Chocolate: The Bean that Conquered the World

by Vivian French

What's so special about chocolate? It's just a tasty treat - isn't it? Describing the historical progress of the miraculous bean - from the Aztecs to Nestle - with a mixture of facts, speculation, personal recollections and recipes, this book takes us on a journey that aims to give us chocolate in all its glory.

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Vivian June Isoult French MBE was born in 1945 and educated at Exeter University.
Vivian French was best known in school for being extremely skinny and for talking a lot. At school she developed an attachment to words and later became an actor, then a storyteller, and finally a writer of children's books. She is the author of more than two hundred books. Ms. French lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has four grown daughters.

Reviews

[Aadishesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book taught me the history of Chocolate and how it is made. I was surprised to know that Chocolate first came from Central and South America. Covers and illustrations are very beautiful and book has innovative layout. It also has recipes and information on Fairtrade.

[Junie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A read for the love of chocolate and to learn about your love of chocolate and why.

I immensely enjoyed reading the language of chocolate, the discovering its whereabouts, and how the vast processes of chocolate over centuries came to be known then and today.
To utterly appreciate and understand this book is to gain insight and knowledge of this tremendously little wealth of a bean. Its arduous existence is to be significantly appreciated.
And to help support the production of these hard workers on these enormous plantations of chocolate trees/pods, is their very livelihood.The importance of this tight interracial community developing chocolate, must be support, buying Fair-trade chocolate is the only way we can make a difference and have our chocolate.

[onysha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a nice, fascinating read. The language was simple, and nothing too technical. The pictures were cute. :) There were some awkwardly constructed sentences, but that's just a minor problem. Overall, it was good.

[❀ Hana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. 4.5/5 stars

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A somewhat simplified story about the history of chocolate. There are references to other, more detailed books for those that want to know more.

[Zahirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely book. I think I want to be a cocoa farmer now :D