Friday, February 13, 2009

A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman

First sentence:

"How sense-luscious the world is."

Description:

"If Colette had studied science and spent time listening to icebergs in Antarctica and interviewing a professional nose in New York, she might have written a book as luscious and erudite as A Natural History of the Senses. In the course of this grand tour of the realm of the senses, Diane Ackerman writes about the evolution of the kiss, the sadistic cuisine of eighteenth-century England, the chemistry of pain, and the melodies of the planet Earth with an evocativeness and charm that make the book itself a marvel of literate sensuality." -- from the back cover

My thoughts:

This was a beautifully written, informative book about the five senses. Ackerman's descriptive writing kept me engaged and I enjoyed learning about the different ways we perceive the world.

Date read: 2/11/2009
Book #: 13
Challenges: 999 Challenge, Dewey Decimal Challenge
Rating: 4*/5 = great
Genre: Nonfiction

ISBN-10: 0679735666
ISBN-13: 9780679735663
Publisher: Vintage
Year: 1991
# of Pages: 309
Binding: Trade Paperback
LibraryThing Page

1 comment:

b said...

Have this book on my shelf. Thanks for the review. B.