The Emperor of Scent : A Story of Perfume, Obsession, and the Last Mystery of the Senses

Rating:
Summary: For Perfume-Lovers, Biology Nerds, and Curious Minds
Review: This is one of those rare un-put-downable books. It's unusual to find a book on science that is so highly, compellingly readable. It weaves together stories of science in theory and in practice (amazing discoveries, long years of research, stubborn hidebound resistance) and both the allure and industry of perfume, through the figure of Luca Turin. The story focuses on the scientist's lifelong obsession with perfume (the book is a must-read for any woman who wears classics like Chanel No. 5, Rive Gauche, or Shalimar) and his determination to unlock the mystery of how we smell--and the science community's determination to ignore his compelling conclusions.

Rating:
Summary: Not to be missed
Review: This may be the best popular scientific book ever written.
The writing style flows from beginning to end without a single misjudged word or phrase. It seems much more like a thriller than
a story of intellectual discovery. As the reader is drawn along by the narrative, key technical concepts are absorbed almost by osmosis.
This is cutting edge science presented so clearly that it seems self-evident, even though it involves advanced concepts in physics, chemistry, and biology.
Luca Turin is the ideal subject, a man who would be fascinating even if he didn't produce revolutionary science. The reader ends the book waiting for the scientific community to wake up and
FedEx his Nobel Prize without delay.
The highest praise to Chandler Burr for giving us an unforgettable portrait of Luca Turin and his pursuit of the mystery of smell. It seems unlikely that anyone will pick up this book without eagerly devouring it and wishing that every book on science could be half this good.