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Post by Ainslie Walker

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Hello Fragrant Friends,

Today I’m talking fragrant literature, as I have some new, beautiful books in my clutches. My “fragrant library’ brings me so much pleasure. If I remember to stop, breathe and read I always feel inspired.

Fragrant Books

$195 Fragrances of the World

Fragrances of the World 2016

Released this year in May and even better than last year. Gorgeous photography and floral art, utilising fragrance ingredients, by Grandiflora’s Saskia Havekes and Gary Heeley. Charming forward by amazing and witty Luca Turin. I love spending time highlighting the fragrances from my collection under their Fragrance Families. Then I oooh and aaaah about which fragrances are under the same subheadings of the same group. For example just this afternoon I was comparing Naomi Goodsir’s Or du Serail with Olfactive Studio’s Ombre Indigo, both classified as Dry Woods and subdivided under Rich/Profound. Two of my favourites, completely different and yet somehow so similar in style. I am in awe of both Michael Edwards and Erica Moore who have categorised pretty much every perfume known to mankind and actually agreed where each belong. This year the book also has a separate ‘discontinued’ section so we can clearly see what to stock up on and hold onto from our collections! Available from Fragrances Of The World (incidentally they have just launched their fabulous interactive website – well worth taking a look)

$64 Book Depository

An Odyssey of Flavours and Fragrances – Givaudan

Released early this year featuring photography from Denis Dalilleux and Lilli Roze. With accompanying, fascinating and informative prose by the likes of Annick Le Guérer, Caroline Champion, Brigitte Proust, Sean Rose, and Percy Kemp. Beginning with a 70-page history of Givaudan, photo essays on Jasmine and Tuberose from Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Madagascar Ylang Ylang and Vanilla from the Comoros. Mouth-watering images which interpret and present a ‘snapshot’ of fragrances such as J’Adore, 1 Million, Shocking, Angel, L’Air du Temps and Opium. Discussions on Natural vs. Synthetic. Niche vs. mainstream. Production – from raw ingredients to bottled fragrances. Tasting, smelling and sensing in general. This will bring HOURS of pleasure and make an amazing gift for anyone into scents, taste, flowers and flavours. Just beautiful! I got mine from Book Depository, which delivers to Australia for free!

$14 Book Depository

Why Does Asparagus Make Your Wee Smell?
And 57 Other Curious Food and Drink Questions

For those of us curious about everything smelly, be it good or bad this Andy Brunning book features scientific snippets exposing all! Not just aromas but full of biochemistry and facts. Why does garlic make your breath smell? Why do Durian fruit smell bad? What causes blue cheese to smell so strong? It’s all in here and more! I read some of these to my friend’s kids whilst babysitting…!

$72 Book Depository

Transports of Delight:
An Aromatic Journey in Verse from East to West on the Wings of Perfume

Transports of Delight – David Pybus “An Aromatic Journey in Verse from East to West on the Wings of Perfume” is a cute anthology quoting verses from literature, all linked back to smell. Each evoking memories, emotions, romance and adventure from all over the world. Translated from Japanese and about one of my favourite fragrance notes: Fragrance of the Orange

“ Fragrance of the Orange,
Flowering at last in June,
Wafts through the summer night
The memory of scented sleeves
Of someone long ago”

I hope you find some of the above and enjoy them as much as me. Feel free to recommend what’s in your fragrant library?

XX Ainslie