Awesome book!
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| Review Date: September 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: R. Hunt, scottsdale, AZ |
| I purchased the CD version of this book (there are 10 CDs), and had a fantastic time listening to it on the way and back from work. I knew very little about the perfume/cologne industry before buying this book. However, now I actually find it enjoyable to go into department stores and try out different scents. This book is so great because it is a real joy to read (or listen to in my case), and I learned a great deal about a very mysterious industry. I work in marketing, so I found the way that the products are marketed in this industry to be really interesting. I can't help but wonder why the perfume/cologne industry has done such a poor job of educating the public about its products (unlike the wine industry, which has done such a good job). So, read this book (or listen to it) if you really want to open up a whole new realm of your life! |
Another great book by Chandler.
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| Review Date: October 24, 2008 |
| Reviewer: David M. Giltinan, San Francisco |
Chandler Burr is the resident perfume critic for The New York Times. In this capacity he writes regular reviews ("Scent Notes"), which initially strike one as unbelievably precious, but are ultimately kind of engaging. His previous book, "The Emperor of Scent", about the science of smell, was one of the best examples of science writing I've ever read.
This book, an account of the development and launch of two new perfumes, "Lovely" by Coty for Sarah Jessica Parker, and "Jardin sur le Nil" by Hermes, doesn't quite match the brilliance of "The Emperor of Scent", but it is engagingly written and was a very enjoyable read. To some extent, the science writing, which I think is Burr's particular strength, takes a back seat as he describes all of the other facets of product development. Which he does with the same intelligence and wit that characterized his earlier book: his take on the relationships among the various players at Hermes, as well as on SJP's unusual degree of personal involvement in the development of "Lovely" is nuanced and perceptive. Occasionally, Chandler's inner geek takes over, treating the reader to two pages of chemical details. Personally, I found this kind of charming, but other readers might not agree.
A smart, highly readable, account of a subject to which you may not have given much thought. My only caveat would be that, given Chandler's exceptional talent for science writing, I'd love to see him take on something a little more weighty next time around. For example, biotechnology, genetic testing, or pharmaceutical drug development: anyone who can write so vividly about the world of fragrance chemistry could undoubtedly contribute significantly in making these topics more accessible to a general audience. |
Lifting the curtain...
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| Review Date: December 31, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Ilya Grigorik, Toronto, ON, Canada |
I'm neither an expert nor someone who has been specifically interested in the perfume industry in the past, which is exactly what attracted me to this book in the first place - a chance to learn about an industry we all know very little about. I'm glad to say that "The Perfect Scent" did not disappoint.
Chandler Burr chronicles the development of two new perfumes: "Lovely" (Sarah Jessica Parker) by Coty, and "Jardin sur le Nil" by Hermes. Throughout the process he offers a look at the behind the scenes, the players involved, and some of the sensibilities and (many) absurdities of the fragrance industry. If not for the literary part, the insights into the operations and product development cycle of a typical fragrance, as well as the associated business models are worth their weight in gold. However, it's also not all business, the author spends a lot of time analyzing the trends, the ingredients (great discussion on "naturals" vs "synthetics"), and the creative process of creating a fragrance.
Packed with information and an enjoyable read. |
Interesting look inside industry
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| Review Date: January 13, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Annette Sauls, McGee's Crossroads, NC |
| This book gives a small sampling inside the perfume industry. How different business aproach getting a new perfume to market was very interesting. The fact that Sarah Jessica Parker took so much responsibility for "her" perfume made me like her even more. |
Chandler Removes the Stopper on the Perfume Industry and Writes Another Page Turner
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| Review Date: September 1, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Roxanne Mchenry, Montana |
'The Emperor of Scent' is my all-time favorite read, and Chandler delivers again with a more in depth look--not into the science of smell--but the art and business of perfume. Chandler's style may irk some, but I love the way his stories unfold. I appreciate the journalistic touches and I am amazed at the number of--and details in--quoted conversation (esp. considering many conversations were originally in French--not Chandler's native language).
Luca Turin, the genius biology scientist from Chandler's first book is nowhere in this one...except...I find that Chandler's adopted Luca's metaphoric descriptions of perfume (Luca is GENIUS in this). However, his descriptions lack the startling and fascinatingly accurate descriptions that Luca concocts with sardonic humor and adroit language.
The long narratives on the science of mixing molecules, the story behind natural and synthetic ingredients and the expensive bait and switch marketing in the perfume industry bogged the story down in the middle for me. Rather I enjoyed the interplay between the people, their thoughts and processes to bring all the magic together to a successful perfume.
I'm not a Sex and the City fan, nor do I care about what Sarah Jessica Parker is doing, but I loved the chapters in NY and Chandler's fly on the wall (and one-on-one) interactions with Sarah Jessica through this long and meeting-filled process. Chandler gets us into the life and mind of Hermes' in-house perfumer, Jean-Claude in a way that felt genuine and real.
Chandler is a master in weaving the two story lines together, and creating tension at the end of chapters as the stories alternated, leaving me eager to move ahead in the book to see what happens.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book as much as I'd hoped, and look forward to more from Chandler Burr!
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fascinating book
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| Review Date: February 23, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Cranston, Atlanta,GA |
If you think that a book with page after page of scientific formulas could only be boring, you should read this!
This is a fascinating glimpse into an industry which touches us all every day, but about which most of us know
nothing. It will also make you want to run to the nearest [expensive] perfume counter and indulge. |
The Perfect Scent
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| Review Date: March 29, 2008 |
| Reviewer: S. Belson, San Anselmo, CA - USA |
| I was stuck to this book from beginning to end. I highly recommend the writing style and the subject. Fantastic! |
As Addictive as a Great Perfume
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| Review Date: February 24, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Bec, Alexandria, VA United States |
First I read "Emperor of Scent", but this is totally different from Burr's prior work on the world of fragrance. This one is an easy quick read (I finished it in a single day), but also addictive - you bounce back and forth from Paris and Jean-Claude Ellena's story of Hermes' "Jardin sur le Nil" and New York, where Burr see first-hand how Coty works with Sarah Jessica Parker to create "Lovely". Francophiles will delight in the liberal use of French phrasing and direct quotes (always translated), which gives a wonderful sense of place to the Paris/Grasse side of the story. The New York story is a mini biography of SJP herself - who turns out to be an incredibly likeable and compelling woman with a great sense of self.
I was also intrigued at the idea that fragrances were all unisex until the early 20th century - prior to then, men and women wore what they liked, rather than what was 'marketed' to them. And finally, finally! I understand why the majority of American fragrances smell the same to me - because they ARE the same (common ingredients in standard proportions)... and also why French perfumes are so vastly different.... and most interestingly, perhaps, is a wonderful and insightful discussion of "naturals" vs. "synthetics" in fragrance, which has forever altered my perspective on what is a 'quality' ingredient.
The only reason I gave the book for stars instead of five is honestly because the very end of the book felt rushed - felt incomplete. Given that it started life as an article in the New Yorker, I'm not surprised... articles and books have different requirements for endings. But I was very sorry to see the creative process that brought Parker's latest fragrance, Covet, to market in 2007 given only a paragraph in the end (though the origins are clearly visible throughout the early creative process and then meetings where IFF is trying to discern Parker's scent preferences. It would have been a nice coda to the original story, or perhaps to weave the Covet story throughout.
I bought the book on the strength of Burr's earlier work, and those who used it (as I did) as a virtual shopping list of fragrances to try will find this book an even better resource. And for the record, Jardin sur le Nil is one of my favorite fragrances, along with Jardin Mediterran and the newly-released Kelly Caleche. I am not a big fan of Lovely - but Parker's personal favorite scents are some of my own, and I also wear Covet on a regular basis... and now I will look forward to her next release, which I hope will have that 'dirty' feel she's been wanting to put out there from the beginning... |
Makes you wish for a scratch and sniff edition!
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| Review Date: February 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Elaine Walsh, Tucson, AZ USA |
| I came to this as a fan of Chandler Burr's fragrance reviews already, some of which I've clipped out not because I wanted to try the fragrance, but because the language is both so gorgeous and precise at the same time. So I came to this book with a great deal of anticipation and was not disappointed. It reads like a novel, with great characters and plot, and the world of perfume making is so exotic and unlike anything I can ever imagine that there is something intriguing and interesting on every page. Fun to read, full of great facts (okay, you can use them to impress your friends, I'll admit that) and if you love perfume...or just stories of those who are passionate about what they do...it's a terrific read. |
Mysteries unraveled
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| Review Date: February 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Vermeer fan, Atlanta, GA |
| If you are intimidated by whippet-thin, well coiffed, stylish clerks at the cosmetics counters or simply wish to learn more about an industry that sells dreams, Mr. Burr peels back some of the layers of marketing and spin put out by the perfume industry. Over the course of about a year, he follows the NY-based production of a contemporary fragrance issued under Sarah Jessica Parker's name and the Paris-based building of a "scent image" for the ultra protective Hermes house. He discusses the pros and cons of natural vs. synthetic ingredients, schools you in how fragrances are designed and described and sheds light into the reclusive, spotlight-shunning world of the trained perfumers who build the fragrances that fuel the industry. A bit of gossip, some dish on his disdain for any of the Hugo Boss products, a reveal on that final marketing push to capture the eye and nose of the media and public. A quick read, funny and a good introduction that makes you want to run the gauntlet of fragrance-spitzing women at the local Nordstroms, Sephora or Macy's to see what he speaks of. |
A Fascinating Journey Into The World of Luxury Fragrance
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| Review Date: April 16, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Cologniac, Columbus, OH USA |
I enjoyed this book tremendously. It was definitely not a page-turner for me. Rather, I savored it steadily over several weeks. Still, rest assured that this will remain one of my favorite books. By the time I was done with it, I had a huge admiration for both the author and his subjects - both American and French. I attribute this to the skillful writing and crystal-clear honesty of the author. I thought it was wonderful to see discussions end with complete candor when things went "off-record", as well as full disclosure when sensitive topics and "hot" documents were discussed. I admire Burr's journalistic integrity, which is unfortunately an increasingly rare thing these days.
Before reading this book, I was, I will admit, a bit of a Francophobe, with no particular desire to ever set foot there again. Not even finished with the book, my wife and I began planning a family trip there. This is purely a product of the author's sensitive but unforced treatment of his French subjects. As noted in other reviews, he takes pains to provide complete yet flowing translations of French dialogue, which actually makes for a wonderful, engaging read. Many authors would toss out the French with an air of linguistic superiority and force the reader to sink or swim. Instead, Burr clearly wants everybody to get on board the train before it leaves, and it works. Whether it was the author or the editor or both, my hat is off to them.
The book teaches - almost unbeknownst to the reader - an enormous amount about fragrances. As a scientist, I can assure you that he does a marvelous job with the scientific aspects, and that he made even the "old hat" science interesting to me. The history, economics, marketing, and politics of fragrances - about which I know far less - was even more fascinating, and - I have no doubt - just as accurate. And the really neat thing is that he made it so damn interesting. I could almost feel the starched lab coats and smell the test strips, and I wanted to be there.
To my fellow fragranauts (or "fragra-nuts"), I offer this. Before reading this book, I knew next to nothing about the Hermès line of fragrances ("Hermès? The scarf people? You mean, they do fragrances?"). By the time I was done, I was *positive* that I would take a liking to "Terre d'Hermès". Sure enough, when I tested about a dozen newer fragrances in Sephora, I walked out with Terre d'Hermès. If you're a fragrance fetishist like me, this book will talk to you. |
A (mostly) Interesting Insight
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| Review Date: September 14, 2009 |
| Reviewer: MochaOnyx, southwest Virginia |
I have been fascinated with perfume in general since the age of 10, and I very much enjoyed Suskind's Perfume: Story of a Murderer, so I was delighted to come across an ARC of The Perfect Scent.
The book was full of information about many sides of the perfume industry, of which the general consumer has no clue. Though I love scent, I had never given much thought to the agonizing process of creating it, naming it, packaging it, and marketing it. I more or less took it for granted that some content team of chemists in white coats mixed a drop of this and a dab of that from cool glass pipettes and voila!
The book tends to drag in the middle third as Burr gets into the scientific technicalities. My eyes glazed over when I got to the lists of ethyl this and benzone that. Somewhere, my high school chemistry teacher is laughing.
The most interesting part of the book for me was SJP's involvement in the creation of her scent, Lovely (which I am now determined to samlple). I had always suspected that the celebrities of celeb perfumes were nothing but a name and picture, and this book confirmed that suspicion. SJP is an exception, and I have a new-found respect for her.
I cringed at times, particularly at Burr's description of animalics (comparing one of them to various odiferous body parts of a man). Though he says "there's simply no other way to describe it," I think surely there must have been. My other beef with the writing style is the repetition and overuse of extremes like "exquisite" and "extraordinarily." These words lose their power when used on every other page.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, feel somewhat enlightened, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the inner workings of the fragrance industry. |
As much about creativity as perfume
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| Review Date: July 10, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Karen Tiede, Raleigh, NC |
+1 to the other positive reviewers; I didn't find the story wordy, and I can see that adding more details about the perfumes mentioned in the epilogue would only have delayed the release of this book. Burr probably has another one in him...
Sidebar: My nose has never worked very well; attributed to a bad fall when I was a child. I buy perfume by the box and marketing package and based on response, seem to be getting it right.
Therefore, this story is about a world that's alien to me. I loved Chandler's faith-in-opinion (smells like ****). Mostly, I read this book as a documentation of the creative process, at least as expressed through a commercial product. It's hard to find artists who can speak clearly about how they get from idea to finished product; the big decisions that get made early and the increasingly constrained and refined adjustments along the way; the contribution of deadline and budget to the final product; the changes in thinking and ability that occur across a lifetime.
Four stars not five because it didn't change my life and the library can have their copy back. However, I did find myself buying Burr's Emperor of Scent when it crossed my path at a local used bookstore.
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A Good Read
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| Review Date: February 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Nancy Mulvany, Northern Colorado, USA |
Chandler Burr's The Perfect Scent follows the development and marketing of two perfumes within the walls of two major players in the industry: Hermès and Coty. The fast-paced story bounces between Paris and New York. Jean-Claude Ellena provides a thoughtful and intimate account of the development of "Un Jardin sur le Nil" for Hermès. In New York, Coty worked with Sarah Jessica Parker to create "Lovely."
The perfume industry is highly secretive and speculative with an aura of glamor. Readers will be treated to mounds of information about the business and science of perfume. While the development of a formula involves "techie" chemistry, Burr is able to present the details without losing readers. He also has a superior ability to describe scents in words. The description of natural musk (muscone) is a fine example:
"Muscone is found, at a concentration between 0.5 percent and 2 percent, in something called Tonquin musk, a richly stinking secretion mixing hundreds of molecules that comes from a gland inside the male musk deer. Extract the rich secretion, separate out the little bit of muscone from it, and by itself this one molecule has the warm, sensual, rich scent of clean warm skin. It's only this molecule (not the full, richly stinking, animalic Tonquin musk secretion) that perfumers call the scent of musk."
Here is Burr's depiction of L'Eau d'Italie's "mesmerizing, shadowy" Bois d'Ombrie:
"... putting it on was like slipping on an organza silk shirt. You saw the material---the silken, shadowy wood smell---it had immense, gorgeous form, an yet it was transparent, if not invisible, and you saw every bit of skin underneath. Bois d'Ombrie was an olfactory garment. It sat on you like the most gorgeous Givenchy haute couture piece, and yet it became part of you somehow."
I found the comments of perfumers particularly interesting. For example, Ellena notes: "They say cooking is an art and pastry is a science. Perfumery is a math, specifically an algebra. All these interactions."
I enjoyed the book. There are memorable characters, excitement, historical insights, and wonderful descriptions of various locations, including Egypt. Quite frankly, I had never given much thought to perfume. I am paying attention now! The nuances of illusion that perfumers create are fascinating.
There are a few caveats. The book could be somewhat shorter. There are sections that feel patched together, possibly from previously published articles. I found the use of French in the text distracting. Those who can read French will naturally examine the English translation that follows the French to find out if it is translated correctly. Some of the translations are banal: "She paused again, then said, `Non, je ne pense pas.' No, I don't think so." Lastly, the index is shallow. Proper names and nouns are included, but there is very little analysis of the thematic substance of the book.
The Perfect Scent provides a delightful introduction to the multi-billion dollar perfume industry. It is a "good read" and full of information about the power of scent.
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I Never Knew the Perfume Industry Could be so Interesting
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| Review Date: March 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Karen Marie, North Carolina |
The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York is a marvelous book! I wanted to smell every perfume mentioned, every molecule described, every successful perfume and every failed perfume.
It is the story of the development of two perfumes as reported by the Scent Critic for T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Chandler Burr. The first is Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely with Coty, and the other is Un Jardin sur le Nil, created by master perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermes. They are two very different stories that work well together.
The chapters alternate between the two stories, more or less chronologically, with interesting forays into the history of perfumes and scents, particular perfumes, and the people who create them.
The Hermes story takes place in France. Burr quotes quite a bit in French, but puts the English translation immediately after, without any fanfare, so that you get the sense of what the people are saying but also understand the meaning of what they say.
I particularly liked the author's comments about scents he likes and dislikes and his descriptions of people. He brings people to life vividly. He also explains the science of scents and perfume in an understandable yet detailed way. Most rewarding of all, his language is very poetic. Here's his description of Un Jardin sur le Nil:
"It is a perfume that smells like early evening on an island where it is always summer. It is the smell sunlight makes coming out of a blue sky, the air scented with the tang made as the light warms the smooth unblemished peel of the greenest mangoes hanging from the branches of the young trees, just out of reach."
And, as a humorous antidote to the lushness of his perfume descriptions, here's his description of a men's cologne that he hates: "This is the chemical reek of deep-space travelers frozen in goo in suspended animation."
The only criticism I have is simply that the industry is complex, with a convoluted history and mode of operation. The many names, perfumers, perfumes, and corporate players were sometimes a bit hard to keep straight.
However, all in all, the book is humorous, witty, full of love for the subject, and crammed with interesting information. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Not a perfect book, but a good read
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| Review Date: June 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Andrea Dickson, Seattle, WA |
I'm of two minds with Chandler Burr. He seems to have unprecedented access to perfume industry insiders, and the kind of personality, perseverance, and patience that it takes to deal with difficult types that seem to permeate the entire field. He can get information out of scientists in chem labs, celebrities, artists, and high-powered executives, so he must be adept at asking the right questions and tolerating ridiculous egos.
He fills this book with so many interesting tidbits about perfume and scent that I have frequently quoted from it when trying to make a point about fragrance to a friend or colleague. I love the bits of science that are injected into this book, the overviews of molecules and their uses in many industries. The information is so fun (and for me, mind-boggling), that I have read the book several times.
That said, his writing style drives me just about batty. I get so tired of his sentences structure, his fragments that are meant to drive home a point, that I have to stop reading every few pages and put the book down. As other reviewers have noted, he is slightly obsessed with describing exactly how each and every individual is dressed (always to the nines, no matter what); on one hand, this can get a bit grating, but on the other, it does help the reader visualize and mentally sort all of the players in these stories. If you speak French, you may be thrilled with the French sentences that are inserted every other paragraph or so. If you do not speak French, you might still find these delightful, as they are helpfully translated. If you are a grumpy person like me, you might wonder if Burr isn't showing off just a wee bit.
If you are interested in fragrance, this book is a must-read. Don't let the fact that Burr has some rather startling pronouncements about smells terrify you - he might be wrong. |
A Fascinating but too wordy look inside the secretive world of the perfume industry
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| Review Date: February 13, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Coco Pazzo, Long Beach, CA |
| This book by the NY Times Perfume Critic provides an interesting journey into the perfume world by the journalist that probably knows more about perfume than anyone else in the world. The book could be about 30% shorter, however- the author tends to repeat himself and he does tend to sometimes go for trivial details in order to bulk up the book. |
Too long, and a dissappointment. Burr's style is annoying.
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| Review Date: July 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Susan M. Owen, los angeles, ca United States |
I bought this with much anticipation. His portrait of Luca Turin is one of my favorite books.
However, this title is much different. Burr is star struck, and this story just went on too darn long. The end of the book was completely forgettable.
Worse, his incredibly homo-erotic descriptions including something along the lines of "testicle odor", are so ridiculous that I had to put the book down. I am not a prude, nor homophobic AT ALL, but it was just not appropriate.
This goes straight to Paperback Swap. Maybe someone else wants to know about how sweaty balls smell in relation to womens perfume. |
Pompous writer- so full of himself makes reading a chore
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| Review Date: March 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Mhellerman, Lincoln, NE USA |
Yes he talks about Sarah Jessica Parker, her perfume, and follows the story of the creation of another perfume.
Those stories are somewhat interesting but they could be told in 25 pages.
The rest is descriptions that will bore you, about how wondefullly dressed this or that person is, how chic, how of much of the elite, etc. He also writes in a pompous way that makes the book NOT a pleasure to read, but the opposite- And he talks about HIMSELF a lot more than it is needed.
For example, the man writes Et cetera many times, because he cannot be like the rest of the mortals and write it as one word like in modern times. He likes his own style so he repeats it all over. He also tries his hand at comparisons (and believe, he is a journalist writing and NOT a literature writer), so he makes a comparison between someone not showing up and the DISAPPEARED in Argentina!
a) so you need to be an "worldly" reader to understand the comparison but me, as an ARGENTINIAN, find it COMPLETELY offensive- you don't JOKE with the hurt of a country and so many people kidnapped and killed by the military regime! So the use of it is just SELF SERVING because he wants to show of-
b) he does THE SAME with a comment about the Concentration camps/holocaust.
If you want to buy it go ahead, you WILL learn something about the industry, but do not support this clown. If you end up having some of the ideas I have please come and post yours as well.
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