I never thought I would write a book, despite my family and friends’ insistence. They would listen to stories about my latest journey to some distant, little-known destination, and ask questions such as “Have you taken notes?” and “This is great, but when are you going to write something about what you’re doing?”
I traveled the world in search of the essential oils and extracts that perfumers use in their labs to create formulas for the finest fragrances. I hunted for the sources of the natural part of a perfume, more than 150 different raw materials from almost 50 countries. After I’d spent more than three decades on those fragrant roads, quite a few people told me I had the greatest job in the world. I loved what I did—my life was rich in colors, encounters, and emotions—but gathering it into a book was not on my mind.
