In Search of Perfumes: A Lifetime Journey to the Source of Nature’s Scents
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“[An] immersive debut… with detailed accounts of his trips and vivid descriptions of the scents … [Roques’] rich travelogue will transport readers.” – Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
In this intoxicating concoction of history, travelogue, and memoir, one of the perfume industry’s leading scouts of natural ingredients tells the story of the precious ingredients needed to make our favorite fragrances.
Do you know how many flowers it takes to produce a kilo of rose oil? One million roses, each handpicked. When it comes to nature, Dominique Roques is a unique authority. He has spent the last thirty years working closely with local communities across the globe to establish a sustainable supply of natural ingredients crucial to perfume making.
From resin cultivated by traditional methods in El Salvador to rose oil distilleries in India as old as the Taj Mahal, his network reveals an elusive trade built on the fault lines of tradition and modernity. With In Search of Perfumes, Roques tells the story of seventeen of the industry’s most precious ingredients–where they come from, their cultural and historic significance, and why we love them—from Indonesian patchouli to the “Damask rose,” interweaving his own recollections and reflections on his life and work.
From Andalusia to Somaliland, Roques takes us on an exclusive tour of a vast but delicate ecosystem wholly sustained by the artisans who are its caretakers. Isolated and rural, the tropical jungles of northern Laos remain to this day the only source of benzoin that centuries earlier wafted through the air of Louis XIV’s court. In Madagascar, where every transaction is made in cash, a caravan of porters carry pallets bearing $500,000 dollars to exchange for vanilla beans. The Venezuelan tonka bean, as fickle as the weather, may refuse to flower for years but is so esteemed by perfumers that patience becomes its truest virtue. Everywhere Roques takes us, his infectious curiosity and amiability illuminate an immersive world of the uncharted.
Entertaining and eye-opening, decorated with beautiful black-and-white illustrations, In Search of Perfumes is an irresistible exploration of the smells that fuel our nostalgia and suffuse our fantasies.
Translated from the French by Stephanie Smee
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
From the Publisher
Publisher : HarperVia (May 2, 2023)
Language : English
Hardcover : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 0063297957
ISBN-13 : 978-0063297951
Item Weight : 12.8 ounces
Dimensions : 5.5 x 1.01 x 8.25 inches
11 reviews for In Search of Perfumes: A Lifetime Journey to the Source of Nature’s Scents
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Original price was: $28.99.$15.94Current price is: $15.94.
Amazon Shopper –
An Engaging Deep Dive into Essential Oil Craftsmanship
This book came highly recommended by a colleague of ours in the fragrance space. Itâs an excellent read, especially if youâre looking to learn about how flowers are sourced for their rare essential oils.This books gets down to the actually flower picking practices and how they get from seed to bottle.I highly recommend this book.
Laurie A. Brown –
A look at the people and land that fragrance materials come from
Roquesâs job was (is?) sourcing natural fragrance materials for high end perfume houses. He does this not just by sitting at a desk, but by going to the sites where the materials are gathered- to Provence for the very best lavender, Italy for bergamot, Andalusia for cistus tears, etc. Each chapter chronicles his visits to the producers- sometimes farmers of their own land, sometimes migrant workers, sometimes gatherers in the forests and jungles and deserts- one fragrant material per chapter. Most of the time, he writes not just about one trip, but several trips through the years, to see where the material comes from and how itâs harvested, to find out what the producers and gatherers need to survive and have good lives, because he doesnât want to take advantage of the people, some of whom have lives that weâd consider very primitive. He doesnât just make money for his clients and himself, but makes deals so the workers can have medical care and schools.While the book wasnât what I thought it would be- I thought it would be more about the fragrance materials- it was pretty interesting. I had never thought about how the people lived who gathered rose petals, or bergamot oranges, or the gums like cistus or frankincense. Itâs good to know where the materials in those oh so expensive perfumes come from and what progress is doing to the areas they grow in!
RedReviews4You –
Part Travelogue, Adventure, Ecology, Sociology, and History & 100% Engaging
This was a fascinating and engrossing book that opened up the world of fragrances to me in ways that I had never considered before. Before this book I was the kind of person who sniffed a scent and then bought a fragrance based solely on the way it âspoke to meâ. I never really thought of âreadingâ it for the tones and notes that were the foundation of that scent. However, Roquesâ book has changed that, now I view smelling a perfume as something akin to tasting a fine wine. I want to see if I can spot what makes this fragrance work or see if I can discover how the scent of sandalwood blends with a Damask Rose vs that of a tonka bean. However, just hearing the names of these scents is not enough to appreciate the full power of this book, because the trials and travails that went into the gathering, processing, transporting and ultimately crafting that scent is a saga that held me spellbound within each chapter. Clearly and beautifully written, Roques invites you on a journey of discovery about more than just the scent, but shares a sense of awe at the full price that these fragrances cost. Before this book, I had never considered the toll that these ingredients take on the people that gather or distill them, nor the environmental price that is paid for fine scents that are combined in one small bottle. This book is an incredible read that will make you think twice about the price of a small vial of perfume, and wonder about the lives and stories of the people who gather these precious oils.I received this as an arc from Harper Via and NetGalley
Enjoyingbooksagain –
Everything you need to know about Perfume
This is a amazing book. I learned everything about the making of perfume. I knew there was a lot that went into the scents but I had no idea. You will learn what it take from the makers and the workers to the selling and advertising of the perfume how itâs done how they pick the flowers ,trees, grasses, and a lot of other scents and then pick and mix the scents. If you love perfume or just scents this book is a wealth of knowledge. Thank you netgalley
CindyC –
An excellent read; highly recommended
This book, translated from the French, chronicles the travels of a perfume expert as he goes in search of natural resources to make high end perfumes. Even though I generally don’t wear perfume, I loved this book. The author has traveled to far flung places all over the globe. He had high respect for those who harvest and distill the resins and balsams used in perfume, most of whom are very poor and uneducated by Western standards.Those who enjoy travel books and/or books on sustainable natural resources will want to read this book. The writing is top notch, and the subjects of the book are treated with thoughtfulness and intelligence. I genuinely looked forward to reading a chapter or two each day and learned much.Highly recommended.
Books Tea Magic –
Brimming with info
As an Aromatherapist I canât tell you how thrilled I was to stumble upon this book. And then to start reading it, I was instantly transported to the hills, the fields, the forests where these majestic plants flourish. Intimately familiar with the aromas discussed, I was fascinated by the stories of the families, landowners and harvesters. Fortunately my cabinet is filled with exquisite oils so I was able to enjoy the aroma right along with the readings and that was entirely next level. Brimming with historical information, itâs a beautifully written, highly enjoyable tribute to a lifeâs work in the world of scent.
Callie Cinque –
Beautiful Deep Dive into the Fragrance World
This is a beautiful nonfiction book on aroma and the small farms and communities that bring fragrance to life. It is a wonderful book to read a chapter at a time as each section dives into an obscure or maybe well known ingredient.As someone on the beverage side of things, I love aroma and learning about the natural components that reshape fragrance for that industry. This is a lush and whimsical deep dive into the sites, people, and societal issues that shape and face the fragrance industry. I loved it!
Joanna Medrzecka-Stefanska –
An inspiring journey around the world of fragrances
It is the story of fragrances but also the story of an industry that changes its operational paradigm. Poetic descriptions of scents give you a sense of eternal beauty but the stories of people who harvest the raw material offer a sense of reality check. Good reflection in the moral responsibilities of the luxury brands. Highly recommended reading.
Catherine –
The kindle version is unreadable.
Erin –
The kindle version is completely useless and cannot be read. Do not waste your money
Amazon Customer –
Don’t buy this in Kindle format, the text is illegible