OK, apparently there’s more to old book smell besides human skin, sickness inducing mould, dust and toxic glue!
Why old books smell so good
By Celeste Ng
http://fictionwritersreview.com/blog/why-old-books-smell-so-good
Follow the link and learn about ‘lignin’.
Maybe we need a Saint Lignin to celebrate the smell of books.
Stephen
One Response
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But lignin is a major cause of darkening (when exposed to air), brittleness and accelerated deterioration of paper. It is considered (in preservation parlance) an “inherent vice.” See http://unfacilitated.preservation101.org/session2/expl_iv_cm-paper.asp
Maybe St. Lignin could intercede and keep both the smell AND the book….