Description
TO SMELL
Book Summary
“To Smell” is a unique work that combines science, philosophy, autobiography, and ecology to reclaim the transformative power of the sense of smell. The author, Ernesto Collado, narrates his personal experience after losing his sense of smell for over two years, an ordeal that led him to rediscover the importance of a sense that is often overlooked. With a poetic, provocative, and humorous style, the book invites the reader to explore how smell connects us to nature, memory, and emotions, and to rebel against a society that is increasingly virtual and devoid of sensuality.
What is it about?
In 2015, Ernesto Collado, a renowned actor and theater director, suddenly lost his sense of smell due to a rare neuronal eccentricity. During the more than two years that he suffered from this form of anosmia, he experienced a profound impoverishment of his daily life, both personal and professional. In his effort to understand and recover a sense that he once considered expendable, he discovered a whole world of new perceptions and an unsuspected sensuality that powerfully reconnected him with life and nature.
Ten years later, now a perfumer, Collado explains everything he has learned and invites us to discover the transformative power of the nose. With a digressive, critical, and human style, the author asserts the importance of smelling more and better to enrich our perception of the world. The book is a call to rebel against the tyranny of the lazy eye, which is bulimic for images, and to recover the connection with the sensuality of life, creativity, and thought.
Main Themes
- The loss and recovery of the sense of smell as a transformative experience.
- The advocacy of smell as a sensory tool, a vehicle for connection with nature, memory, and emotions.
- A critique of an odorless, apathetic, and technological society that distances us from sensuality and our animal condition.
- The combination of science, philosophy, and autobiography to explore human perception.
- The role of smell in creativity, thought, and active engagement with the world.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is recommended for readers interested in popular science with a humanistic approach, the philosophy of perception, and autobiographical experiences. It is also ideal for those seeking a deep reflection on the relationship between the senses, nature, and contemporary society, as well as for professionals in theater, perfumery, or ecology who wish to explore new sensory perspectives.
What this book offers
- A unique perspective on the importance of the sense of smell, which is often undervalued, and its impact on daily life.
- A critical reflection on today's society, which tends to prioritize sight and technology over sensuality and connection with nature.
- A narrative experience that combines science, philosophy, and autobiography with a poetic, provocative, and humorous style.
- An invitation to rediscover one's own body and senses as tools for creativity, memory, and thought.
- A personal and transformative vision of how a loss can become a source of knowledge and growth.
Technical Sheet
- Author: Collado Sala, Ernesto
- Publisher: Cossetània
- Language: Catalan
- Subject: Natural history
- Collection: La Mandràgora
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication Date: June 2025
- Number of pages: 144
- Weight: 230 g
Editorial Review
“To Smell” is an original and provocative work that successfully manages to combine popular science, philosophical reflection, and autobiographical narrative. The author, with a poetic and critical style, offers a unique perspective on the importance of smell in a world that is increasingly virtual and disconnected from nature. The book is especially relevant for readers looking for a read that stimulates reflection and connection with the senses, as well as for those interested in the relationship between human perception and contemporary society. Its brevity and digressive style make it accessible and evocative, although it may prove dense for readers who prefer a more linear structure.