The Emperor of Scent: A True Story of Perfume and Obsession

Written by Chandler Burr

Narrated by Jamie Renell

"A brilliant, feisty scientist at the center of a nasty, back-stabbing, utterly absorbing, cliff-hanging scramble for the Nobel Prize. The Emperor of Scent is a quirky, wonderful book." —JOHN BERENDT, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil



The Emperor of Scent tells of the scientific maverick Luca Turin, a connoisseur and something of an aesthete who wrote a bestselling perfume guide and bandied about an outrageous new theory on the human sense of smell. Drawing on cutting-edge work in biology, chemistry, and physics, Turin used his obsession with perfume and his eerie gift for smell to turn the cloistered worlds of the smell business and science upside down, leading to a solution to the last great mystery of the senses: how the nose works.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Mar 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781666165340

Reviews for The Emperor of Scent

[jpsnow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This the story of a polymath scientist who connected his knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics, his appreciation for scent, and expressive writing skills. The result, driven by innate curiosity, was an updated theory about humans smell. Chandler's writing is clear and enjoyable, as are the masterful excerpts by the scientist turned perfume guide author. The prose is excellent and the story captivating, but more than anything, what it conveys is a disappointing mindset of established scientists. Luca Turin's vibration theory of smell is controversial. New theories are. It's disappointing that so many scientists held onto their own established thinking rather than even being open to contrary possibilities. For some, a lifetime invested in one paradigm makes it a religion rather than science. Fortunately, science rests on reality and the scientific method on a logical process. Many of the leading scientists mentioned in this book let their profession down, but the story itself gives hope.

[mrs_mcgreevy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Here we sit at the dawn of the 21st century. Science has figured out the basics and is now just working on the details, right? Would it surprise you to learn that, in this day and age, we have no idea how smell works? The accepted theory is that smell works when receptors in the nose recognize the shape of a molecule. However, even dedicated Shapists recognize that this doesn’t happen all the time. The Emperor of Scent is the story of Luca Turin, a biologist who has proposed a radical new theory for how smell works. Turin believes that receptors in the nose recognize vibrations, just like the eyes and ears do. Turin’s Vibrational theory neatly sidesteps all of the problems associated with the Shape theory. If true, Turin’s theory would revolutionize the perfume industry. The Emperor of Scent is also the story of how the scientific community has reacted to Turin’s theory, and it’s a fascinating tale of luck, greed, and arrogance.

The first ¾ of the book is fascinating, because if Turin had not had such varied interests, he never would have gathered all of the little tidbits of information that allowed him to make his theoretical leap. If he had never been fascinated by perfume as a child, he would not have caught the attention of the secretive perfume industry which allowed him access to their laboratories. If he was able to stay focused on whatever project was at hand, he wouldn’t have started reading a journal that was outside of his professional purview and would have missed the article about how electron tunneling works. If he were easily cowed, he would have given up on his theory when all of the experts in his field denounced it repeatedly. The book would be compelling reading if it stopped here, but it doesn’t.

At this point in the book, the author weighs in with a chapter. Burr understands that books like this are supposed to be more balanced, presenting opposing viewpoints to give the audience some perspective on his subject. He explains that he would happily do so if those holding the opposing viewpoints would bother to reply to phone calls or email. Even more interestingly, those who do reply dismiss Turin’s theory out of hand. When pressed about specific points in the paper, they admit they haven’t read it, and seem offended that Burr expects them to. We tend to think of scientists as being above this sort of petty and juvenile behavior, but Burr pulls back the curtain and gives us a glimpse of the Wizard in his true form, and you can’t look away.

The last section of the book details Turin’s appearance at a conference where he presents his theory to some of the giants in his field. The reception is polite, but not spectacular. Some of the top scientists in the field do question Turin, and he responds to their points with a charming mixture of exuberance and exasperation. This is where the imbalance of the book is most glaring. Those who don’t accept the theory, it is implied, are either unwilling or unable to see the truth. It’s all very convincing, but perhaps a bit too convincing. You end up wishing that Turin would run up against someone as smart and stubborn as he is so you could see a real debate on the merits of Turin’s theory.

Is Turin’s theory legitimate? Has he cracked the riddle of how smell? Is his science up to snuff? I don’t know. I’m a bookseller, not a scientist. But Burr does an excellent job of making the science behind Turin’s theory make sense to someone with no scientific background while still maintaining the flow of the story. From the information we’re given, it certainly seems like Turin is onto something. Would the book have benefited from more balance? Certainly. Should Burr have given up on the book when Turin’s detractors refused to cooperate? Certainly not; it’s too much fun to be missed. The Emperor of Scent is a book much like its protagonist: sharp, smart, unconventional, pugnacious, and entertaining.

[bravenewbks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Okay, wow. I absolutely loved this book. It had a little something for every part of me that wants something different in a book: there was science, real honest-to-God science, for the snobby intellectual , there was scandal and affrontery for the secret scandalmonger, there was talk of perfumery and the haute couture houses for the girly fashionista, there was exploration of research, development, and business decisions for the pragmatist, there was skewering of the peer-review process for the academician, and there was even a delightfully described trip to India for the travel-lover. And of course, the ever-successful frame of finding oneself rooting for the underdog is all throughout.

I'm kindof in love with this book, in short. It was interesting for so many different reaons; I learned a TON, and really enjoyed myself doing it. There are serious things to think about afterwards, but also fun little factoids to tuck away for future reference... and I personally was also left with an urge to seek out some particularly lauded perfumes and smell them for myself. :)

One of my favorite random passages, describing the demands made of the chemists and perfume designers: "'We want the smell of old melting candles in ballrooms of Italian marble during a Chinese winter,' 'Give us the fragrance surrendered by a young blue flower crushed under the heated, ivory back of a woman with chocolate eyes,' 'We must have the scent lightning makes the instant it strikes a platinum rose.'"

[page.fault · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is ostensibly about the more scientific aspects of the olfactory system; in reality, it is an incredibly biased portrayal of a very controversial scientist, Luca Turin. I still thought it was well-written and interesting, but ignore the conspiracy theory put forward by both author and subject, that The World is not ready for The Truth and that this is why Turin can't get his work into Nature...actually, it's because his theory is unsubstantiated and partially disproved. Still a surprisingly engaging read

[barbaretta_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I bought this book in error, thinking the title was vaguely familiar as one on my "to read" list. The one on my list was actually "Perfume" by Charles Susskind, but what a fortuitous mistake. This is an outstandingly written biography, admittedly with a degree of sympathetic bias towards the position of the subject, Luca Turin. Turin is a scientist, an idiosyncratic and sometimes prickly researcher engaged in discovering the biophysics/chemistry behind the sense of smell. He is also a world authority on perfumes. In the 1990s, Turin advanced a theory on the sense of smell that is based on vibrations having a key role. (Too hard to explain in detail in a review!) His theory was counter to that of the mainstream smell researching scientific community, which for many years had developed on a belief that smell was determined by the shape of atoms. What happens as a result makes for rivetting reading. The biograpy gives sharp insights into the behind the scenes rivalry and shennanigans that see some scientists "in" and others "out" in their community of research peers. Turin, in every respect, was "out". For a non science trained reader such as me, the science detail in some parts was a challenge, but it is a credit to the author that overall, he succeeded in making a highly specialised subject accessible to non science trained readers. The crispness of the writing, the subtle humour, the insights into a frighteningly brilliant but complex man, the commentary on some very famous perfumes and the intrigue that is the underbelly of the scientific research community made this book an outstanding read. The ending was abrupt and a little unexpected, but on reflection, probably predictable. Highly recommended

[bookdivasreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An interesting foray into the mind of Luca Turin.

[conformer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating, if totally niche. Luca Turin has the most sophistiated nose in the world, and his mission is to put together a new theory on how humans use their olfactory senses. There are scenes in gleaming laboratories where branded perfumes and colognes are constructed molecule by molecule, as well as road trips to hidden shops in France and holes-in-the-wall in Morocco where the raw materials for perfumes are sought after. Reading this book has the "Top Gun effect" on the reader; it makes you want to get into this business, or at least try to gain a greater appreciation for it.

[niecierpek · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Part physics, part biology, part chemistry, but first and foremost a very well written biography of Turin and his quest for recognition of his theory of smell according to which smell is detected through molecular vibrations. His theory contradicts the well
established theory of smell as detection of the shape of molecules.
The book is not only about the theory itself, but about the reception of it among other scientists, and about how much the process of scientific investigation can fail, since it so much based on human prejudices and vested interests.

In Burr's words,
'I began this book as a simple story of creation of a scientific
theory. But, I continued it with the growing awareness that it was,
in fact, a larger, more complex story of scientific corruption,
corruption in the most mundane and systemic and virulent and sadly
human sense of jealousy and calcified minds and vested interests.
That it was a scientific morality tale.'

[hhs9staff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Burr is the perfume writer for the New York Times. In this book he tells the story of an eccentric French scientist, Luca Turin, with an amazing nose and fascination with both perfume and the science of smell. Turin shakes up the perfume industry with his first book and then turns his attention to discovering how we smell. His resurrection of an old theory with new proof threatens to destroy careers and entire industries. Burr explains how Turin’s scientific efforts are silenced by a commitment to profit and institutional resistance to and fear of change.Reviewed by:Mark Janda Social Studies Teacher

[montglanechess_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant biophysicist and perfume connoisseur Luca Turin struggles to prove his theory of olfactory vibration. Journalist Chandler Burr turns a unexpected meeting with Turin into a lush and easily engaging tale of scientific inquiry, excitement, and pettiness. Chandler narrates Turin’s complexities of working with “biophysistry”, the unholy trinity of physics, biology, and chemistry to unravel the last mystery of the senses-- smell. Tradition holds that olfactory senses operate by “shape”, connecting smell molecules to the appropriate molecular docking site in the human nose. Turin promptly turns this on its head by reinvigorating a theory of vibration proposed by Malcolm Dyson. The human side of science is exposed as Turin runs into blank stares and closed doors as olfactory scientists refuse or are unable to comprehend Turin’s multi-disciplinary findings. The decidedly biased tilt in favor of Turin’s radical new theory is dealt with by the author when he explains his efforts to interview scientists on the other side of the debate were promptly shut down; phone calls and e-mails were full of vitriol or went unanswered. Despite such opposition, Turin’s struggles bear fruit as his theory and legendary perfumery skills secure him a place among the industrial giants of scent.

[smartdogs_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Burr’s story about Luca Turin, a scientist with an unusually sensitive nose provides some fascinating insights on how dogs may perceive - or more importantly, think about - scent. I found the parts of the book where Turin talks about the way he perceives smells to be utterly fascinating. Much, I imagine, like a dog - Turin can describe a range or odors from feces to flower with both remarkable accuracy and a refreshing lack of judgement. My ideas about odor, and about dogs, were changed after reading this book.

(Sidebar: For a discussion on the philosophy and neurobiology of scent perception, skip Turin’s book on smell and read Wilson and Stevenson’s excellent ”Learning to Smell“ instead.)

[abraxalito · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A gripping story - I finished it in a couple of days, almost un-putdownable. Some of the science simplifications are a tad dodgy (titanium is bulletproof?) but by and large those don't detract from the high drama. The value to me apart from Turin's very attractive theory, is the way resentment for the person corrupts the 'reasons' why various establishment people don't accept his work. I couldn't resist chuckling at the fact that almost all the negative comments about Turin's theory arise from people who 'don't have the time' to read his paper. But most memorable of all was the way a researcher from Leceister Uni refused to consider it 'because there's a history involved'. Talk about 'shooting the messenger'! For all those who think science is pure science and personalities don't get involved, read this... on second thoughts no, you won't have time ;-) Thomas Kuhn, eat your heart out...

[rich_13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not bad, ends abruptly.

[larpiainen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

a fascinating book on smell and how it works. also a story of a man's battle to be accepted by his professional peers...