Perfume: In Search of Your Signature Scent Hardcover – April 2, 2019

Love this book! I have been reading the author's blog "The Black Narcissus" for ages and when I heard he was publishing a book I was over the moon with excitement. I have been a fragrance lover for my whole life, well over 39 years now, and I felt I knew so much about so many fragrances. Well, after reading this book I have learnt so much more and enriched my knowledge and appreciation of not just fragrance, but the notes themselves that make up the scents.Neil has a magnificent way of talking about fragrance that is witty, wry, interesting and extraordinarily informative as well.I have many books on fragrance and the history of fragrance, this one is definitely in the top tier of all of them.Not only will one enjoy learning about scents, even ones you might have thought you knew well, by you will be transported to far away wonderful places that are exquisitely conveyed by the author, bringing the fragrances to life.A book well worth owning. A must for the fragrance lover.

Neil Chapman has written a marvelously personal, knowledgeable guide to perfumes, which combines erudite chapters about the history and manufacture of fragrance with his individual reviews of specific perfumes, grouped loosely into categories such as "Green", then by notes like "green florals." It is a remarkably user-friendly format with an exhaustive index if one just wants to read one review of a specific fragrance. Neil has a poetic sensibility and lifelong love of perfume, both of which suffuse his writing. As he says, "In its wordless abstraction, a beautifully made scent can encapsulate an emotion; smell, with its visceral link to the unconscious, is unique in its emotional immediacy." His short reviews of individual fragrances combine information about their components and creation with his own deeply personal reactions to wearing them, or memories of times when he wore them. Since his own perfume collection must number in the thousands, including many rare vintage perfumes, even the most profligate collectors of perfumes will find surprises and revelations.The book itself is beautiful and would make a lovely gift to any fragrance-lover, especially if combined with a gift of an actual fragrance. It is a hardcover with a gorgeous metallic Art Deco design and gold-edged pages. Bravo, Neil!

I learned a lot. Made for a good read.

An aesthetically pleasing, eminently giftable book, perfectly presented with gilt edging. The author's love of perfume is evident here, as it was well-known through his beautifully written blog. This being a reference book, we are given a slightly more encyclopedic treatment, with concise, note-focused descriptions of a wide range of scents, from grand classics like Guerlain's Jicky and Caron's Nuit de Noel, to recent scents from niche and artisan houses like Heeley, DSH, Frederic Malle and Tom Ford.The number of scents covered is impressive, all of them categorised in note families like rose, iris, vanilla, leather, tea etc. I particularly appreciated his mostly objective (though not so objective as to be dry) and respectful approach in his reviews, as I usually prefer to form my own opinions about a perfume.I think this is an excellent guidebook to keep on hand for any time one might want a quick reference or just a relaxing afternoon browse.

I've read many perfume books over the years; this one by far is the best. Scent is notoriously hard to write about, yet Neil Chapman makes it look easy, filling his reviews with gorgeous descriptions, interesting facts, and refreshing humor. I also like the fact that he covers all kinds of fragrances, niche as well as department store brands. Not a snobbish bone in his body - the voice that comes through here is intelligent, warm, never boring. If you love perfume (and reading about perfume) I highly recommend this.

Lovely

What an absolutely gorgeous book, an education in a Deco package. I very much appreciated the author's experience and suggestions, and was actually successful in finding my personal dreamboat signature scent-- a vintage, discontinued, spicy floral oriental. Even its name fits my style of personal cool! Very great reading, the perfect bedtime book to read bits at a time before sleep, building well-scented dreams. Well done!

I'm obsessed with perfumes and body mists. This book is the most concise one I've ever found. It is easy to read and covers EVERYTHING you need to find your perfect signature scent. I appreciate the amount of time and effort that went into this title.Through no fault of the author or publisher, my book arrived damaged. I don't even care! It's absolutely gorgeous and somehow STILL looks amazing on my shelf. I've displayed the book near the entrance to my bedroom, right up there with other beautiful and thoughtful titles.This title is an absolute steal. I would have easily paid more for this book and somehow only spent $14. Thank you for a wonderful addition to my collection.