A Natural History of the Senses

Amazon.com
"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.


From Publishers Weekly
Physiology and philosophy mesh in this poetic investigation of the five senses; essays explore synesthesia, food taboos, kissing and the power and diversity of music. "Rooted in science, enlivened by her own convincing sense of wonder, Ackerman's essays awaken us to a fresh awareness," said PW. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
YA-- An exciting multidiscipline book that crosses the lines of literature, history, anthropology, music, psychology, sociology, and philosophy and that flows with grace and reason. The theme is expressed in such a way as to draw readers into experiential thought and, therefore, impacts heavily upon the way one looks at the issue of sensing and its role for humanity. It is sure to raise readers' consciousness level while providing researched and analyzed information on this topic. In addition, the language is clear and concise, which makes the book valuable to a large cross section of readers. The generous use of cultural and historical examples adds to the readability.- Nancy Craig, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VACopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
The five senses not only serve biological functions, they also are inextricably a part of our culture. Award-winning poet Ackerman celebrates the senses by examining their biological bases and the various and bizarre ways we have come to indulge them. Her catalog of the senses is itself a sensuous journey, with prose rich in imagery and rhythm. Ackerman's book is a provocative and entertaining treat whose details will bestir the reader's imagination. Consider, for example, the guest whose pleasure for fragrance led to an untimely death in a shower of rose petals at a Roman feast, or the diner whose thrill at exciting the palate proved deadly upon tasting the poisonous puffer fish. Unlike the fish, this savory delight is recommended for general readers.- Laurie Bartolini, Lincoln Lib., Springfield, Ill.Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
It's clear from the start that this stunning exploration of the senses was written by a poet. Ackerman carefully examines our senses and delves into the role they've played in the lives of people, famous and not. The result is a truly fascinating work. Ackerman skillfully reads this careful abridgment with just the right amount of enthusiasm in her pleasant voice. Her reading is clear, well paced and relaxed. The program contains no music or sound effects to distract the listener. P.B.J. An AUDIOFILE Earphones Award winner. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Margaret Liddiard
To read Diane Ackerman's A Natural History of the Senses is to dive headlong into a sensuous feast. These delightful, inspired essays on the five senses - smell, touch, vision, hearing, taste - mix biology, psychology, history, anthropology, and poetry into voluptuous prose. Who could fail to pause over Diane Ackerman's description of Cleopatra welcoming Mark Antony to her bed in a room awash in a foot and a half of rose petals? Learn why orange juice tastes bitter when you drink it after brushing your teeth. Crawl in total darkness, feeling your way through the blaring confusion of textures in the San Francisco Touch Dome. Visit a laboratory in suburban Chicago where they levitate objects with ultra sound, or meet a "professional nose" who has "composed" scents for everything from perfume to laundry detergent. A rich book, where even the rhythm and movement of the sentences can be awe-inspiring, A Natural History of the Senses is not meant to be gobbled in huge helpings, but to be savored and browsed through like a box of exquisite chocolates. You'll come away from each reading with keener senses - seeing colors more deeply, hearing your favorite music anew, savoring complex flavors on your tongue. -- For great reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14.


From the Inside Flap
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)


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It￯﾿ﾽs clear from the start that this stunning exploration of the senses was written by a poet. Ackerman carefully examines our senses and delves into the role they￯﾿ﾽve played in the lives of people, famous and not. The result is a truly fascinating work. Ackerman skillfully reads this careful abridgment with just the right amount of enthusiasm in her pleasant voice. Her reading is clear, well paced and relaxed. The program contains no music or sound effects to distract the listener. P.B.J. An AUDIOFILE Earphones Award winner. ￯﾿ﾽAudioFile, Portland, Maine


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