Episode 89- The Guest Book
"Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains."
-Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the Senses
On September 12–13, I'll be at the Geelong Fragrance Fair — and to mark it, this special episode gathers voices from everyone I've interviewed on Paperback Perfumes this past year. Sixteen perfumers, founders and scholars, each paired with a book, woven into one conversation about scent, story and identity. Here they are, in the order they first appeared on the show — come find me at the Fair and say hello.
Ep 3, Return of the Rivers — Laura Bass (Lore Perfumery) pairs fragrance with Rivers of London and The Return of the King.
Ep 21, Artistic Aliens — Corey Newcombe (Criminal Elements) on a decade of artisanal scent, nose training and dream-born fragrances.
Ep 26, Inheritance — John Domjan (Örök Fragrances) on telling queer community stories through scent.
Ep 44, Futurism — Dr Caroline McMillan on smell tech, sci-fi and the future of olfactory art.
Ep 46, Resilience — Aysha Hansen on sensory memory, teaching perfumery and building a fragrance line.
Ep 47, Story Keepers — Juliette Fournier & Richard Adamson (Hart + Hedi) on collaboration, memory and native Australian botanicals.
Ep 49, The Land of Flowers — Justin James (House of James) on niche perfumery as artistic rebellion.
Ep 51, Fairy Tales — Michael Nordstrand (Mythologist Studio) on myth, the hero's journey and Scandinavian fairy tales.
Ep 54, Kings and Heroes — Ashek Zubayer (Byermia) on the Epic of Gilgamesh and his mythological Folklore series.
Ep 55, Aesthetics — Dr Liam Sardea on the philosophy of aesthetics, memory and meaning in scent.
Ep 60, More Than a Dandy — Katrina Cochrane (Archer Farrar) on natural perfumery and The Scarlet Pimpernel.
Ep 65, Sacred Scent — Lee Couch (LA COUCH), a Gamilaroi woman, on Aboriginal bush medicine, songlines and healing.
Ep 71, A Box of Spices — Alina Tadevosyan (ARAKYÁL) on Armenian heritage, memory and cultural resilience.
Ep 78, A Beautiful Grimoire — Troy Vu (Grimoire Perfumes) on Dorian Gray, myth and the macabre.
Ep 82, Finding Language — Saskia Dodds-Painter (KOLIDO, Nose Magazine) on the language we use for smell.
Ep 84, Makeup and Murder — David Clarke (Rivendare) on Agatha Christie and building a perfume house from scratch.
Sixteen episodes, one thread: scent as story. Listen to the full compilation now, then come find me in person at the Geelong Fragrance Fair, September 12–13 — I'd love to swap book and fragrance recommendations with you.
Tickets & info: geelongfragrancefair.com.au
Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records
