Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure by Samira Kawash

You can’t go too wrong with a book about the evolution of candy in the United States and how we view it by an author known as the Candy Professor. Professor Kawash spent a number of years researching this book and running a blog about her discoveries, and the result is a great book that shows us the ups and downs with our relationship to these treats.

Starting with handmade candies, Prof. Kawash takes us through both the creation of candies over the years and our complex relationship with them. From being a source of eroding the national moral fiber to the modern fears of “candification” of food, Prof. Kawash manages to keep a steady hand on what candy actually is : just a fun treat that is only bad if we overindulge. Along the way she introduces us to a world of facts – like how cattle are fed expired or “salvaged” candy, wrappers and all – and gives a sharp look at the roots of our love and fear of one of our more common and enjoyable foods.

–Gene Alloway
Owner of Motte & Bailey Booksellers