Musc is the story of a man's obsession with a perfume and its reformulation. Monsieur Eme, a retired secret service agent living a serene life in Paris, is a physically well preserved and inconspicuously elegant gentleman. True to his Gallic nature, the art of seducing women is his favorite pastime; his secret weapon is Musc, an eau de toilette from a small house in Grasse that works in perfect harmony with his skin. He is by no means a perfume aficionado, but he's been more faithful to his fragrance than to any of the women in his life — including Eve, his mistress of 12 years. Monsieur Eme hasn't worn any other scent in the last 40 years, and Musc has become an essential part of his identity. So what happens when it no longer smells the way it used to? When it diffuses as a bland and synthetic aroma, giving off exactly the same odor on everyone else? For Monsieur Eme, a dramatic scenario unfolds.
The bad news starts on the day he opens a newly designed bottle of Musc…
Long before his appointment as the world's first professional perfume critic, Chandler Burr had made a name for himself as a perfume journalist with a bit of an edge. His excellent 
In 1999, the Metropolitan Museum of Art produced a wonderful booklet by Edwin T. Morris called 
I've been looking forward to Rachel Herz' book for a long time. I found out about her work on the psychology of smell several years ago, and although I never got around to reading her academic work (published in reputable journals like the American Journal of Psychology and Chemical Senses), I did keep track of her frequent interviews in the popular media. The Scent of Desire is her first book, and tackles a wide range of questions on the relation between emotion and olfaction. From odor-emotional conditioning and olfactive memory to cultural differences in odor familiarity, Herz explains how odors influence our social relationships and mental health. 
I’m always interested in learning more about the personal background of a perfumer. Why did they choose their profession? What did it take to fulfill their ambition?