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phunkypbj's review against another edition
5.0
A fascinating read. I learned a lot and it absolutely made me see life on the planet as well as my senses in a new light. Highly recommended
gabbi_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Poetic plunge into humanity. All the ways we interact with the world, sometimes subconsciously, are brought to light, and I can't stop thinking about all the questions we can have over perfume.
cameliarose's review against another edition
3.0
In A Natural History of the Senses, Diane Ackerman explored the five senses we process: smell, touch, hearing, taste, and vision, with a short chapter of synesthesia at the end. Part science, part history, part personal reflections, the style is similar to Bill Bryson, but more poetic and less humorous. The book was gifted to me during my "perfumista" period more than ten years ago. I should have read it then. I do like the chapter about smell, but I find the science is more or less out of date. Over the years I have lost the appetite for any sensational anecdotes, in which the book has several. Besides, back in 1990, was FGM considered some kind of harmless exotic practice?
silvio's review against another edition
4.0
In the beginning I was a bit disappointed because I found the book to be a bit too materialistic (and thus a bit superficial) rather than diving into the actual act of perception, but I more and more realized that I had had wrong and romantic expectations. I wanted this book to make me absolutely fired up and inspired to explore the world of senses more - but, well, it is a "natural history" and not poetry or so. But actually, once I opened up to it, I found it to be quite poetic at times, and quite lovely, and I realized that it is full of information (not all of it news for me though). I found the chapters on touch and taste a bit disappointing/too shallow, but I really loved the exploration of music and (visual) beauty, and my favorite chapter was actually the postscript, where she both finally brought up two very important things that I was missing throughout the book: the acknowledgment that there are way more senses than the convenient "basic five", and the sense of wonder and newness that living on the senses brings. Yes. Thank you.
nathan_hetrick's review against another edition
4.0
This book is full of metaphors and the author meanders through her thoughts throughout nearly the entire work. If you can handle that, you'll enjoy this book. Impatient types and those who aren't thrilled with flowery, descriptive language might do best to look for something else to read, although if you can work your way through its 300 pages, it will be worth it.
vasha's review against another edition
3.0
A loosely-connected farrago of things the author has read or thought about the senses, expressed with verve, sometimes vivid, sometimes ill-considered metaphors. Sadly it could be better.
ejdecoster's review against another edition
2.0
Not as informative as I'd hoped. The prose was lyrical, even overly florid at times.
kansel512's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.5