Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Penguin Essentials, 44) - Softcover

Süskind, Patrick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0241973619 ISBN 13: 9780241973615

Publisher: Penguin, 2015

Synopsis

Patrick Süskind's Perfume is a classic novel of death and sensuality in Paris, published as a Penguin Essential for the first time.

'In eighteenth-century France there lived a man who was one of the most gifted and abominable personages in an era that knew no lack of gifted and abominable personages. His name was Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, and if his name has been forgotten today, it is certainly not because Grenouille fell short of those more famous blackguards when it came to arrogance, misanthropy, immorality, or, more succinctly, wickedness, but because his gifts and his sole ambition were restricted to a domain that leaves no traces in history: to the fleeting realm of scent . . .'

'An astonishing tour de force both in concept and execution' Guardian

'A fantastic tale of murder and twisted eroticism controlled by a disgusted loathing of humanity ... Clever, stylish, absorbing and well worth reading' Literary Review

'A meditation on the nature of death, desire and decay ... a remarkable début' Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review

'Unlike anything else one has read. A phenomenon ... Everyone seems to want to get a whiff of this strange perfume, which will remain unique in contemporary literature' Figaro

'An ingenious and totally absorbing fantasy' Daily Telegraph

'Witty, stylish and ferociously absorbing' Observer

About this title

Review:

Praise for PERFUME
" A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
-- Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, "The New York Times"
" A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail."
-- Ron Loewinsohn, "San Francisco Chronicle"
" Reading "Perfume" is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel."
-- Campbell Geeslin, "People"
" A strange and ingenius work of literature."
-- Robert Taylor, "The Boston Globe"
" Mr. Su skind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut."
-- Peter Ackroyd, "The New York Times Book Review"
" Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant."
-- John Updike, "The New Yorker"
" Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best."
-- Steve Paul, "The Kansas City Star"
" Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale."
-- Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland "Plain Dealer"

Praise for PERFUME

"A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
--Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, "The New York Times"

"A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail."
--Ron Loewinsohn, "San Francisco Chronicle"

"Reading "Perfume" is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel."
--Campbell Geeslin, "People"

"A strange and ingenius work of literature."
--Robert Taylor, "The Boston Globe"

"Mr. Suskind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut."
--Peter Ackroyd, "The New York Times Book Review"

"Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant."
--John Updike, "The New Yorker"

"Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best."
--Steve Paul, "The Kansas City Star"

"Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale."
--Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland "Plain Dealer"

Praise for PERFUME
"A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, "The New York Times"
A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail.
Ron Loewinsohn, "San Francisco Chronicle"
Reading "Perfume" is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel.
Campbell Geeslin, "People"
A strange and ingenius work of literature.
Robert Taylor, "The Boston Globe"
Mr. Suskind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut.
Peter Ackroyd, "The New York Times Book Review"
Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant.
John Updike, "The New Yorker"
Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best.
Steve Paul, "The Kansas City Star"
Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale.
Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland "Plain Dealer""

Praise for PERFUME
"A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
--Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, The New York Times
"A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail."
--Ron Loewinsohn, San Francisco Chronicle
"Reading Perfume is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel."
--Campbell Geeslin, People
"A strange and ingenius work of literature."
--Robert Taylor, The Boston Globe
"Mr. Suskind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut."
--Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review
"Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant."
--John Updike, The New Yorker
"Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best."
--Steve Paul, The Kansas City Star
"Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale."
--Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Praise for PERFUME

"A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable."
--Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, The New York Times

"A supremely accomplished work of art, marvelously crafted and enjoyable, and rich in historical detail."
--Ron Loewinsohn, San Francisco Chronicle

"Reading Perfume is like being submerged in a dark pool of the senses . . . An original and astonishing novel."
--Campbell Geeslin, People

"A strange and ingenius work of literature."
--Robert Taylor, The Boston Globe

"Mr. Suskind himself is a perfumer of language . . . A remarkable debut."
--Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review

"Beautifully researched . . . Brilliant."
--John Updike, The New Yorker

"Immensely seductive . . . Storytelling at its best."
--Steve Paul, The Kansas City Star

"Mesmerizing from first page to last . . . A highly sophisticated horror tale."
--Barbara A. Bannon, Cleveland Plain Dealer

About the Author:

Patrick Süskind was born near Munich in 1949 and studied medieval and modern history at the University of Munich. His first play, The Double Bass, was written in 1980 and became an international success. His first novel, Perfume was also an internationally acclaimed bestseller and continues to be considered a classic.

He is also the author of The Pigeon and Mr. Summer's Story, and a coauthor of the enormously successful German television series Kir Royal. Patrick Süskind lives and writes in Munich.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0241973619
• ISBN 13: 9780241973615
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272