What the Nose Knows

[j_cheney]

by Avery Gilbert
This book is sub-titled: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life
More apt subtitle: Smells and their Appearance in Pop-culture.

Whether you like this book depends on why you wanted to read it. It contains a great deal of information about how and where scent appears in modern culture, from the people spritzing you in the mall to the advent of Smell-O-Vision to the appearance of scent in dozens of literary sources.

Unfortunately, in the 238 pages of writing there's very little science. A few tidbits of scientific fact are thrown out among the references to Garrison Keillor and James Joyce, but for the most part, this doesn't actually spend much time covering the science. If you want that, I'd suggest taking the money and putting it into a subscription to Scientific American Mind. Seriously.

So, what did I get out of it?
a)I did find the scientific name of the scent geosmin, the scent that rises from dry earth after a rainfall.
b)The Liang Limit--basically no one can separate out more than four scents at a time, if that.
c).....

Well, darn. Being that I wanted this book to be about science, I found this dearth rather frustrating. There's not a great deal of information here that I didn't already know before...that I had any interest in. Other people will love this book. It's just not for me.

Comments

[camillealexa.livejournal.com]

geosmin, the scent that rises from dry earth after a rainfall.

My new favorite word ever. That smell used to make me want to eat sand when I was a kid, it was so compelling. Never any other time, just at first rainfall. I had no idea there was a name for it. I just figured I had some weird form of pica.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Nice to know, huh?

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

That scent has a name? Neat!

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

It's intersting how it's generated, but you can find that out on Wiki. Don't buy the book jsut for that...

Geosmin and scent

[(Anonymous)]

I have buried my nose in dirt for months now. For me Geosmin is a type of Aroma therapy. It is calming and clears the mind. I first found the scent wafting out through vents from under the house. This dirt is undisturbed, dark and humid. The scent I get from this area of dirt is unlike anything I have ever smelled. It is even stronger and sweeter than the scent after a rain. I am almost addicted to the smell. I have never had a craving to eat dirt, but smell it I do. I find that when the Geosmin dies off, I must go under the house to get a fresh batch. Sounds crazy, but it is so worth it "for me".

Re: Geosmin and scent

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I was pleased to learn that it had a name, and surprised to learn that it comes from the decay of blue-green algaes as well, and makes up a part of the 'dirty' scent I associate with oceans.

It IS a wonderful smell. ;o)