82 Pending review.
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 | The Chemistry of Fragrances: From Perfumer to Consumer (RSC Paperbacks)
Buy new: $55.03 / Used from: $45.85 Pending review.
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 | Aroma: The Cultural History of Smell by Constan Classen
Buy new: $50.06 / Used from: $45.00 Pending review.
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 | The Scented Ape: The Biology and Culture of Human Odour by David Michael Stoddart
Buy new: $40.32 / Used from: $9.93 Pending review.
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 | Invisible Architecture: Experiencing Places Through the Sense of Smell by Anna Barbara
Buy new: $30.36 / Used from: $7.50 Pending review.
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 | Aroma: The Magic of Essential Oils in Foods and Fragrance by Mandy Aftel
Buy new: $19.80 / Used from: $5.95 Pending review.
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| The Book of Perfume by Elisabeth Barille
Buy new: $50.00 / Used from: $17.00 Pending review
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 | A Scented Palace: The Secret History of Marie Antoinette's Perfumer by Elisabeth de Feydeau
Buy new: $22.00 / Used from: $8.70 Pending review.
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 | Fragrance: The psychology and biology of perfume
Buy new: $345.00 / Used from: $294.98 Pending review.
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 | The Artifice of Beauty: A History and Practical Guide to Perfume and Cosmetics by Sally Pointer
Buy new: $26.56 / Used from: $23.05 Pending review.
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 | The Book of Perfumes by Eugene Rimmel
Buy new: $15.99 / Used from: $39.38 Pending review.
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 | Fragrance Bottle Masterpieces by Joanne Dubbs Ball
Buy new: $50.95 / Used from: $21.89 Pending review.
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 | Commercial Perfume Bottles by Jacquelyne Jones-North
Buy new: $50.95 / Used from: $38.00 Pending review
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 | Get a Whiff of This: Perfumes (fragrances) -- the Invisible Chemical Poisons by Connie Pitts
Buy new: $13.05 / Used from: $12.46 The other side of the coin, for those who prefer to know all about the potentially harmful effects of common fragrances.
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 | Classic Perfume Advertising, 1920-1970 by Jacqueline Johnson
Buy new: $26.37 / Used from: $53.07 Pending review
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 | Psychological Basis of Perfumery
Buy new: $276.00 / Used from: $231.67 Pending review
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| Perfume: Photographs and text (A Dutton visual book) by William Irving Kaufman
Buy used from: $9.99 Pending review.
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