The Perfume Burned His Eyes

By: Michael Imperioli

Narrated by: Michael Imperioli

Matthew is a 16-year-old living in Jackson Heights, Queens, in 1976. After he loses his two most important male role models, his father and grandfather, his mother uses her inheritance to uproot Matthew and herself to a posh apartment building in Manhattan. Although only three miles away from his boyhood home, "the city" is a completely new and strange world to Matthew.

Matthew soon befriends (and becomes a quasi-assistant to) Lou Reed, who lives with his transgender girlfriend, Rachel, in the same building. The drug-addled, artistic/shamanic musician eventually becomes an unorthodox father figure to Matthew, who finds himself head over heels for the mysterious Veronica, a wise-beyond-her-years girl he meets at his new school.

Written from the point of view of Matthew at age 18, two years after the story begins, the novel concludes with an epilogue in the year 2013, three days after Lou Reed's death, with Matthew in his 50s.

©2018 Michael Imperioli (P)2018 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Karen Delvin

The book is riveting & amorphous, at the same time. It is covered with NYC grime. And told so eloquently by the author, His voice is music to my ears. No other voice could have painted this novel.

Heartfelt candor

Micheal’s honestly over exacting truthfulness is compelling. I want to hear more from Imperioli for sure.♥️

Fantastic

I listened with my 19 year old son and we both loved everything about this book. We particularly enjoyed the Lou Reed aspect, it was surprisingly believable. Excellent writing, read perfectly. Highly recommended.

I was attaching the story to the title

It’s not a bad story and I appreciate that it was read by the author. Some parts I didn’t catch and some parts I felt like he strayed. The story is not structured and there are no twists nor suspense but thats ok because its a unique and genuine tale. I was captivated especially through the distinct characters. Its short and to the point and really captures NYC.

Especially great performance to go with an engrossing story

Michael Imperioli wrote a fascinating novel about teenage confusion, love, manic depression, art, and everything else confusing about the word when you’re 16. His performance was as exceptional as the story he wrote. Loved it.