Library Journal Interview with Rachel Herz

From Library Journal, September 25th
By Mary Ann Hughes

Proustian scholars, foodies, and popular psychology fiends alike would be wise to seek out Rachel Herz’s eminently readable The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell (October, Morrow). Drawing on the latest research, the visiting professor to Brown University breaks down the powerful connection between our nose and emotions—one that can influence our choice in a signature scent and romantic partners. Longtime LJ reviewer Mary Ann Hughes spoke to Herz to get to the bottom of our olfactory system.

LJ: The title of your book sounds like a romance novel. Why did you choose it?

Smell is the sense that is most closely linked to our emotions, our passions. Scents themselves also can trigger extremely potent emotional associations and states. Scents are also very important in sexual attraction. In sum, our sense of smell is the sense of desire, and scents themselves induce desire. I wanted to capture those concepts and, of course, a sexy title helps to turn heads.

For the rest of the interview, please click here.