Publisher Description

"Who knew that such a tiny bottle housed so many secrets" — Michael Tonello, author of Bringing Home the Birkin"Here is the life of one of the 20th century's most interesting and deeply complicated women, a fascinating cultural history, and the story of an extraordinary perfume." — Chandler Burr, New York Times scent critic and author of The Perfect ScentTilar J. Mazzeo, author of the New York Times bestseller The Widow Clicquot (an Amazon Best of the Month book in October 2008) returns with a captivating history of the world's most famous, seductive, and popular perfume: Chanel No. 5. Mazzeo's sweeping story of the iconic scent (known as "le monstre" in the fragrance industry) stretches from Coco Chanel's early success to the rise of the seminal fragrance during the 1950s to the confirmation of its bestseller status in today's crowded perfume market.

Notes

A history of the famous perfume, from the author of The Widow Clicquot.

Back Cover

With its rich golden hue, art deco-inspired bottle, and timeless, musky scent, Chanel No. 5 is the world's bestselling perfume and arguably the most coveted luxury product of the twentieth century. In The Secret of Chanel No. 5, Tilar J. Mazzeo offers a fascinating account of No. 5's creation, its rise to iconic status, and the legacy of its extraordinary success. Mazzeo delves deeply into the life of Coco Chanel, the brilliant, controversial, and steel-willed businesswoman at the heart of the fragrance. She walks the rose plantations and jasmine fields where the perfume's life begins, and travels to 31 Rue Cambon, the center of the Chanel empire. A blend of evocative history and thoughtful research, here is a glittering account of where art and sensuality mingle with dazzling entrepreneurship and desire: Chanel No. 5.

Author Biography

Tilar J. Mazzeo is the author of numerous works of cultural history and biography, including the New York Times bestselling The Widow Clicquot, The Secret of Chanel No. 5, and nearly two dozen other books, articles, essays, and reviews on wine, travel, and the history of luxury. The Clara C. Piper Associate Professor of English at Colby College, she divides her time between coastal Maine, New York City, and Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Review

"[Mazzeo] explores interconnections between designer and perfume, teasing out the relationship with delicacy." -- New York Times Book Review "[In] the skilled hands of cultural historian Mazzeo, [the perfume] becomes a magnificent window through which to understand [Coco Chanel] and her milieu... Impeccable research and crafting make a seemingly narrow topic feel infinitely important." -- Kirkus Reviews "This is one case where historical fact eclipses the legend and lore of the object itself-there's much, much more than meets the nose to discover in these pages." -- Booklist "Engaging." -- Wall Street Journal "Mazzeo's lush prose...never bogs down in the details-despite the extensive research showcased in the bibliography-and a smooth pacing keeps it moving along at a fast clip. This work is definitely recommended to lovers of 20th-century cultural history, Coco Chanel, and, of course, the world's best-selling perfume." -- Library Journal "Mazzeo has written an account of the rarest of things-an international olfactory icon-that fairly rushes off the pages. Here is the life of one of the 20th century's most interesting and deeply complicated women, a fascinating cultural history, and the story of an extraordinary perfume." -- Chandler Burr, New York Times scent critic and author of The Perfect Scent "The true brilliance of The Secret of Chanel No. 5 is Tilar Mazzeo's ability to take a subject one would never have thought possible to think very deeply about and then cover it so captivatingly. Who knew that such a tiny bottle housed so many secrets?" -- Michael Tonello, author of Bringing Home the Birkin "Anyone who's ever dawdled in front of a perfume counter will love Tilar Mazzeo's fascinating history of the perfume known simply as No. 5; her rich and witty account is as compelling as the fragrance itself. " -- Karen Karbo, author of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel

Review Quote

This is one case where historical fact eclipses the legend and lore of the object itself there s much, much more than meets the nose to discover in these pages.

Description for Teachers/Educators

Every minute, someone buys a bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume. Andy Warhol created a silk-screened image of the art deco bottle; Mitch Ryder's "Devil in a Blue Dress" famously wore it, and when Marilyn Monroe was asked what she wore to bed, she replied, "Why, Chanel No. 5 of course." Some of the most glamorous actresses in the world, including Catherine Deneuve, Nicole Kidman, and Audrey Tautou, have been its official face. Blending personal narrative with in-depth research, Tilar J. Mazzeo explores the legend of this iconic perfume and the secret behind its extraordinary success. Is it the jasmine fields that line the back roads of the south of France, or the delicate roses of Grasse? Or is it simply brilliant marketing that makes Chanel No. 5 so universally popular? The Secret of Chanel No. 5 is a fascinating exploration of the history of Chanel, of perfume, and of society's relationship to luxury and sensual pleasure. Tilar J. Mazzeo is a cultural historian and biographer and a passionate student of wine, food, and French culture. She divides her time between the California wine country in Sonoma County and Maine, where she is an assistant professor of English at Colby College. She is the author of the New York Times best-seller The Widow Clicquot, as well as nearly two dozen books, articles, essays, and reviews about women, travel, and history. "Here is the life of one of the 20th century's most interesting and deeply complicated women, a fascinating cultural history, and the story of an extraordinary perfume." -- Chandler Burr, New York Times scent critic and author of The Perfect Scent

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