Five things Amanda Hampson learned while researching for The French Perfumer.
- The term ‘perfume’ is derived from the Latin ‘fumum’ meaning ‘through smoke’. The fragrant smoke of burned materials was thought to be divine, sending prayers to heaven.
- Perfume was once a privilege of the rich and the cost of materials was irrelevant. From early last century, the decadent and rare raw materials began to be synthesised to make perfume cheaper and therefore more widely available.
- A kilo of the best quality French jasmine comprises five million blossoms and costs around $50,000 – that’s triple the price of gold.
- A perfumer (known as a ‘nose’) is an artist who ‘paints’ with layers of fragrance. It’s a long and involved process with many ‘drafts’ that are put away to be revisited and revised over the development period.
- Perfumers attempt to capture a moment or a feeling. Jacques Guerlain was inspired to create L’Heure Bleue (The Blue Hour) when walking by the Seine one evening. He set out to capture the sense of that twilight hour when ‘the night has not yet found its star’.
The French Perfumer Amanda Hampson
In the tradition of The Little Paris Bookshop and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, this is a charming historical novel set in the South of France by the bestselling author of The Olive Sisters.
Buy now
Amanda Hampson recalls her personal journey through reading, journalism and writing fiction.
Greg Mullins, former Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW, predicts parts of Australia will record 50C days in just decades to come.
The shortlist for the 2021 Booker Prize has been announced, with four Penguin Random House novels named.
Hugh van Cuylenburg was being interviewed on a national radio station when he surprised himself with an admission.
Light-emitting Mushrooms and the High Priestess of Soul; The song behind The What On Earth Institute of Wonder.
Two authors — who are also dads — share their tips on how fathers can get a moment to themselves.
Reading offers us entertainment and a quick escape from reality, but did you know about these other hidden health benefits?
Show them you know them by picking a book that perfectly matches your dad.
Take our quiz to discover which books match your dad's personality so you can buy the perfect Father's Day gift.
The top tips for sprucing your bookshelf during the annual spring clean.
There is one act that will help lift your mood in just minutes as we prepare to enter the new spring season.