The Essence of Perfume Hardcover – October 14, 2014

Many people are keen to dabble in the art of perfumery and this is a book that needs to be on their shelf for that purpose. This book is, in my opinion, worthy of being a primary textbook for an introductory course on the topic of perfumery. It covers basic history, materials and how to acquire them, noteworthy people, noteworthy perfumes, and a great deal of jargon. Is it everything? Certainly not. There is no mention of the IFRA, synthetic chemistry, and/or many of the minutiae of the industry. And that's perfectly fine. This is the book to read as a foundation of overall understanding and stands as a threshold to much more that might be found in other books. Consider it a gateway book. This will either sate one's curiosity and that's that, or it will pique their interest and spur them to continue learning.

This is a wonderful volume - lavishly illustrated and well researched. Everything you ever wanted to know about scents, their history, how they are made, the array of materials used, etc. The great design houses are well profiled. For me the most fun is Dove's selection of 55 of the greatest perfumes (since 1889) with comments on their content, place in history, and importance in the art of perfumery. Color photos of the elaborate bottles accompany each profile.I have been using an online sample company and obtaining decade by decade vials of the reviewed perfumes and it is great fun. Dove is the "best nose in the business," having worked for Guerlain for 20 years, and now producing his own scent lines. His rich sensual Unspoken is my favorite of his.I have read other scholarly books on the subject and they can be rather cloying, like a heavy floral, but Dove's is breezy and easy to read. My only peeve would be he needed a better editor - there are many typos and incorrect spellings of names. Small point though.Enjoy!

Roja Dove's splendid take on perfumery, its methods, history and mystery, is as precious to me as the perfumes I own, now that scent has become a passion second only to the novels I write. The book is equally resplendent with information to feed a perfumista's/o's mind and glorious photos for our eyes to feast upon. It begins with an explanation of smell itself, goes on to describe how perfume notes are extracted from flower, citrus, resin, etc., includes a sumptuous glossary of raw materials and explains the key aspects of perfumery. Then the history starts of great perfumes and their perfumers--stories from the birth of modern perfumery up to today--and ends with the ones Roja Dove personally created (please, God, may I have a bottle of Roja before I die?). It ends with his thoughts about the future. This book has become a prized possession. Should an emergency arise, I might well be found running from the house with my purse, a sack of fragrances, and The Essence of Perfume. Time permitting, I'll have on shoes. I can't recommend this book more highly.

I had no idea I was getting such a magnificent volume. There is everything to love about "The Essence of Perfume." It can be a coffee table book to peruse casually. The photography of the classic bottles and advertising is a delight to the eye. Some of the short descriptions of fragrances make for quick reads. Or else you can dig into the "meat" of the book -- the history of the fragrance houses, the crafts persons that created the perfumes, the structure of the various scents, and the luminaries associated with the scent or the brand. Both an artistic and scholarly achievement. And it is all splendidly and elegantly presented. It's a "keeper," and I'm delighted to add it to my library.

The book is as described by the seller—a beautiful and heavy book. This book is a visual feast with images/pictures throughout, accompanied by informative text spanning the history of perfume and the main materials used in perfumery. The book also explains how we "smell" with our noses. It is a perfect reference book that can also be a coffee table book that will pique the interests of those interested in the topic!

This is THE BEST book on perfumes. I know the rest, I've read them all (well, almost all) in various shapes, sizes and formats:)But this one, THIS one, is second to none. As the previous reviewers have already noted, it's magnificent, splendid, gorgeous, and lavishly illustrated. And even that is an understatement. This book is ALIVE. It literally talks to you, takes you by the hand and carries you away on an amazing and incredible journey into the world of the fine art of scent. Even more than that, this book is a piece of art itself.

Wow! This is probably the most visually gorgeous book I own (and I collect beautiful books on fragrance and perfume). Even though I dearly love my Kindles, I did order this as a hardback book, and I am so glad I did. The extravagant beauty of the art and photography and the feel of the pages create an experience that is alone well worth the price of the book. That said, "The Essence of Perfume" is also a fabulous read.I highly recommend this to anyone who loves fragrance - buy the hardback. You won't regret it!

Absolutely beautiful full color coffee table book packed with insider info. Printed on heavy paper, this effort is exactly what I would expect from a consummate professional nose like Mr Dove. Very informative sections on natural ingredients, the classic perfumes and the people behind them. Top notch.