New books smell great. So I propose a range of perfumes that smell like the freshly-flicked pages of new books. From "Cheap Holiday Paperback" right through to the shiny-papered "Capability Maturity Model" (Ad line: "By Paulk et al"). The scents are unisex and are also available in bulk for putting through the air-con systems of large public buildings.
-- calum, Sep 08 2002

Scento anos de la soledad.
-- General Washington, Sep 08 2002


On second thoughts, not such a good name for marketing to youngletons.

But isn't booksmell too gentle to be carried by a solvent? Besides, I've always thought booksmell, new shirtsmell, clean hair etc, was more the suddenly-noticed *absence* of organic smells. Which is what also helps these things to smell a little colder than they are.
-- General Washington, Sep 08 2002


I don't know what is 'great' about the smell of ink solvents. (yes, General Washington, the smell of 'new' books IS solvent!) I was a secondhand book dealer for many years.. I still think the sickening sweet smell of massed old books is due to the cellulose decomposing back into the constituent sugars.
-- pfperry, Sep 08 2002


there is rather a nice whiff of something or other when one opens a fresh pack of post-it notes. am I glue sniffing again?
-- po, Sep 08 2002


I love the smell of horse sweat but I don't want to smell like it.
-- Helium, Sep 08 2002


Yes, yes, bliss, but what about books? Wouldn't you like to smell like the latest Jeffrey Arche... oh, I see your point.
-- salachair, Sep 18 2002


Yes bliss yes! Old books smell *marvellous*. I have been known to wander through libraries when stressed or upset. It really calms me down.
-- madradish, Sep 19 2002


My library has a very pleasant smell; mingled old and new books, with some other fragrances too because it's a cool, dry room and I keep my wine in there. Since some libraries have very pleasant, evocative smells, I will award this idea a croissant.
-- 8th of 7, Sep 19 2002


I, too, croissanted this, but I want an assurance from calum that the perfume will only smell of _books_ and not of libraries. My library smells of students, mingled with the delicate aroma of the slurry sprayed on the surrounding fields. I doubt it'd be a great seller.
-- salachair, Sep 19 2002


Please split into two products, New Book Perfume and Old Book Perfume. Last week, I ordered a used book online. When it came to me, it was wrapped in a plastic bag for safekeeping on bookstore shelves (like a comic book. I have kept the bag by my computer so I can indulge at my leisure.
-- migennes, Sep 21 2002


How much body fat and oils and dead skin and fingered saliva does the average old book absorb? To love the smell of old books is to embrace the odour of man, surely.
-- nofishforshirley, Sep 22 2002



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