Sweet Tooth: The Bittersweet History of Candy

Sweet Tooth is a book with a real edge, a balanced firsthand account of [the author's] obsession with candy and a detailed look at its history and development. The sugary treats we enjoy today have a prominent past: They've delighted kings, cured the ill, and were developed into a billion-dollar industry. At the same time, however, the bitter side of this chronicle tells how the confectionery industry helped create an environment of unhealthy overindulgence, quelled small-business competition deemed to pose risks to any corporation's bottom line, and was indeed largely responsible for the slave trade that evolved during America's colonial era.