Preternaturally hardened whale dung is not the first
image that comes to mind when we think of perfume,
otherwise a symbol of glamour and allure. But the key
ingredient that makes the sophisticated scent linger on
the skin is precisely this bizarre digestive
by-product-ambergris. Despite being one of the world's
most expensive substances (its value is nearly that of
gold and has at times in history been triple it),
ambergris is also one of the world's least known. But
with this unusual and highly alluring book, Christopher
Kemp promises to change that by uncovering the unique
history of ambergris. A rare secretion produced only by
sperm whales, which have a fondness for squid but an
inability to digest their beaks, ambergris is expelled
at sea and floats on ocean currents for years, slowly
transforming, before it sometimes washes ashore looking
like a nondescript waxy pebble. It can appear almost
anywhere but is found so rarely it might as well appear
nowhere.Kemp's journey begins with an encounter on a New
Zealand beach with a giant lump of faux ambergris -
determined after much excitement to simply be lard -
that inspires a comprehensive quest to seek out
ambergris and its story. He takes us from the wild,
rocky New Zealand coastline to Stewart Island, a remote,
wind-swept island in the southern seas, to Boston and
Cape Cod, and back again. Along the way, he tracks down
the secretive collectors and traders who populate the
clandestine modern-day ambergris trade. ''Floating
Gold'' is an entertaining and lively history that not
only covers these precious gray lumps and those who
covet them, but also presents a highly informative
account of the natural history of whales, squid, ocean
ecology, and even a history of the perfume industry.
Kemp's obsessive curiosity is infectious, and eager
readers will feel as though they have stumbled upon a
precious bounty of this intriguing substance. |
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