What the Nose Knows

the science of scent in everyday life

“Avery Gilbert is the David Sedaris of the nostril, the Mark Twain of the nasal passages.”—Alan R. Hirsch, MD

“An entertaining romp through the science of smell.” —Anne Underwood

“One of those rare books which is so entertainingly written that it is capable of captivating people who have no previous interest in what they might assume to be an esoteric subject. Other such works, I’d suggest, include George Plimpton’s Fireworks . . .”—Robert Chalmers

“. . . a tour that awakens the senses . . . it is hard to resist the sheer pleasure of reading the factoids packed into this book.”—Mick O’Hare

“Written in a breezy, unaffected style . . . crackling with humor and intellect.”—Anya McCoy

“smart, eminently readable . . . a lighthearted book, packed with curious tidbits.”—Adam Begley

“In page after page of sensual descriptions, Gilbert imparts to the reader his passion for the world of smell.”—Joseph Wilson

“ . . . the author seems never to have heard a fart joke that he didn’t like (me either).”—Stuart Firestein, PhD