Proust Was A Neuroscientist

A new book making the rounds of the reviewers dealing with memory and our sense of smell and taste. For example, the smell of burning leaves transports me back to my high school years in Brush, Colorado. Fall was in the air, and folks burnt their leaves back then. Barbara Wood and I were walking along the street by the library. I was 16, and telling Barbara that I really, really wanted to attend a "wild party" sometime.

Within the year I had my wish, but that's another topic. The odor of burning leaves. The odor of Old Spice: first boyfriend. The smell/taste of gin: getting horribly drunk on an empty stomach. One of those wild parties. The odor of boiled beef: poverty. Can't help it.

Here are the links:
This non-fiction book has generated lots of buzz. The New York Times had a review yesterday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/books/review/Max-t.html?n=Top/Features/Books/Book%20Reviews

Here’s more commentary:

From the Toronto Star:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/273334

NRP: Scroll down
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15819485

The New York Post – Swann In Your Head
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15819485

Blog:

http://everythingandnothing.typepad.com/mississippi/2007/11/proust-was-a-ne.html