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ampersunder's review against another edition
3.0
‰ЫПIt began in mystery, and it will end in mystery. However many of life‰ЫЄs large, captivating principles and small, captivating details we may explore, unpuzzle, and learn by heart, there will still be vast unknown realms to lure us.‰Ыќ
thewildewoolf's review against another edition
im giving up on this fifty pages before it ends because i cant do it anymore. some parts are truly interesting, but it kinda tapers off. there's only so many times she can comment on plant sex lives. not an actual history, just a weird collection of facts and experiments and anecdotes related to each sense. honestly the most wild part is when she casually says shit like "when i was in antarctica" and "sometimes i consider taking a plane to paris for the afternoon just for this hot chocolate they have at this one restaurant" "i was with my mother in istanbul in the 70s" like ????? who are you diane ackerman?? who has the resources to even contemplate just going to paris for the afternoon for some hot chocolate???
dreadpiraterudis's review against another edition
3.0
I originally started reading this because of its relevancy to the work I have been doing with smell, and I was happy you find that the rest of the book was just as well-researched and poetic. Some parts of the research and tone of the book have aged better than others, but overall it’s a wonderful exploration of the senses.
oftortall's review against another edition
3.0
I love reading about the senses and this book was right up that alley. I really liked how Ackerman introduced scientific, historical and literary facts/ happenings in each sense chapter, that is what I was reading for. Toward the end Ackerman waxed and pontificated about the trips she has been on describing details that were yes, very nice and pretty, but just got long winded and boring. Her poet-ness came out when I didn't care to hear it.
derelictvessel's review against another edition
4.0
Poetically written and well rounded vignettes on topics surrounds the five senses. I especially enjoyed the extra bit on synesthesia.
ariel_bloomer's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great book for writers to read, because its so full of sensory detail and challenges you to think about articulating your senses in new and different ways.
alyssadomzal's review against another edition
5.0
It's just solid narrative nonfiction. I also am pretty sure Diane Ackerman would be completely insane if you were to meet her in real life (who physically cries because a mineral at a museum was incredibly yellow?), but it made her observations about the senses amusing and often quite informative. GOOD CHOICE EMMA.