A Natural History of the Senses

I loved the experiences Diane Ackerman shares in this book. She seems to have the ability to dive wholeheartedly into one aspect of being, whether that is to enfold herself completely in the pleasures of a single scent or explore the mysteries of what it means to different individuals to hear a strain of music.
My only complaint about the style of the book is how often Ackerman drifts into romantic prose that sounds lovely but is ultimately without substance. Examining the factual and historical nuances of the five senses is engaging enough; I felt that the long passionate passages were too much of a good thing.
My recommendation would be to read this book during long stretches of quiet time alone, or while soaking in a scented bath. Either environment is ideal for this wonderful, poetic contemplation of human experience.

This is a highly enjoyable, very well-written tour of the world around us, via the senses with which we see, hear, touch, taste and smell it. The author uses science, literature, art, music and history to meditate about how the senses make human beings human. It is poetic, insightful, informative, but never superfluous.

The Natural history of the Senses drives the reader to analyze a wide range of topics that involves sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Ackerman might blow the audience's mind at the beginning, but once the reader gets used to her point of view, he or she will be curiouser about her thoughts. From simple to complex ideas regarding the senses, Ackerman manages to analyze each sense from a careful researched work, involving not only human senses but bringing together all living thing towards the senses. As an International student, Diane have complex ideas that were confusing to me, however, the psychological impact that the senses have on us made me realized that there are thousands of possibilities to interact with the senses. To sum up, this book is a journey to gain knowledge, not only about the senses but also about topics that might seem strangely related to the senses.

This book is wonderfully and delightfully detailed. It's enticing blend of poetry and science makes humanity more appealing and treasured then I've ever thought. Not only does the book deliver on the science front being chock-full of facts and intriguing information, but it also delves into the human senses like no ever book I've read through its beautiful use of poetry and language. Ackerman uses the English language to its full descriptive capacity to describe the ever elusive senses that often seem to evade description.

This is an entirely personal response, but this is one of the most important books I've read. For anyone who tries to live actively through their senses, experiencing the world around them and incorporating a sense memory, this book will satisfy powerful, intuitive feelings. It has just enough science to explain and fascinate, the rest is clear, resonant stories of sensual experience. There is a lucid, sincere and powerful feeling of sheer joy about that book, the joy Ackerman finds in her own experience and her pleasure and sharing, but the book never tips into the sentimental.

Other reviews have done a great job of describing what the book is about - what it 'means'. But the most important thing it what it does. It touchs the mind, the senses, the heart, the spirit and ultimately makes you remember what it feels like to be alive. And it may also give you some marketable ideas. What about scented candles that smell like fresh baked bread, musty attics, fresh mowed lawns or the sea shore. If it can be done, I'll just be there would be a audience for it. I've given the book to many friends in the past and will continue to do so as I make new ones.

Naturalist-writer Diane Ackerman explores our five senses, and also devotes a chapter to synesthesia, or the ability to assign colors to sounds. Beginning with smell,she explores such diverse topics as monarch butterflies, perspiration, pheromones, sneezing, roses and perfume makes. In "Touch," she focuses on the contrast between animals and humans, kissing, pain, taboos and more. In "Taste," she describes the connection between food and sex, including chocolate. In "Hearing," she deals with music and deafness among other topics. And in a "Vision," she looks at light, color and how to watch the sky, among other topics. In some places, Ackerman's prose is almost painfully rich, but in others it deftly captures the aspects of this sensual exploration.

One of my very top all time favorites. Ackerman's writing is fantastic, and the subject is incredible. Cannot recommend highly enough-- I even own multiple loaner-copies! Before reading this, a book review would be about the story, characters, content. After reading..all that along with the texture of the print on the paper, the color of the cover, the smell of the ink, the quality of light while you were reading.. it opens your eyes and appreciation to a much richer world where all your senses are in play, all the time! A MUST READ.

I read "A Natural History of the Senses" about ten years ago just a few months out of art school. I thought that I was fully engaged in the world and was aware of all that was around me. I soon learned that I was mistaken. I had been moving through the world virtually half-asleeep, just pushing my way through crowds and not really paying attention. I began opening myself fully to all experiences (through my senses) and I started to feel alive in a new way. I began a slow but steady transformation that has meant everything to me. Touch moved me most and eventually I went back to school and became a Massage Therapist. I am able, not only to experience my world in a new way; but I am also able to share something as comforting as massage with someone else. That is truly amazing!!
Diane Ackerman's style is enlightening and poetic. A Natural History of the Senses is one of those books that you share with good friends and read over and over again. I still have my very first paperback copy (now autographed and a bit tattered) and it inspires me to be aware every day!

This book is anything but a Natural History of the senses. Ackerman takes a few scientific facts about the senses and fluffs them up with rambling prose about her own experiences.
The more science-oriented passages were superficial and extremely brief, and I found the prose to be monotonous and dry. Other reviewers' description of her prose as "cloying" is very appropriate. Her use of imagery and metaphors is at times creative, yet overwhelming, and she offers very little substance to balance it.
I can only begin to imagine the thrills of hearing about the luscious and sensual natural history of her garden. Too bad I won't be getting around to reading that one...
I give the book two stars instead of one for the interesting factoids she inserts here and there, irrelevant though they may be to the surrounding text. Overall, not recommended.

In A Natural History of The Senses, Diane Ackerman examines the history of the evolutionary and cultural development of the senses and their role in the creation of consciousness. In order to accomplish this ambitious feat, she discusses each individual sense organ in detail thereby creating a sort of anthropological journey through the world of sensation. She provides the reader with original insight into how our senses mold our lives whether it is through love or memory.

Casual readers will enjoy perusing through the sensual fields Ackerman lays before them and discovering various facts concerning sensation and perception. Students of psychology would love this book for its unique emphasis on Ackerman's idea that sensation equals consciousness which she grounds in a thorough history of the evolution of the senses.

As a nearly constant rule, I can count on reading and enjoying

a work based solely on the ink on the page and it's effect on

my mental processes and wanderings.

Not this time--Not this writer.

Between her knowledge of enough Science to make me want to

dig for more, and her Art, which will drive me to more of her work, it's probably best that we live on continentally-separated

coasts. I believe I would LOVE to know this person. I'm also

pretty sure that I could become an ambulatory poster boy

for the well-used cliche about Old Fools.

What a wonderful subject upon which to loose a mind of such

incredible sensuality.

I'd recommend this book [and do] to anyone who retains even

the tiniest door open to curiousity and wonder.

I'm not even finished with the book...

I thought that it might slip off a bit at the end. Wrong again,

the next-to-last chapter, 'Synesthesia,' left me unable to continue highlighting passages...the notations extended past

paragraphs, past pages.

Just buy, read it...it's fourteen bucks you'll be glad

you traded for art.

Lee

[Ms. A., fear not, I'm too old to stalk, too mentally buzzed

to still-hunt.]

Diane Ackerman has crafted another stimulating book with her trademark wit, eloquence and keen sense for adventure. She weaves together trivia, science, history with her own travels. This is not a book that you will sit down and finish in an afternoon, rather one that you would read morsel by morsel and savor. So why 4 stars instead of 5? Despite being such an enjoyable read, some of the material seems to be rehashed from her book "Rarest of the Rare". Not necessarily a bad thing, but I just finished reading that book before this one and found myself wanting to skip ahead.

After reading a few of Ackerman's New Yorker pieces, as well as The Moon by Whale Light and her contribution to Sisters of the Earth, I knew I would eventually read all of her books. A Natural History of the Senses does not disappoint. It flows like cool water through literature, history, music, politics, philosophy, and poetry. As a writer, I appreciate this book as a resource of my own, a way to deepen my understanding of our sensory appreciation of the world - but also as an example of beautiful writing by a master of the craft.
In a nutshell, I wish Diane Ackerman lived next door to me.

She's an amazing writer. Her artistic, sensual passion wins the day, though she warms up to good science, too. If you enjoy all things Ackerman, or if you are especiallly interested in the senses, then you'll love Nova's "Mystery of the Senses." This is a 5-part documentary featuring each of the major senses. It is based on this book, primarily. It is narrated by Ackerman, and you'll find her (and her glorious '80s era hair) taking mudbaths, sitting by a stream, etc. The video set, like this book, bridges the gap between sensuality and science; experience and explanation.

Ackerman analyzes different aspects of the senses beautifully, although occasionally ad nauseam. A Natural History of the Senses is eloquently and captivatingly written, and many of Ackerman's insights are thought provoking. Although sometimes off track and often rambling, especially in historical terms, almost every passage left some impression on me. The lingual ties, biological sources, and cultural differences of each sense for the most part are fascinating and often incredibly romantic.

The book is divided into examinations of the five senses with subsections on particular aspects of the sense. Ackerman analyzes the sense of smell through the historical ties (e.g. Napoleon's captivation with violets), the biological pathways, and the cultural importance (the influence of scents, especially perfumes, on our lives). The "touch" section focuses more on the biology of the sense, taking much more time to explain revolutionary studies as well as the biological source of our desire for intimacy. In "Taste," Ackerman proposes "nature vs. nurture" arguments regarding our cravings. In the section on hearing, Ackerman dissects language, music, and the relationship between them, with special emphasis on hearing of animals. In the section "Sight," Ackerman gives a cultural, biological, and anthropological perspective on the sense, especially on our perception of beauty and nature. Finally, Ackerman ties the sections together through "senescence," the influence of one sense on the others, because it is most commonly all of our senses combined that elicit a complex response.

Smell
Ackerman brilliantly narrates the complexities of the sense of smell, so incredible that spoken and written language can rarely adequately convey the sensation. She seamlessly shifts between significant cultural and historical accounts of the importance of smell, emphasizing this idea with personal views of people lacking this sense and people having especially acute senses of smell. Among the cultural and personal recounts, Ackerman takes time to explain the biological aspects of the sense of smell. She makes sure to keep the non-scientific reader's attention while mapping the pathway from the receptors in the nose through to the limbic system, initiating the emotional response of smell, by noting anatomical differences between different animals and races. Although the biological description lacks reference to many other aspects of the pathways, Ackerman manages to keep that attention to readers from all backgrounds.

Touch
Most of Ackerman's narratives from the section examining touch at least begin while therapeutically stroking a premature baby. The section is written beautifully, and this setting is kept in mind throughout it. She examines cultural influences of such rituals as tattoos and the fascination with pain in terms of the sense of touch. Although still interesting, the flow of Ackerman's writing seems a little more disorganized and disjointed.

Taste
While investigative taste Ackerman examines the psychopharmacology behind such favorites as chocolate, with specific emphasis on the importance of the biology and psychology working together. Some cultural ties she makes, especially concerning turns of phrase used in today's culture, seem to be a bit of a stretch while others seem to be superfluous. Despite these hiccups, the rest of the passage flows beautifully as Ackerman eloquently depicts details of scenes of Roman dinner parties, making the scene easy to sink into, as well as the complex pathways from taste to processing within the brain (including other areas involved such as scent) to the signals sent back.

Hearing
Although this section begins with a monotonous trace of lingual roots, this section interestingly investigates the range of hearing, especially what is outside of our range of hearing and its affect on us. It is more cohesive than the others in the book, but it seems to over-analyze aspects such as the hearing of animals. While describing whale songs, Ackerman includes a "sound poem [written] after a whale concert" (201), but this poem does not seem to give any insight into her argument but merely seems to be a superfluous page-filler. However her very detailed descriptions sometimes help make a story memorable: "The Violin Remembers" is very relatable because Ackerman speaks directly from her personal experience: she writes about her yearning for a Stradivarius violin: "How often I lusted after a Stradivarius that would transmute my sandpapery sounds to pure gold" (203).

Vision
Ackerman insightfully describes the sense as of sight as "the great monopolist of our senses" (229) and elaborates to explain the difficulty to focus on other senses with the great amount of stimuli entering the eye. She takes careful time to describe the evolution of the eye and the biological pathway and changes that occur in the process of sight. She also takes time to dissect how our sense of sight (including specifics on light and colors) affects our sense of well-being and is affected by culture, such as our perception of beauty. Some of the subsections seem misplaced, especially the section about "How to watch the sky" (235): listless descriptions of experiences on ships and in meadows distract from her main focus.

A Natural History of the Senses is incredibly informative and flows well, for the most part. Even the information gleaned from Ackerman's ramblings is usually related to the main analysis to a point and is thought provoking. Although I may not agree with all of Ackerman's views, I would not have normally considered the root of behaviors and views that she discusses. These wordy offshoots as well as the meat of her arguments are written incredibly eloquently. I would not suggest this book for someone looking quickly for answers, whether the question is cultural, biological, or historical. This book is quick and perfect for someone with an interest in our perceptions of the world and how they relate to our inner workings and how they compare to those of people from different cultures.

Ackerman brilliantly weaves science, history, anthropology, and personal anecdotes in this incredible book. After reading it, I've become more conscious of everything around me-smells, tastes, textures, sights, sounds. The chapter on smell is especially powerful.
If you are a fan of Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, then you will love this book as well.

This is the most beautiful book I have ever read. It opened my eyes to the world and how its viewed by all of our senses. I will never just brew myself a cup of coffee ever again. Instead, I will feel the grinds in my hand, savor the rich aroma, hear the pop and hum of the coffee maker and then taste the rich, earthy coffee.
Yes, this is a journey for the senses but also an expansion of the mind. Ackerman expands the mind with some of the most interesting facts about nature, science, and history. Not boring humdrum facts you could care less about but meaningful tidbits of knowledge you'll want to impress your friends with.
This is not just a book; it's an experience; for your senses, your mind, and your soul.

This is the most beautiful book I have ever read. It opened my eyes to the world and how its viewed by all of our senses. I will never just brew myself a cup of coffee ever again. Instead, I will feel the grinds in my hand, savor the rich aroma, hear the pop and hum of the coffee maker and then taste the rich, earthy coffee.
Yes, this is a journey for the senses but also an expansion of the mind. Ackerman expands the mind with some of the most interesting facts about nature, science, and history. Not boring humdrum facts you could care less about but meaningful tidbits of knowledge you'll want to impress your friends with.
This is not just a book; it's an experience; for your senses, your mind, and your soul.

Essayist and poet Diane Ackerman is probably best known for her wonderful New Yorker articles on her investigations of the animal kingdom (including extraordinarily memorable pieces on bats and penguins), most of which have been collected in books. In those acclaimed essays, her idiosyncratic and emotive musings transform the behaviors of other creatures to a human and humane understanding while avoiding anthropomorphic traps.

In "A Natural History of the Senses," Ackerman shifts her considerable observational skills from the animal realm to more familiar human territory. She divides her discussion into the five senses, plus a short section on "synesthesia"; in spite of the book's title, there's not much history involved. Somewhat like her essays on nature, each chapter includes random observations, anecdotes, and thoughts on the various aspects of the topic at hand.

Some of Ackerman's morsels are first-class, and she seems particularly to hit her stride in the section on "Taste." Her distinctive wit is on full display when she discusses the food endured by survivalists, such as a recipe for moose soup: "I particularly like the recipe's opening: 'You've just killed a moose.' It reminds me of recipe I read for stir-fried dog, which began: 'First clean and eviscerate a healthy puppy.'" Her book is a pleasure in such instances, when it reads like a turbo-charged entry of an encyclopedia, explaining "why polar bears are not white" or pondering the aesthetics of full-body tattoos or interviewing a human "nose" for a fragrance manufacturer or investigating the importance of touch for the healthy development of prematurely born infants.

What works for her essays in zoology, however, doesn't always work for a study of our own species; she sometimes writes as if she were explaining our everyday experiences to a race of aliens. Her prose especially sags when she reduces abstractions to a not-very-informative series of metaphors, platitudes, and non-sequiturs: "Sounds thicken the sensory stew of our lives, and we depend on them to help us interpret, communicate with, and express the world around us. Outer space is silent, but on earth almost everything can make a sound. Couples have favorite songs...." Even for a book on the senses, this is all a bit too touchy-feely.

Similarly, she has a tick of expanding a concept with a prose list of synonyms and puns that reduces our senses to the stimulations found in a thesaurus. Her several paragraphs on how "our language is steeped in visual imagery," for example, contain an interminable number of sentences similar to the following: "We quickly see through people whose characters are transparent. And, heaven knows, we learn for enlightenment.... Ideas dawn on us, if we're bright enough, not dim-witted, especially if we're visionary." I'm not sure I "see" the point of these lengthy and repetitive passages.

Overall, the book is certainly worth mining for its liberally scattered gems, but at times I found it tedious and simplistic as a cover-to-cover read.

A Natural History of the senses was definitely not the best thing I read. There is no history involved, only personal experiences of Diane Ackerman. For example. In the chapter ''touch'' she starts with a ''scientific'' explanations about our ability of touching and feeling, but she didn't go really deep about it. She didn't explained anything about the receptors anatomy or even their specific functions.
After some real life examples and ''scientific'' explanation she tries to demonstrate how the sensation of touch is with some personal examples of her life, which for me were really boring. She not only used those really boring examples, but also really complicated language. I thought that it was a personal problem, because I am an international student and I did't know much of the vocabulary used. But after reading some comments I realized that some american citizens had the same problem.
If you really like deep conversation and can imagine all these sensations perfectly in your head, you may want to read this book

This rich book opens and calms mind, emotions and (of course) the senses. Inspiring and delighting. I was so moved by the rich, poetic discriptions that I "woke up" just a little bit more to how wonderful life is, and how lucky we are to be alive. Her word are poety.

Do not confuse this book for science or hard fact. 'A Natural History of the Senses' is a well done book of lyrical prose that is meant to be relaxed with and enjoyed. Diane Ackerman is quite possibly a lyrical stylist that, much like any past writer, uses the conciousness of her time to bring alive the beliefs, feelings, and concerns that she and others face in their lifetime. Using delightful and fascinating information integrated with insight and stunning language, she makes one become more aware of the senses that we sometimes take for granted.

Thanks to my friends who have suggested this book. Adds to my knowledge and ideas about the mystery of senses. Just njoy reading the book with your own analysis while the author narrates a picturesque story of the primary senses and their functions !!

A poetic look at the science which surrounds our senses. Terribly fascinating -- as evidenced by the dog eared condition of my copy. Read it, re-read it, and re-re-read it: you will still find something new to intrigue you

When I first read Diane Ackerman's book it opened my eyes, just as these other reviews testify. It does seem to be a book people either love or hate (I have some friends who thought it was sentimental babbling) but that doesn't change how extravagantly Ackerman uses language itself to convey the lush world of the senses. I teach a creative writing course at SFSU and I use the book to promote both that poetic description and the possibilities for experience and awareness the book evokes. An excellent example of the ways poetry can be used to explain science and experience.

The best writing I have ever read. Totally engaging essays that will not only teach you more than you ever thought there was to know about our five senses (and more!) but will also make you laugh out loud because the writing is that good. Your world will never be the same again--or should I say, you will never see your world the same way. You will forever be more aware of the stunning intricacy, simplicity, and beauty of life that surrounds us.

This is my favorite nonfiction book, bar none. It is written like a novel and yet, manages to be chock full of textbook-worthy information. The chapter on smell is simply incredible. I have loaned out countless copies of this book, never received one of them back, and just keep buying more. Please just buy yourself a copy so I can hang on to mine.

This book is perhaps the best balance of beautiful language and concrete science that I have ever read. It evokes comparison to the way Sagan captures the mysteries of space and science in his body of work.
Give this book to someone you respect, and they will respect you for it.

Although Ackerman's zest for the senses was more than obvious throughout the text, the book suffered from an insufferable amount of anecdotes (some of which had no connection at all whatsoever to the titles). Shame, that the reader had to wait to get all the way to the last chapter on Synesthesia to begin enjoying what started out as quite an exciting read. While I did enjoy the odd fact, I can't help but wonder who let her carry on adding the same tiresome biographical snippets which bogged the whole book down to the bottom of my trash bin.

Icky! The last sentence of every paragraph is meant to be overtly thought provoking. How much better the book would be if Diane spent more time making the whole chapter good rather than just the last sentence. I was able to flip through the book at random and read the last sentences to my husband to illustrate how desperately deep this woman tries to be and he said that with just the few sentences I pulled, there is no way he could sit through a whole book filled with such pap. I was introduced to this book after telling someone about "Botany of Desire" and they felt that "A Natural History of the Senses" would be something I would enjoy. It is not a history of history or the senses, or nature. It took three tries for me to get past the first PAGE and agony to get through the entire book. Utter Torture. Utter Pap. I love books of all sorts, but this was a waste of time, ink, printing presses and effort.

Two things matter to me: good writing, and carefully handled content. This book did neither. Just long lists for senses, mixed in with author's autobiographical snippets. I would never read beyond 2 chapters if it weren't for a reading group assignment. I would never recommend it to anyone

This book is heavily overwritten and wrought with unnecessary language.

It's like sloughing through a marsh of melted Valentine's Day candy with an undercurrent of bread dough--a whole lot of sticky fluff and very little of scholarly or intellectual interest. There are kernels of useful (sometimes insightful) information hidden in the muck, like the insides of those same melted candies, but the self-indulgent writing style isn't worth plowing through. It's a shame she felt the need to prove some kind of neo-Victorian chops.