Tim Richardson has always looked at life through candy-colored glasses (his grandfather worked for a toffee company and his father was a dentist), but in Sweets, as the world's first "international confectionery historian," he takes a look at the history of mankind. From prehistoric cave paintings of our forefathers eating honey to references of cocoa beans used as money by the ancient Mayans, Richardson has left no gobstopper unturned. Through intensive research, plenty of taste testing, and field trips around the world to places such as Hershey, Pennsylvania, and the Haribo plant in Pontefract, Yorkshire, "birthplace of all English gummy bears," Richardson leads a whirlwind tour filled with unforgettable characters, intrigue, and high stakes. Along the way, he explains our planet-wide obsession with anything sweet--it's been scientifically proven that even newborn babies and elephants love anything sweet--and offers up a lifetime of trivia for the sweet-obsessed. Although Richardson is English and American readers might be unfamiliar with his number one favorite sweet, Rhubarb and Custards, chances are any sweet-lover will relish this quirky look at civilization and the truly fascinating history of candy-making and consumption. --Leora Y. Bloom


From Publishers Weekly
The grandson of a toffee maker and the son of a dentist, candy fanatic Richardson considers his book "the first-ever world history of sweets." Although that may be a dubious claim, his work is indeed jam-packed with quirky tidbits concerning Cadbury eggs, candy canes, Caramellos, caramel creams, Charleston Chews, chewing gum, Chewy Mentos, Chupa Chups, chocolate bars, conversation hearts and countless other confections. And while the prospect of an entire book about candy might make any sugar-loving reader feel like, well, a kid in a candy store, Richardson's lengthy account is at times tedious and suffers throughout from too much personal commentary (e.g., a list of his own "top ten sweets" and his idea for a new candy, the bizarre-sounding "ice cream chew"). The London-based journalist skews his study toward European sweets; although he does mention such American classics as M&Ms and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, he spends a considerable amount of time describing "Rock" ("a stick of peppermint-flavoured candy, coated in a lurid pink colour, with letters running through it"), Y&S and other candy that may be unfamiliar to American readers (the book was originally published in the U.K.). He also offers thought-provoking analyses of international candy preferences ("Taiwan is crazy for fruit jelly sweets") and thoroughly examines candy history, tracing its journey from East to West. Richardson hits the mark on occasion, such as when he comments on the importance of candy ("Sweets are the memorials of our innocence"), but his constant personal asides might make readers' stomachs ache. B&w photos not seen by PW.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Richardson, a British editor and journalist, chronicles the history of candy and confectionery in this delightfully passionate and wonderfully witty survey. From the scientific explanation for a sweet tooth to the business side of the candy trade, Richardson leaves no detail unexplored. Drawing from science, geography, history, and literature, he looks at confectionery commodities, such as sugar and chocolate, and the origins of individual sweets, including chewing gum and marzipan. He also covers the colorful individuals of the sweets trade and companies like Hershey and Lindt. Richardson's text, with numerous references to English candies and sweets, has a definitely British flavor, but he also discusses American candies and the preferences and traditions of other countries around the world. This tempting treat is highly recommended for the culinary history collections of academic and public libraries.John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
The human palate has always hungered for sweet foods. Richardson reports the lengths to which people have gone to satisfy that compelling craving. Some of history's earliest writings consist of instructions on the collection of honey and associated principles of beekeeping. The Turks invented caramel, but it was first put to use in the harem as a depilatory. Pastilles and gums came into the market originally as media for medicines, their sweetness counteracting medicines' bitterness. The Near East also gave rise to sweet pastries such as baklava, which Istanbul's Janissaries honored annually by carrying trayfuls of the confection in solemn procession. In addition to the stark contrast between Chinese sweets and those from Europe, there are many gradations within Western sweets. Britain's ideal milk chocolate, the Cadbury bar, offers a much smoother texture than does American's longtime favorite Hershey variety, which the English find gritty and harsh. Richardson's research offers so many insights, many counterintuitive, into the vast story of confectionery that it belongs in every food history collection. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


New York Times Book Review
"For anyone with a sweet tooth, Sweets is manna…This history of candy is full of delights."


Los Angeles Times
"Sweets is an informative, entertaining grab-bag of personal opinion, anecdote and culinary history."


,Los Angeles Times,
"Sweets is an informative, entertaining grab-bag of personal opinion, anecdote aand culinary history."


Review
"For anyone with a sweet tooth, Sweets is manna...This history of candy is full of delights."


Book Description
In Sweets, Tim Richardson takes us on a magical confectionery tour, letting his personal passion fuel the narrative of candy's rich and unusual history. Beginning with a description of the biology of sweetness itself, Richardson navigates the ancient history of sweets, the incredible range and diversity of candies worldwide, the bizarre figures and practices of the confectionery industry, and the connection between food and sex. He goes on to explore the role of sweets in myth and folklore and, finally, offers a personal philosophy of continual sweet-eating based on the writings of Epicurus.

A delicious blend of anecdote, history, and investigative reporting, Sweets is the perfect gift for anyone who loves candy.



About the Author
Tim Richardson's grandfather worked for a fudge company; his father was a dentist. A contributing editor to Wallpaper* magazine and a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Times, he lives in London, where he is in the process of refining his own candy invention.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In Sweets, Tim Richardson takes us on a magical confectionery tour through time and space, letting his personal passion fuel the narrative of candy's rich and unusual history. Beginning with a description of the biology of sweetness itself, Richardson navigates the ancient history of sweets, the incredible range and diversity of candies around the world, the bizarre figures and practices of the confectionery industry, and the connection between sweets and sex. He goes on to explore the role of sweets in myth and folklore, and finally delivers a personal philosophical justification for continual sweet-eating based on the writings of Epicurus.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The grandson of a toffee maker and the son of a dentist, candy fanatic Richardson considers his book "the first-ever world history of sweets." Although that may be a dubious claim, his work is indeed jam-packed with quirky tidbits concerning Cadbury eggs, candy canes, Caramellos, caramel creams, Charleston Chews, chewing gum, Chewy Mentos, Chupa Chups, chocolate bars, conversation hearts and countless other confections. And while the prospect of an entire book about candy might make any sugar-loving reader feel like, well, a kid in a candy store, Richardson's lengthy account is at times tedious and suffers throughout from too much personal commentary (e.g., a list of his own "top ten sweets" and his idea for a new candy, the bizarre-sounding "ice cream chew"). The London-based journalist skews his study toward European sweets; although he does mention such American classics as M&Ms and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, he spends a considerable amount of time describing "Rock" ("a stick of peppermint-flavoured candy, coated in a lurid pink colour, with letters running through it"), Y&S and other candy that may be unfamiliar to American readers (the book was originally published in the U.K.). He also offers thought-provoking analyses of international candy preferences ("Taiwan is crazy for fruit jelly sweets") and thoroughly examines candy history, tracing its journey from East to West. Richardson hits the mark on occasion, such as when he comments on the importance of candy ("Sweets are the memorials of our innocence"), but his constant personal asides might make readers' stomachs ache. B&w photos not seen by PW. (Nov.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal