The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell (Hardcover)

by Rachel Herz (Author)
Key Phrases: scent collar, smell loss, odor cue, United States, Michael Hutchence, Jessica Ross (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Herz, a Brown University professor specializing in the psychology of smell, demonstrates that this sense is vital to our well being-so important to mental and physical health that its loss can drive some people to suicide. Herz explores the relationships between scent, emotion and behavior, emphasizing that scent is an important component of sexual attraction and thus crucial for the survival of our species. Many intriguing facts enliven her book. For example, scents are intimately connected to memory and can be used as memory aids; olfaction shuts down while we are asleep; newborns and their mothers recognize each other by their scent. Herz debunks the mystique of aromatherapy, which she says is effective because of our emotional associations with scents rather than because of any direct action of the scent. Emerging technologies of scent, such as electronic noses that can sniff out terrorists, breath analyzers that can detect diseases and marketing theories based on scents, are given a chapter, but Herz admits that she would rather see the development of technologies to restore the sense of smell to people who have lost it, because for her, scent is essential to our humanity. This illuminating book argues convincingly that the sense of smell should never be taken for granted. (Oct. 9)
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Review
"A delightfully unexpected blend of personal anecdotes, pop-cultural erudition and scientific understanding. " -- Kirkus Reviews

"Astounding and sometimes mind-boggling with (a) wonderfully charming voice and writing style." -- Blogcritics.org

"Charming. A reminder that life without aromas...would be sad indeed." -- Curled Up with a Good Book

"Fascinating . . . A serious book, with many whiffs of delight." -- Washington Post Book World

"Filled with intriguing bits of information." -- Weekly Standard

"Intriguing...This illuminating book argues convincingly that the sense of smell should never be taken for granted." -- Publishers Weekly

"This is a spicy perfume of a book, redolent with fascinating facts and provocative hypotheses." -- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor, Harvard University, author of The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, and The Stuff of Thought

"You’ll never take your nose for granted again once you’ve read The Scent of Desire." -- USA Today

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (October 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060825375
• ISBN-13: 978-0060825379
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #228,229 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who knew?, December 2, 2007

By	Leslie Lundt (Boise, ID) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a physician, I didn't think that I had much to learn from this book, nor a reason to really care. WRONG. Dr. Herz tells us things that impact our every waking hour. I can't stop talking about this book! You will be intrigued by her research and stories. Your nose will have an elevated place in heart. Highly recommended.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is Fascinating, Witty and Articulate!, October 12, 2007

By	Theresa Rose Nickols (Milford, CT USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was lucky enough to get a galley copy, and I have already read the whole thing - cover to cover, twice. The examples, the author's experiences, the hypotheses, all rolled into one are just simply fascinating. I truly believe scent is the most important sense, and it really changed my life. Scent triggers memory, thus I used scent as a way to study for the bar exam. I used a "scent roll stick." It was clove flavored and I used to practically bathe in it every time I cracked a book to study. The day I sat for the bar I rubbed it all over me, so much so that the girl next to me was mildly offended. However, I passed the test with flying colors! Thank you Dr. Herz! -Theresa Rose Nickols, Esq.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who'd have thought?, November 7, 2007

By	Wendy Lapides (Barrington, R.I. United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Until I read The Scent of Desire, I never really
thought very much about my sense of smell. Things
smelled either good or bad and that was about it. It
had never occurred to me that so much of what I
thought was taste was actually smell or that scent had
anything to do with who I was attracted to. After reading this book, I will no longer take my sense of smell for granted!