Pineapple: King of Fruits

by Fran Beauman

This enchanting, juicy history takes us from the pineapple's origins in the Amazon rainforests to its first tasting by Columbus in Guadeloupe and its starring role on the royal dinner tables of Europe. In the eighteenth-century this spectacular fruit reigned supreme: despite the fact that, at first, to cultivate just one cost the same as a new coach, every great house soon boasted its own steaming pits filled with hundreds upon hundreds of pineapple plants. As the Prada handbag of its day, a real-life, homegrown pineapple was a powerful status symbol, so much so that at first, it was extremely unusual actually to eat the fruit. The image appeared on gateposts, on teapots, furniture and wallpaper.

A new phase opened when growers in the Caribbean began supplying pineapples in the 1840s and later the first canning factory was built in Hawaii. As the story rolls on, through the heyday of pineapple chunks and cocktails, right up to the fashions of today,it touches on pineapples and sex, pineapples and empire, pineapples in art.

Why is the pineapple so special? In one surprising sense it is indeed ideal. Made up of hundreds of separate fruitlets, its spirals embody the gradations of the Golden Mean - it is mathematically perfect. But it is more than that - for years a focus of traveller's tales, it is a treasure of sight and scent and taste. Packed with fascinating illustrations, this delicious book sees Fran Beauman explore the life and lore of the king of fruits: scholarly, witty and fun, it is a true hamper of delights.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science, Food History, Biology

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Rowland Pasaribu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whoever would have guessed the pineapple had such an interesting history. It's early association with the explorations of new worlds and the wonder of new new tastes and the marvels of an expanding concept of geography made it tremendously appealing to the royalty and the rich of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. No costs were spared to possess, and indeed to cultivate this amazing and delicate treasure. Although a bit over informed by the end of the book I was, never-the-less entertained by the stories of this fruit's conquest of the west.

[Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like a Hitchcock movie if Hitchcock had a conscience.

As Hitchcock had this thing for MacGuffins, an object which the plot revolves around. But he always used this to mislead, provoke, or to just keep the narrative alive. Well, the pineapple in this book is a kind of MacGuffin but used to traverse the globe and history; and instead of misleading or provoking, Beauman uses it as a sort of mirror to show the worlds above of which it was apart of. Bravo!

And the only real fear mongering in the book is a warning from someone in the 19th century about how the pineapple is, "too ravishing for mortal taste". I so agree! A fresh pineapple, long after it is gone....lives on in one's senses....in immortality.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of this were quite fascinating, and I salivared the pineapples the whole way through. Some of the history around growing pineapples in hothouses got a bit tedious, but I just skimmed those parts

[Jonathon Ham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun light hearted book about pineapples and how they’ve shaped our world

I just like pineapples

[Eugene]

Very interesting read, well worth the time. Beauman does a nice job outlining some of the history of this tropical delight. My only quibble is that she does focus considerable time on the European aspects of it's history. The extensive footnoting is great as well for those interested in more information.

[Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know more about pineapples now.

[Poppy Critchlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guys this banged

[Laurence Britton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not hard to understand how Beauman graduated from Cambridge with a first class degree in History. She skilfully, and traces the story of the pineapple wonderfully. This really is incisive history.

The first chapters of the book really captured my interest, from the pineapple's origins in the Amazon rainforest to how it came to Europe. After this, my interest waned for a few chapters as the exact history of the pineapple in England was revealed, including each development in the greenhouses where many tried to grow the exotic fruit. Although there were pockets here and there where I was glad to be reading, my progress slowed for a few days and it felt like a battle at times. Nonetheless I persevered and once more the tale of the 'king of fruits' gripped me once more as it's story entered the modern era. Importing the pineapple changed the demographics of pineapple consumption, as did the process of canning. Having just studied mass production this was a particularly enjoyable section of the book and I when I finished I was glad I pushed through the not-so-juicy bits.

For me, this book highlights what's great about microhistories in that I found much of it utterly fascinating. However, it was also necessary to trundle through some chapters which I found dull. Maybe that reveals more about myself than the book (or maybe it's because I've just graduated with a degree in history and reading those chapters felt like I'd launched myself back into it and this was no longer something I was reading for pleasure). I'm eager to note that this shouldn't detract from the fact that Beauman's wide historical knowledge, something that spans continents and centuries, and insightful observations easily prove she is a very capable historian. There were times when the tone changed ("[Nigella Lawson] also features a recipe for caramelised pineapple with hot chocolate which I can highly recommend" being just one example) but this rarely bothered me.

When I closed the book I wanted to give it four stars because I'd been so intrigued for the last few chapters. Alas, from me it's three stars because unfortunately I didn't feel like this the whole way through. Having said this, 'The Pineapple: King of Fruits' is an intelligently written, informative, often enjoyable read.

[Rai · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great biography of one of the world's most 'mysterious' fruits. Long equated with wealth, excess, luxury and snobbery, the pineapple has fascinated the western world since its discovery by Spanish travellers in the 15th century; most particularly the British, who spent centuries trying perfect the growing of pineapples as the ultimate status symbol.

This books is just as fascinating as it's subject matter and Beauman has an engaging, enjoyable, and often funny, writing style. I couldn't put this one down and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in pinapples, the history of greenhouses or just micro histories in general.

4 / 5

[Courtney Tight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book some years ago now (2006!), but it's one of the few microhistories that has really stuck with me over time. A truly fascinating and engaging agricultural and sociocultural history of the pineapple.

[Amanda Witt]

A good description of the history of this once exotic fruit, found only in tropical areas and the work that was done to both transport it with difficulties in the 17-1800's, and to grow the plants in cooler climates once greenhouse technology became known.