Sunday mornings are always a good time for relaxing and reading a good book. And what better way to do it than with a new perfume book? 1001 Perfumes, The Guide by Daniel Barros is a well-written book for all fragrance enthusiasts.
Barros divides the guide into several sections. The opening chapters feature numerous essays, ranging from writeups on perfume history to pieces on perfume marketing. I particularly enjoyed Barros’ short bios on 24 select master perfumers and their signature compositions. For the lovers of lists, there’s a slew of top 10s (18 pages worth).
Most of the book focuses on perfume reviews. Conveniently, the reviews are split into mainstream and niche categories. Here, you’ll find the 1001 perfumes from 1881 Cerruti to You or Someone Like You—all in all, 500 pages of perfume prose to consume at your leisure. Daniel Barros writes so that all levels, from newbies to total perfume tragics, can enjoy, follow, and understand.
As an aficionado of vetiver perfumes, the first top 10 list I glanced at was the vetiver listing, and several of my favourites made the list. So, as an accompaniment to my read, I’ve chosen Tom Ford’s versatile rendition of the woody note, Grey Vetiver EDP, as my scent of the day. As you can see by the dent in the bottle, it’s become a signature scent of sorts for me over the years.
Have you read any good perfume books lately?
All photos are my own.
Most definitely something I’d love to read, dear Daniel. I recently finished reading Grasse: From Flower to Fragrance. Also recommended. Great pic of your pile of books. I have quite a few of them.
Thanks, Rich. Yes, I need to read that book. Your blog post piqued my interest.
That sounds like a great guide! Tks for sharing!
Thanks, Tetê.
I also have started to read this book and have several of the others in your photo. It’s great how he explains all the concepts from the beginning so people at all levels of perfumery knowledge can appreciate it.
Yes, those opening chapters are well written.