A waft of cedar shavings can transport you to a grade-school classroom, while a powdery floral note might evoke the perfume of someone you love. Scent can summon memories, shape moods, signal attraction or aversion, and reveal surprising stories about the ways people have used and understood aroma across cultures and centuries.

Filled with striking visuals and evocative facts, this gorgeous little volume explores humanity’s enduring relationship with the extraordinary range of scents around us―and shows you how to understand, select, and experiment with fragrance