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Informative,
Insightful,
Interesting

1 review

A Natural History of the Senses
by Diane Ackerman

Published: 1991-09-10
Paperback : 352 pages
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Diane Ackerman's lusciously written grand tour of the realm of the senses includes conversations with an iceberg in Antarctica and a professional nose in New York, along with dissertations on kisses and tattoos, sadistic cuisine and the music played by the planet Earth. "Delightful . . . gives the ...
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Introduction

Diane Ackerman's lusciously written grand tour of the realm of the senses includes conversations with an iceberg in Antarctica and a professional nose in New York, along with dissertations on kisses and tattoos, sadistic cuisine and the music played by the planet Earth. "Delightful . . . gives the reader the richest possible feeling of the worlds the senses take in."--The New York Times. (Literature--Classics & Contemporary)

Editorial Review

"One of the real tests of writers," notes Ackerman in this liveliest of nature books, "is how well they write about smells. If they can't describe the scent of sanctity in a church, can you trust them to describe the suburbs of the heart?" Ackerman passes the test, writing with ease and fluency about the five senses. Did you know that bat guano smells like stale Wheat Thins? That Bach's music can quell anger around the world? That the leaves that shimmer so beautifully in fall have "no adaptive purpose"? Ackerman does, and she guides us through questions of sensation with an eye for the amusingly arcane reference and just the right phrase.

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  "Natural History of Senses"by cindy n. (see profile) 06/09/09

Very interesting information on the senses, with smell probably being the most nebulous but provocative...reads like a text book, though, so be aware it is not a story.

 
  "Hard to describe but led to an interesting discussion"by Dana B. (see profile) 03/03/09

This book is hard to categorize but each of the senses gets its own chapter and the author, in a somewhat rambling style, discusses the sense in terms of its physiology, biology, history in arts and literature,... (read more)

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