The Smell Of Books: Judging An Old Book By Its Odor

Wired:

Take an antique leather-bound book, open it up, and inhale deeply. There's just something about that old-book smell. And thanks to a new analytical chemistry technique, the volatile organic compounds that compose the aroma could help preservationists keep their collections safe from old-age damage.

Read the whole story: Wired

Comments

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I have noticed that some of the books I bought in the late sixties are falling apart. I thought it might be do to sunlight exposure. Hadn't thought about the paper quality.
As an aside, I was in a book of the month club and someone in the group brought up the idea that they would pick books on how the cover felt (the books we picked had to be out in paperback), if the book felt good to hold. I then noticed the tactical element to a good book.