Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses

More than a decade ago, Isabel Allende took the literary world by storm with the publication of The House of the Spirits, a novel that chronicled four generations of a Chilean family against the backdrop of the country's brutal history. Now -- emerging from her grief and at the height of her magical storytelling powers -- Allende returns with a life-affirming book, Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses. Aphrodite is a charming, sensual exploration of the primal connection between sex and food. Drawing on folklore, legend, personal anecdotes, marvelous stories, and recipes, Allende spices her narrative with equal portions of humor, vivacity, and wisdom.

It is through the senses, Allende explains, that we make indelible connections. It is the memory of these impressions -- the unmistakable scent of violets, the sexy feel of satin, the delicate, briny taste of an oyster -- that often enhance and deepen experience. Assembling a feast of fascinating facts about the aphrodisiac powers of food and drink, Allende offers suggestions -- both ancient and modern -- for luring a lover, igniting sexual ardor, prolonging the act of love, and reviving virility. She considers the apple, the oyster, and the asparagus, but also details the lesser known lust-inducing powers of other fruits, meats, and vegetables as well as herbs, spices, wines, and liquors. She also reports on the lascivious appetites of everyone from the emperor Nero to Catherine the Great to France's notorious Madame Du Barry.

A personal ode to the pleasures of food and sex, Aphrodite celebrates the sensual life with joy and imagination. Designed to enhance any romantic encounter, Aphrodite is the best defense of pleasure to appear in a long time.