On this page you will find books on perfumery, fragrance, scent & related topics that I’ve read. You can purchase all the (e)books listed via Amazon or click on the titles below for a direct link.

Gabe Oppenheim – The Ghost Perfumer
One of my top recommendations. On the surface this book exposes the fabricated backstory of the house of Creed and it’s hidden use of perfumers, as well as small dives into the smoke & mirrors of the perfume business at large. The Ghost Perfumer is perhaps at its most interesting as an exploration of human psychology and human traits that open up the possibilities for the dynamic between the ‘duped’ perfumers and the cunning (Olivier) Creed.

Chandler Burr – THE EMPEROR OF SCENT
This is Chandler Burr’s take on the story of Luca Turin. This book is less about perfume and more about the inner-workings of the scientific community as Turin has tried to figure out how our sense of smell works. A lot of personality in this book and intriguing theory (Turin’s work has yet to be accepted as the final explination for our nose’s mysteries).

Luca Turin – THE SECRET OF SCENT
Luca Turin’s own book on his journey in discovering the way our noses work. I personally prefer The Emperor Of Scent listed above, but The Secret Of Scent offers quite a scientific dive into Turin’s theories.

Jean-Claude Ellena – PERFUME: THE ALCHEMY OF SCENT
This book by one of the world’s leading perfumers is a great one for beginners. It explains in bite-size steps the vocabulary used in the world of perfumery and offers small dives into perfumes, ingredients, perfume making and the industry. A bit shallow perhaps for connoisseurs, especially with how much information is readily available online these days, but a good starting point.

Patrick Suskind – PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER
One of the most popular works of fiction related to perfume has to be this book. It’s hard to describe this quirky, weird and at times brutal and dark story of a perfumer’s apprentice who loses himself in an obsession. The 2006 movie deviates slightly, but captures the essence and is worth a watch. I personally love the scenes at the perfume store/maker, whereas other parts of the story are a bit over the top, especially the ending. There’s also a German show by its name, but that is more of a detective show, with barely any ties into perfumery or this book; good, but totally different.

Theresa Levitt – ELIXIR
This one is more aimed at the history buffs. At its core, this is all about the development of alchemy and chemistry in 1800-19000’s France. It starts with a brief history more related to perfumery and throughout the book perfume and its ingredients are sprinkled in as they play a surprisingly vital role in some of the events in the scientific breakthroughs and the French revolution. It speaks on the revelation of the structural differences between natural and synthetic molecules that were thought to be identical.

Chandler Burr – THE PERFECT SCENT
A popular and in theory great book, as it explores the behind the scenes of the perfume industry. It follows Jean-Claude Ellena in his work for Hermes; which is great. It also follows Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and The City) in the launch of her new scent; which I found less interesting. Nonetheless another great book by Chandler Burr and I wish we could get a follow-up with more of the inner-workings from inside the industry.

Elise Vernon Pearlstine – SCENT: A NATURAL HISTORY OF FRAGRANCE
This explores mostly the history and biology of ingredients often seen in perfumery. Resins, woods, spices, flowers. Pearlstine (a biologist) dives into (historical) uses, acquisition and distribution of the materials, evolution of plants & cultural significance. Great read so far when it comes to aromatic ingredients found in nature.

Luca Turin & Tania Sanchez – PERFUMES A-Z GUIDE
You can’t talk about perfume books without talking about ‘The Guide’. Luca Turin’s book of perfume reviews that is hailed by many as a Michelin Star guide of sorts for the fragrance world. Turin’s humor and sharp (and at times rebellious) character shines through in these reviews. While taste is subjective, it at least offers a fun read that will surely lead to new fragrances to explore.