The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell
by Rachel Herz
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Shakespeare wrote that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But if you cannot smell, does the rose lose its sweetness?The first and definitive book on the psychology of smell, The Scent of Desire traces the importance of smell in our lives, from nourishment to procreation to our relationships with the people closest to us and the world at large. Smell was the very first sense to evolve and is located in the same part of the brain that processes emotion, memory, and motivation. To show more our ancestors, the sense of smell wasn't just important, it was crucial to existence and it remains so today. Our emotional, physical, even sexual lives are profoundly shaped by both our reactions to and interpretations of different smells.Why do some people like a certain smell and others hate it? Is smell personal or cultural? How does smell affect our choices and our daily lives? Rachel Herz explores these questions and examines the role smell plays in our lives, and how this most essential of senses is imperative to our physical and emotional well-being. Herz investigates how our sense of smell functions, examines what purpose it serves, and shows how inextricably it is linked to our survival. She introduces us to people who have lost their ability to smell and shows how their experiences confirm this sense's importance by illuminating the traumatic effect its loss has on the quality of day-to-day living. Herz illustrates how profoundly scent and the sense of smell affect our daily lives with numerous examples and personal accounts based on her years of research.The wonders of our sense of smell are all explored in a compelling and engaging manner, from emotions and memory to aromatherapy and pheromones. For anyone who has ever wondered about human nature or been curious about the secrets of both the body and the mind, The Scent of Desire is a fascinating, down-to-earth tour of the psychology and biology of our most neglected sense, the sense of smell. show lessTags
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The book starts dramatically with the story of INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence, who lost his sense of smell in an accident and eventually became so depressed that he committed suicide. Author Rachel Herz believes that his deep depression was directly related to his loss of smell and related loss of taste. The book goes on to explore the psychology of smell, including its connection with emotional memory and its role in relationships. She also describes some truly unusual uses of the scenting ability of animals, including bees and wasps that can sniff out land minds and other explosives. A fascinating exploration of a neglected sense.
Who knew?: 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.
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Author Information
4 Works 365 Members
Rachel Herz is a, neuroscientist specializing in perception and emotion. She teaches at Brown University and Boston College, and is a professional consultant. The author of The Scent of Desire and That's Disgusting, she lives in Rhode Island.
Awards and Honors
Common Knowledge
- Dedication
- This book is dedicated to my mother,
Judith Scherer Herz - First words
- On November 22, 1997, Michael Hutchence, lead singer for the internationally renowned Australian band INXS, was found hanging naked in his hotel bedroom, the noose tied with his own leather belt.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Our sense of smell is truly our sense of desire.
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- Members
- 160
- Popularity
- 203,872
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 3
