Fragrance has the instantaneous and invisible power to penetrate consciousness with pure pleasure. Scent reaches us in ways that elude sight and sound but conjure imagination in all its sensuality, unsealing hidden worlds.
—Mandy Aftel
So begins Essence & Alchemy, Mandy Aftel’s 2001 tome. It (finally) arrived on Friday, and I dove in head-first; if the first chapter is any indication, I’m in for a real treat.
Do you have a favorite perfume book (or books) that you can’t live without?
beauty on the outside 
I look forward to reading this too, it is on my nightstand already.
I like Roja Dove’s book and Quintessentially Perfume for the beautiful photography mostly. I also enjoyed Chandler Burrs books and Luca Turin’s Secret of Scent. The usual, you could say 😉
Chandler Burr infuses a spirit of Fun into his writing that I just can’t get enough of! Yes, the usual suspects—all good, but I suspect that just over the horizon there will be many more for us to choose from, and not too soon for me!
🙂