Elixir: A Story of Perfume, Science and the Search for the Secret of Life

In the 18th and 19th centuries, two friends in a Parisian perfume shop make a discovery that will transform our understanding of the world and the origins of life on Earth forever. Elixir is a fascinating tale of discovery, wonder, and revolution, set amidst the unforgettable sights and smells of 18th and 19th Century Paris. It is the story of a long-standing scientific puzzle and the struggle to gain acceptance for a new way of thinking about the building blocks of living matter.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 27 April 2023
Publisher: John Murray Press

A captivating masterpiece, Aimee Nezhukumatathil's book has been hailed as a Financial Times History Book of the Year, a Strong Words Top 50 Book of the Year, and a truly mesmerizing achievement. The author's vivid and evocative writing style transports readers to a world of dizzying fragrance and profound transformation. This book feels like an actual elixir, imbuing its readers with a sense of wonder and enlightenment. Kiese Laymon, in his review, describes it as a fascinating tale of discovery, wonder, and revolution. Matthew Stanley praises it as a tale that will forever alter our understanding of the world and the origins of life on Earth. Set amidst the unforgettable sights and smells of 18th and 19th Century Paris, Elixir tells the story of Edouard Laugier and Auguste Laurent, two friends who met on the Left Bank while pursuing their passion for science. Spurned by the scientific establishment, they worked out of Edouard's family perfume shop, Laugier père et fils, preparing revitalizing elixirs and rejuvenating eaux that were famous for their quality. By day, they toiled away in the perfumery, but by night, they pursued the secret of life itself, using the ingredients of the perfumery and the principles of alchemy. Elixir reads like a novel, brimming with eccentric characters, experimental daring, and the romance of the Bohemian salon. It is the story of a long-standing scientific puzzle and the struggle to gain acceptance for a new way of thinking about the building blocks of living matter long after those who discovered it were both dead. Yet, this is also a story of hope and determination. Despite the ridicule they faced from the scientific establishment, teenage lab assistant Louis Pasteur took their work seriously and, over the course of an exceptional career, was able to show that their work pointed to a deep, inexplicable asymmetry in the mole.

Weight: 518g
Dimension: 162 x 242 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399803243