In May 1742, Jean-Jaques Mussard found something horrible underneath his
rosebeds. Maître Mussard’s Bequest (Bloomsbury, £1, ISBN 0 7475 2894
2) recounts the experiments and spiralling thoughts that left the philosopher a
shell of his former self. From a minor passage in Rousseau’s Confessions,
Patrick Süskind has spun a marvellous tale of scientific obsession in the
Enlightenment, published for £1 to celebrate Bloomsbury’s 10th
birthday.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles