My new book Nose Dive was released on Monday. Here's a link to excerpts published this weekend in The Wall Street Journal, and samples of some early reviews.
Olfactory Bliss
The dean of food-science writers brings his matchless descriptive powers to the ‘osmocosm’—the totality of scents in the world around us.
. . . fans of Mr. McGee’s culinary writing won’t be disappointed—there are several hundred pages devoted to scrumptious foods, both raw and cooked. He articulates the secrets of truffles and peaty whisky. It’s important to note that Mr. McGee isn’t blustering here, the way some wine snobs speak cryptically—and unverifiably—of certain “overtones” in their favorite vintages. Like an analytical chemist, he catalogs the exact molecules that each food or substance emits, and how they combine like musical notes to produce a scent chord. He offers some general rules for correlating molecular structure with aromatic sensation—that sulfur is generally pungent, and large molecules are more pleasant than small ones. It’s fascinating stuff.
—Sam Kean, The Wall Street Journal, 23 October 2020
Nose Dive opens up a world full of wonder. It’s an enthralling, extraordinary, life- affirming book.
—Diana Henry, The Telegraph
The ultimate obsessive’s guide to all things olfactory.
If you’ve ever been curious as to why cat urine is so potent, why feet stink, or, more pleasantly, why flowers smell so lovely, then this is the tome for you. McGee, who has written multiple books about the science of cooking and displays an encyclopedic knowledge of the “wide world of smells,” invites readers to become “smell explorers.” . . . This is a unique project executed meticulously from beginning to end.
—Kirkus Reviews
Perfect for foodies, those interested in science, and the innately curious. Engagingly written, this would be a wonderful ready reference to have on hand.
—Library Journal
In his detailed survey of scents, food writer and cooking scientist McGee elegantly explains olfaction. . . . this is a delightful outing across the olfactory world.
—Booklist
