Elixir

A Parisian Perfume House and the Quest for the Secret of Life

By: Theresa Levitt

Narrated by: Esther Wane

For centuries, scientists believed that living matter possessed a special quality—a spirit or essence—that differentiated it from nonliving matter. But by the nineteenth century, the scientific consensus was that the building blocks of one were identical to the building blocks of the other. Elixir tells the story of two young chemists who were not convinced, and how their work rewrote the boundary between life and nonlife.

In the 1830s, Édouard Laugier and Auguste Laurent were working in Laugier Pere et Fils, the oldest perfume house in Paris. By day they prepared the perfumery's revitalizing elixirs and rejuvenating eaux, drawing on alchemical traditions that equated a plant's vitality with its aroma. In their spare time they hunted the vital force that promised to reveal the secret to life itself. Their ideas, roundly condemned by established chemists, led to the discovery of structural differences between naturally occurring molecules and their synthetic counterparts, even when the molecules were chemically identical.

Scientists still can't explain this anomaly, but it may point to critical insights concerning the origins of life on Earth. Rich in sparks and smells, brimming with eccentric characters, experimental daring, and the romance of the Bohemian salon, Elixir is a fascinating cultural and scientific history.

©2023 Theresa Levitt (P)2023 Tantor

Well narrated good story

If I could speak French I would have enjoyed this book more. But all of the history was a good listen.

Amazing, wish I could find more like it

Devoured this book in the space of several days. I’m currently shopping for a print copy so I can loan it out to every other person I know who are likewise fascinated by the intersection between history, technology, and scientific exploration.

Misleading title

Too long; a rambling history that desperately needed a good editor.
Narrator excellent and her French was flawless.

Thrilling History of Organic Chemistry

You need to know as little about organic chemistry, but very little.

The book is filled with vivid images of the chemists and the races to uncover secrets. Fortunes were made and lost selling ingredients for perfumes and medicine.

I thoroughly enjoyed it—and the welcome escape from our tawdry world where liars and demagogues dictate political agenda and drown out truth seekers.

A lot to think about

I’m a chemist but this book brought up issues never broached in school. The mysteries remain Although now, we have asteroid dust. Hmm.

I Thought I Would Like It More Than I Did

It's chemistry. It's physics. It's history. It's boring. The title is somewhat misleading for the content. And the offhand mentions of scientists' cruelty to animals are just revolting. This book was not for me.

Loved This!

Levitt tells the history of the development of organic chemistry in 18th and 19th century France through biographies and anecdotes, with a strong grounding in historical context. The book is accessible to those (like me) with little or no chemistry background, the prose is well-written, and is a delightfully interesting and engaging read.

Misleading Title

I have to add this book to the very short list of books I purchased and then just couldn't finish. I thought it might be about the current perfume industry, but it is really a chemistry book - and you would need some substantial background to appreciate it!

The narration was good, but the text is loaded with names and places that just don't mean anything to a contemporary US reader. I found it slow and boring, For me, life is just too short to spend time on this book. I wasn't learning anything, just listening to a background of words.

This might be terrific for the right reader but not for a non-chemist, general reader.

Painful, long drawn out.

A struggle most definitely to get through!!! Way too much and yet nothing of interest?