Description
Book Synopsis: The 2022 Kirkus Prize Winner for Nonfiction“Fragrance” has long been used to “mark” who is civilized and who is barbaric, who is pure and who is polluted, who is free and who is damned—Focusing their gaze on our most primordial sense, writer and perfumer Tanaïs weaves a brilliant and expansive memoir, a reckoning that offers a critical, alternate history of South Asia from an American Bangladeshi Muslim femme perspective. From stories of their childhood in the South, Midwest, and New York; to transcendent experiences with lovers, psychedelics, and fragrances; to trips home to their motherland, Tanaïs builds a universe of memories and scent: a sensorium. Alongside their personal history, and at the very heart of this work, is an interrogation of the ancient violence of caste, rape culture, patriarchy, war, and the inherited ancestral trauma of being from a lush land constantly denuded, a land still threatened and disappearing because of colonization, capitalism, and climate change. Structured like a perfume—moving from base to heart to head notes—IN SENSORIUM interlaces eons of South Asian perfume history, erotic and religious texts, survivor testimonies, and material culture with memoir. In Sensorium is archive and art, illuminating the great crises of our time with the language of Liberation.
Details
Step into a world of captivating beauty and profound reflection with In Sensorium: Notes for My People. Winner of the prestigious 2022 Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction, this groundbreaking book by writer and perfumer Tanaïs challenges societal norms and offers a unique perspective on South Asian history. Explore a sensorium of memories and scents as Tanaïs takes you on a journey through their personal experiences, love affairs, and cultural heritage.
Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of fragrances that have defined civilizations and challenge our perceptions of purity and pollution. With In Sensorium, Tanaïs delves deep into the ancient violence of caste, rape culture, and patriarchy, while also exploring themes of colonization, capitalism, and climate change. This provocative memoir is not only a personal narrative but a powerful critique of the challenges faced by marginalized communities.
Experience a new kind of storytelling that weaves together eons of perfume history, survivor testimonies, and cultural analysis in a structure reminiscent of a complex perfume blend. In Sensorium is not just a book—it is an archive of art that sheds light on the pressing issues of our time with a language that speaks to liberation and empowerment. Dare to challenge the status quo and expand your perspective with In Sensorium: Notes for My People.
Discover More Best Sellers in Biographies & Memoirs
Shop Biographies & Memoirs
The Best Little Boy in the World: The 25th Anniversary Edition of the Classic Memoir
$17.00
Biographies & Memoirs - The Best Little Boy in the World: The 25th Anniversary Edition of the Classic Memoir
Fire in the Belly: The Life and Times of David Wojnarowicz
$11.75
Biographies & Memoirs - Fire in the Belly: The Life and Times of David Wojnarowicz
Diaries: Volume 1, 1939-1960 (Christopher Isherwood Diaries)
$6.63
Biographies & Memoirs - Diaries: Volume 1, 1939-1960 (Christopher Isherwood Diaries)
The Real Lives of Transgender and Nonbinary Humans: A Publish Your Purpose Anthology
$21.95
Biographies & Memoirs - The Real Lives of Transgender and Nonbinary Humans: A Publish Your Purpose Anthology
Boy Erased (Movie Tie-In): A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family
$9.81
Biographies & Memoirs - Boy Erased (Movie Tie-In): A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family
