Fragrant: The Secret Life of Scent

Mandy Aftel is widely acclaimed as a trailblazer in natural perfumery. Over two decades of creating artisanal fragrances from the finest aromatic ingredients in the world, she has been an evangelist for the transformative power of scent. In Fragrant, through five major players in the epic of aroma, she explores the profound connection between our sense of smell and the appetites that move us, give us pleasure, make us fully alive. Cinnamon, queen of the Spice Route, touches our hunger for the unknown, the exotic, the luxurious. Mint, homegrown the world over, speaks to our affinity for the familiar, the native, the authentic. Frankincense, an ancient incense ingredient, taps into our longing for transcendence. Ambergris embodies our unquenchable curiosity. And exquisite jasmine exemplifies our yearning for beauty, both evanescent and enduring. In addition to providing a riveting initiation into the history, natural history, and philosophy of scent, Fragrant imparts the essentials of scent literacy and includes recipes for easy-to-make fragrances and edible, drinkable, and useful concoctions that reveal the imaginative possibilities of creating with—and reveling in—aroma. Vintage line drawings make for a volume that will be a treasured gift as well as a great read. Editorial Reviews for Fragrant: The Secret Life of Scent Named one of Time Magazine and Flavorwire's Best Fall Reads “Aftel could be considered the scent world’s Alice Waters. … She writes passionately about scent … pass[ing] through the histories of [her five] “landmark scents” like an anthropologist jotting down field notes. … A welcome perspective.” —New York Times "Sublime...“From astonishing, almost mythic accounts of the ancient spice trade to easy-to-follow formulas that will allow readers to try their own hand at perfumery, Fragrant is a lush must-read for all lovers of perfume.” —Elle "Mandy Aftel's seductive Fragrant plumbs the power of ancient and exotic smells to ignite desire, discovery, and transcendence." —Vanity Fair "A powerful history of the senses. “People sailed around the world the wrong way just to get different aromas into their lives,” explains Aftel. In the spirit of those spice-seeking adventurers, she sets off on a sweeping narrative tour, exploring the role of scent in everything from Greek mythology and classic texts likes One Thousand and One Nights to its impact on modern medicine, and even flapper-era cocktails." —Vogue “A valuable recent addition to the perfume nerd’s informational arsenal… Reading [Aftel’s] book makes a person wearing perfume feel connected to every human in every era who has ever done so.”—Bookforum "A Botany of Desire for scent." —Michael Pollan (via Twitter @MichaelPollan) “In this sensuous and profound exploration of the history, science, and art of perfume, expert perfumer Aftel seduces readers with a sensualism that only intensifies as her stories unfold. … The book is peppered with fascinating trivia [and] recipes and tidbits … that entice readers to wake up their noses and perhaps engage in their own scent alchemy.”—Publisher's Weekly (starred review) “Aftel will greatly expand … what readers think they know about fragrance as she chronicles the medicinal, culinary and spiritual uses of aromatics from antiquity to the present…[Aftel] doesn't merely create pleasant aromas; she opens an olfactory portal to the sensual and spiritual appetites that make us feel alive and in the moment… Evocative, heady and overflowing with history and lore.”—Kirkus Reviews View Less