Sweetness and Power

Credit: Michael Kraus

I first read Sidney Mintz's Sweetness and Power (Penguin, 1985) while studying at the London School of Economics, and it revolutionized the way I think about food. By documenting, in fascinating detail, how sugar became a source of wealth and power during the days of European empire building, Mintz established that even the simplest food could support serious academic inquiry. —Claire Gilbert, Seattle, Washington