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’.
Join the analogue movement! Check out four key tips for the best screen free hobbies, from colouring in to starting a book club.
Come and join as Elisabeth Easther launches Seed, her always hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking new novel
Take this quiz to find out whether you're a Beth, Amy, Jo or Meg!
The summer holidays are the perfect time to encourage kids to learn something new and explore their interests!
The film adaptation of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation is fast approaching it’s January release. The film follows Poppy and Alex over 12 summers as their relationship transforms from enemies, to friends, to… you’ll have to wait and see.
Love talking about books online? Sign up for our influencer programme, Penguin Previews!
SenLinYu shares the books that influenced the writing of Alchemised. From gothic horror to Jane Austen, learn about the classics that inspired the author.
Discover some of the best Christmas colouring books for kids and adults alike!
Recommended texts for the new English curriculum
Sneak a peek inside the new journal to record your literary adventures.
Discover the best crime books to gift this Christmas. From chilling thrillers to clever mysteries, these six page-turners will keep readers hooked.