Story of Perfume

Élisabeth de Feydeau has a PhD in the history of perfume from the University of Paris-Sorbonne, teaches at the Versailles School of Perfumers and is a cultural adviser to leading luxury brands, including Christian Dior, Thierry Mugler, Chanel, Guerlain and Lancaster. She is the author of several books, including The Herbarium of Marie Antoinette and the novel A Scented Palace, both of which have been translated into several languages.

Lavishly illustrated, de Feydeau's book is a fascinating history of what we take for granted as we go about our own rituals, spraying wisps of aroma as we start our day, lighting scented candles or dipping diffuser sticks in oil to aromatize our homes. She deftly ties this enjoyable if mundane act back to ancient times, interwoven with culture, tradition and science, taking the story to the famed perfumes of our day, such as Shalimar and Samara by Guerlain, Opium by Yves Saint Laurent and Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens.