Reviews

New Scientist August 20 2022 by Chris Stokel-Walker

“In Scent, Pearlstine’s style suits the subject matter, relating the intricate, delicate details of each fragrance and the source of its smell.” Chris goes on to call it an “…eminently readable book, which will leave you lingering a little longer among the roses—and the other smells that make our world what it is.”

Nature Book Review July 1 2022 by Andrew Robinson

“Elise Pearlstine is a wildlife biologist turned natural perfumer. Plants must seduce pollinators to flourish, she tells us, and cannot relocate or avoid disease. So they produce attractive fragrances, along with volatile molecules to deter predators and heal tissues. Although these are not created for humans, we fall for them. This charming book discusses spices and scents including frankincense, saffron, rose, mint and musk. It also describes perfume manufacturing and the fashion world’s “hundreds, if not thousands” of perfume launches each year.”

Natural History Magazine June 2022 Bookshelf Section by Laurence A. Marschall Print Version

“ ‘Through history,’ Pearlstine concludes, ‘plants that have a pleasing smell were thought to be good for body and soul,’ and, albeit to a lesser degree, that is true about reading their history. So brew a steaming glass of masala chai, light a joss stick, and settle down with a book that will transport you to a world in which noses, not eyes, are the dominant sources of expression and delight.”

Ida Meister writing for CaFleureBon: New Book Review: Scent A Natural History of Fragrance (Elise Vernon Pearlstine) 2022 + Perfume and Pollinators Draw

“Elise’s historical accounts reveal solid, extensive research in addition to the colorful details which charm as well as enlighten the reader. The narrative surrounding each fragrant material conveys her inherent ardor and appreciation for them. It is fully apparent that a good deal of affection went into the creation of her book. Elise’s exploration of woods, spices, flowers and aromatic herbs is thorough, painstaking and entertaining, as well as instructive.”

(Note: it was a full circle for me since I have been writing about natural ingredients for CaFleureBon for 11 years with almost 370,000 unique page views for 40 posts)

The Economist: Culture | The ingenuity of plants and people lies behind fragrances.

“As Elise Vernon Pearlstine chronicles in Scent, humans have long derived pleasure from the smells of the natural world. For the most part, though, Homo sapiens is not their target market. For plants, fragrances are a way to interact with insects and other animals. Their attraction for people is merely fortuitous.”

Scientific American recommended book section

“Reading Scent feels like going meandering nature walk through the history and science of fragrance, guided by a wildlife biologist turned natural perfumer.” It is “…an evocative journey that awakens one’s curiosity to an oft-forgotten sense.”

The Times of India published an interview with me in their Times Evoke Section ‘Plants adapt by their fragrances — these enrich the environment and our lives.’

Amazing news! New Scientist magazine has included Scent as one of their best non-fiction books of 2022! Look for the article The best non-fiction books of 2022: A feast for the soul in the December 3 issue.

Where to get the book:

Within a week of its release, both print and Kindle editions were the Number 1 New Release in Botany on Amazon.

Yale University Press has links for ordering from your favorite online source or indie bookseller.

The audiobook is now available at Audible and Amazon.

Interviews:

My interview with Mark Lynch at WICN/Inquiry was a lot of fun and he asked some great questions.

I spoke with this Green Earth at KPCW radio about the book and enjoyed connecting with this NPR station from my native Utah.

What people are saying:

“Elise Pearlstine gives voices to the unsung: the raw materials, pollinators, and plants that have inspired her and perfumers throughout history. Comprehensive and well researched, her passion for perfume is palpable on every page.”—Michelyn Camen, Editor‑in‑Chief, cafleurebon.com

“In this plant’s nose view of fragrance, the author plunges us into the redolent world of the vegetal Kingdom. This superb book will inspire the reader to discover their inner botanist and breathe deeply.”—David Howes, author of The Sensory Studies Manifesto

“Elise Pearlstine has written a beautiful account of an important medium of human expression. Her gentle prose and lush descriptions are a sort of poetry: joyous to read, and supported by immaculate research.”—Saskia Wilson-Brown, founder of The Institute for Art and Olfaction

“Elise Pearlstine has written a captivating page‑turner of a book that blends history, science, and chemistry together into an evocative story.”—Stephen Buchmann, author of The Reason for Flowers: Their History, Culture, and Biology, and How They Change our Lives

“In this beautifully crafted and thoroughly researched book, Elise Pearlstine's evocative writing transports us to far-off lands and to long-forgotten times, revealing the fascinating secrets of the fragrance-filled plants that have shaped humanity.”—Stuart Farrimond, author of Science of Spice, Science of Cooking, and Science of Living

About the book: Plants make fragrance to attract pollinating insects, to defend against predation, and to heal from disease, not for humans. The tale of jasmine is the story of sex mediated by moths, sandalwood grows beauty deep within its aging wood, and tobacco flowers can switch between attraction and repulsion as they release aromatic compounds. Woven in these stories are descriptions of fragrance and history, encouraging readers to experience their own fragrant world.

Peruse photos of my inspirations and a more in-depth exploration of the books contents here. Learn about my backstory here.