Revelations in Air

August 30, 2021
Journalist Stewart (Patternalia) takes olfaction seriously in this impassioned exploration of smell. Aiming to “challenge myself and readers to use a sense that’s barely understood,” Stewart begins by breaking down the mechanics of the nose, then dives into scent descriptions broken into 10 categories: flowery and herbal, sweet, savory, earthy, resinous, funky, sharp and pungent, salty and nutty, tingling and fresh, and “otherworldly.” Many are familiar: roses, almonds, musk, and lavender all make an appearance; while others are less so, such as ditto sheets, Play-Doh, and melting permafrost. Along the way, Stewart offers exercises to improve one’s experience smelling (trying to navigate a room by smell alone, for example), and fun facts abound (Chinese car buyers are searching for cars with no “new-car smell,” and factories employ “Golden Noses” to ensure there’s no scent). What sets Stewart’s tour apart is her intense descriptions—jasmine has “an extraordinary sense of liftoff” that “rolls over you like a tidal wave,” and the smell of truffles is “heterodox, suggesting its own universe.” As inventive as they are, things can start to feel overwritten read one after the other (“I want to lean into the corniness of smell,” she warns in her introduction). Though best read in small doses, this is packed with vibrant energy.