In my review of Constance Classen's book Aroma (February 2006) I wrote about the growing academic interest for the culture of smell. Not long after that, a wonderful anthology entitled The Smell Culture Reader was published, with excerpts and essays from various renowned (and some lesser known) authors. This massive book (442 pages, 36 articles) brings together some of the finest contemporary writings on smell and its philosophical and cultural implications. Divided into seven sections, it covers a number of frequently recurring topics in this genre, such as scent and sexuality, smell psychology, and fragrance aesthetics. But it tackles less common themes as well, like the fear of foreign smells in the urban domain, or how odors define the ambiance of a space.
Among the contributors you'll find several authors we've discussed previously on these pages. There's an interesting article by Mandy Aftel on technical aspects of perfumery…