Ackerman, Diane - A Natural History of the Senses

[oyceter]

The book isn't so much a progressive history of the development of the human senses through evolution or something, which is what I thought when I read the title. Rather, it's a collection of essays roughly centered around a biological/scientific viewpoint of the senses, but with a thoroughly poetic point of view. It's split into six sections -- one for each of the five senses, and the last for synesthesia.

Alas, I have let a little too much time lapse before writing about this, so I can't clearly recall all the essay topics, but they range from assorted things from a general overview on the importance of touch to psychological well-being to recordings of humpback whale song to the wonderfully elusive smell of violets. I love how Ackerman combines scientific knowledge with a poet's sensibility, because in the end, I feel arts and sciences aren't opposites, but rather, complimentary subjects.

I probably learned a great deal of assorted random trivia from this book -- Empress Josephine was enamoured of the smell of violets, and the smell itself is so elusive because it is based on a chemical that basically shuts down our sense of smell after smelling it for a while. But then your sense of smell returns after a bit, so then you smell it again. It may be a little pop-sciencey for people who are very good at the sciences, but it's at just about the right level for me, and I enjoy how Ackerman uses it to make me think more about what I'm feeling and smelling and tasting and viewing. Instead of making these things prosaic by applying scientific knowledge, the added knowledge makes these essays even richer and even more evocative, which is quite a skill in and of itself.

I was very entranced by all the essays, although they may be best appreciated when read in small doses, as I did. Who knows? I feel like somehow Ackerman's essays have made me just that much more aware of the physical world around me and how I process it, and it's made me more appreciative of the sensual, which I am glad of.

Comments

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

That's one of the reasons that violet is my favorite scent.

[oyceter]

I really must go find some now and smell, because I am very curious.

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

I read this when it came out and enjoyed it. About the right level for me also, although I tend to read a couple of hours before sleeping, so that means yes the Steven Gould level of science, minus the baseball refs of course; however, during the day might well be different.

I think smell and touch can be two of the more underappreciated senses. Seeing and then hearing of course being the big two. This reminds me first that I tend to garden tactically as well as visually, and with scent (mignonette ie I am very likely to plant something solely for scent, or even solely because it's an amusing plant! tickles your mind.. see even there I use a touch word.) But I think that I garden this way because it is to my own taste. I tend to talk of drawing in tactile ways also.

Redbird had a comment recently of people gearing their responses differently if the lj user had a face icon (or a picture of themselves) or something else. It's not direct but both the above and that comment has me thinking about babies and how memories of sensation can be attached to emotions or feelings (I'm distinguishing although it can be both because of something else I read recently about one being linked to chemical reactions in the body and the other more conscious. This doesn't feel exactly right to me but I haven't unraveled it yet.) A baby doesn't see immediately so touch and smell and hearing yes? These would be first, then seeing, and with all maybe the creation of attaching feelings, beginnings of associations, cause effect.

A smile frex would be associated this way with good. The smell and sound and feeling of your caregiver. And then all along the way of growing we much continue to do those attachments. The last couple of days, as I wander the city, I have smelt many times a very distinctive but new to me perfume. It must be strong as my sniffer is pretty weak. And it must be popular. I have the thought that that scent, even if I run across it much later is going to pull out the feel of the weekend even if I can't place the exact memory. It's interesting.

Btw, thank you very much. You know you needn't have really. I so enjoy just knowing you, that's a gift in and of itself. See, just today you've made me remember the Ackerman, and maybe I'll reread it again but a bit differently having read many other things since, and if not I'll be thinking about this as I wander around today, gathering impressions like the layers on a pearl (altho maybe barnacles are more apt at my age

[oyceter]

I'm going to have to hunt down other books by Ackerman now. I saw that she's written one on being a counselor on a suicide helpline, which looks very interesting. Plus, I'm starting to read up a bit more on depression now.

I tend to be a very sight-based person, largely because of books, though I've found that I don't quite have a symbolic vocabulary for paintings or a way to analyze movies visually. I really wish I did. Ditto with music! I very much wish I could listen to music and pick out themes and the like.

I'm very much a touch person -- I think I annoy all the salespeople in clothing stores because I absolutely have to run my hands over something before I'll try it on. One of the best parts of picking up knitting has been feeling all the gorgeous, soft yarns out there! I love all the textures. And I adore the feel of cool cotton sheets.

And I'm very glad you enjoyed the review, and of course you are like a pearl ;). *hugs*

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Goodness. *g* But yes, very much enjoyed the review.

re: books on depression. I found Kay Redfield's work helpful. I have to be in the right mood for that kind of reading, myself. Generally best absorbed when I am pretty far from a bad mood and can assimilate it. From there, books like that can help make sense of things, and also be reinforcing. In a down spot, I tend to use light things or books where the heroine is strong. I am unusually text sensitive though.

And I understand about the touch part *hug* that was part of what tickled so with the recycled silk yarn, not just the vibrant colours but the feel of it. Fabrics too. I may wear a lot of blacks but I will tend to vary texures like today black silky tee, black ultrasuede slacks and then a dhiffon scarf that is beaded and fringed.

I read a short interview with the illustrator for the Harry Potter books that was evokative. She mentioned at the end tasting the character, and I was thinking then of your post and also how it's about fully experiencing soemthing and conveying that.

The subliminals too how communication can depend on eye contact tone of voice body language and that inexplicable bit that is atmosphere or more tritely "vibes."

[oyceter]

Text sensitive? Hrm, not quite sure if I got what you meant there.

Thanks for the depression book rec! For some reason I've been on a bit of a non-fiction kick lately, but usually I tend toward romances or young adult when I'm feeling down and need a comfort book.

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Sure. I some times talk about how deep in I read or that I still read in that very focussed way a child does. What I mean more practically is that I really have to watch what I read when I am in a more fragile place (like under a lot of environmental stress.) Too much about ceratin thingslike violence can trigger a not a depression but ceratinly a very low state, and also, reading something fun can help.

I am not sure about whether or not this is connected soemhow to my learning style. I fall in the 30% minority that learns by text (as opposed to the majority that learns best with a combo of text/visual and listening.)

[oyceter]

Ooh, yes. I actually use books and what I read as a sort of mood enhancer or a mood changer or something. Which is why I assiduously avoid horror. But yeah, there are definitely some books which are good for comfort and rainy days, and others that are better when I'm happy enough to go for angst.

[dendrophilous.livejournal.com]

That was an enjoyable book. I never did finish it (it was a book on tape and the trip ended first), but maybe I should check it out again sometime.

I thought the part about smell was really interesting - it's not an important sense to me personally.

[oyceter]

I really liked how it made me sit back and pay attention to all the senses that I don't really use. I'm not much of a scent person myself, since my nose is usually perpetually stuffed.