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galliexyc's review against another edition
3.0
Diane Ackerman writes like an ass. She includes one poem in this book - in the section on sound - and I absolutely loved it. I would read more of her, but not in book format. Some writing styles do not lend themselves to the lengthy.
I can't even say I learned anything because I was too busy straining for substance amongst the stew of purple prose. For well-done naturalist writing that is both lyrical and palatable, read Annie Dillard.
I can't even say I learned anything because I was too busy straining for substance amongst the stew of purple prose. For well-done naturalist writing that is both lyrical and palatable, read Annie Dillard.
losthitsu's review against another edition
1.0
This book was a disappointment. I expected a decently written, informative book on the history of human senses, and instead got a strange mix of facts, myths and incredibly self-indulgent personal narrative that I couldn't bring myself to care for.
I understand the book is 25 years old so some theories will be inevitably outdated, but Ackerman mixes scientific theories with bits of randomly picked interesting trivia that she clearly didn't bother to critically examine and some wide-spread folk beliefs that not even QI panellists would fall for. The writing style tries to be sensual and poetic, but sounded utterly pretentious to me (there is a limit to the number of times you can use 'robust' in 300 pages without sounding ridiculous and Ackerman crosses the point and leaves it far behind her). The whole book felt like a chance for the writer to brag about her fantastic life experiences (yes we get it, you got to tag Monarch butterflies and it was amazing, good for you!) while trying to pass her incredibly narrow, white-rich-American-heterosexual-woman point of view as the universal way of experiencing senses. It would work perfectly well as an autobiography or a personal narrative but not as something that aims to be sold as popular science.
I understand the book is 25 years old so some theories will be inevitably outdated, but Ackerman mixes scientific theories with bits of randomly picked interesting trivia that she clearly didn't bother to critically examine and some wide-spread folk beliefs that not even QI panellists would fall for. The writing style tries to be sensual and poetic, but sounded utterly pretentious to me (there is a limit to the number of times you can use 'robust' in 300 pages without sounding ridiculous and Ackerman crosses the point and leaves it far behind her). The whole book felt like a chance for the writer to brag about her fantastic life experiences (yes we get it, you got to tag Monarch butterflies and it was amazing, good for you!) while trying to pass her incredibly narrow, white-rich-American-heterosexual-woman point of view as the universal way of experiencing senses. It would work perfectly well as an autobiography or a personal narrative but not as something that aims to be sold as popular science.
mariejosed's review against another edition
1.0
Abandon 182 p.
Si je l’avais lu à sa sortie en 1991, j’aurais, peut-être, aimé, mais ce livre a trop mal vieilli.
Et j’aurais aimé plus de rigueur scientifique.
Si je l’avais lu à sa sortie en 1991, j’aurais, peut-être, aimé, mais ce livre a trop mal vieilli.
Et j’aurais aimé plus de rigueur scientifique.
ofreena's review against another edition
4.0
An incredible review of how and why and in what way we use or have used our senses through history. Full of facts and trivia that helps the world come together. As well, the best part, a partially first person non fiction book from a female perspective. Anecdotes are not from a He perspective but from a She perspective. I love it.
embingham's review against another edition
4.0
This book had some very interesting science in it as well as some very eloquent, beautiful writing. Usually I enjoyed the beautiful descriptive writing style, but there were parts where I found myself thinking, "Ok, just get to the point!" This book did leave me feeling like I have gone through too much of my life without fully using my senses. There were parts of the book that made me feel like a blind man who had finally been granted sight. I have always had these senses, but I've never really appreciated or used them as much as I now do. I find myself noticing the smell of things, the feel of things, taste of things, sound of things, and sight of things much more than I did before reading this book. Overall, it was very eye-opening, even if it did get a little wordy in some spots.
larabavery's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
Well-researched, deeply sensual factoids; lyrical prose verging on suffocating. Touches on but does not engage with any of the larger implications of what our senses mean to us biologically, psychologically, or how they change over time. Structured in dollops of research and/or anecdotes that, at least for me, go “in one ear, out the other” because they are not connected to a larger narrative or argument.