Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World

by Peter Chapman

In this compelling history, Peter Chapman shows how the United Fruit Company took bananas from the jungles of Costa Rica to the halls of power in Washington, D.C., with not just clever marketing, but covert CIA operations, bloody coups and brutalised workforces. And how along the way they turned the banana into a blueprint for a new model of unfettered global one that serves corporate power at any cost.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Economics, World History

240 pages, Paperback

Published July 12, 2022

Reviews

[Jordan Primeaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bananas

[Charlotte Hanby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book put American diplomatic history primarily with Latin America (but also beyond) into context with the United Fruit company. It jumped around between time periods and names without clear transitions or connections that had me scanning the book to figure out where he’d mention them before. I read the book mostly on two plane rides in the span of 1.5 weeks so I didn’t have that much time in between reading session to forget details so that might give you a hint to the number of names and places mentioned. The book goes into very specific detail about things that you think might be relevant and skims through the later 20th century decades. My favorite part of the book was the sections on the Banana Man.

[Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting take on the impact of global companies trying to bend smaller local governments to their purposes as a company. A cautionary tale of what can happen with monopolies and the pursuit of corporate profits at the expense of cheap labor. This gives good insight into the term "banana republics" which I didn't know the origin of. Having lived in Guatemala and seen some of the effects of the banana republics and corrupt governments, this was a little more meaningful personally than maybe it would be for some people.

[Grace Cuddihy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was incredibly well-written and very compelling. Similarly to Enemies Within, it was not exactly shocking that United Fruit had engaged in disgusting behavior, but the extensive and well-researched timeline of the company's actions was difficult to sit through. I think the epilogue was particularly interesting - Chapman engages in an incredibly thoughtful and interesting reflection on the legacy of United Fruit in the current age of globalization and multi-national corporations.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revelatory in its larger discussion of the emergence of multinational companies, how the U.S. created "banana republics," the CIA, US and United Fruit Company staging coups and fighting wars and the use of corporate social responsibility so long ago. What was a somewhat difficult read is tied together with an epilogue that pulls together the history and effects of the United Fruit Company and all the other players abetting them on Central America.

[Rick Fifield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book deals with the United Fruit Company and how they did business in Central America growing, selling and using their clout to move bananas. It also tells about United States policy in the region led to unstable governments and U.S. intervention in Guatemala and Nicaragua.

[Bonita Braun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good overview

An interesting, enjoyable and easy read. Well researched and presented. This is a good introduction to US involvement in Central America by way of United Fruit. Lessons of business practice, politics and social responsibility are addressed with wry humor.

[Theo Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

if there's one book to read on an evil corporation it's this one, covers a lot of ground regarding Americas foreign policy in the 1800-1900s whilst not being too textbook, and shows in a frightening way just how much private bodies are able to get away with

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars.

Honestly, it was okay.

[Richard Wickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Not particularly well written or structured, but chronicles a very important bit of history that should be talked about more.

[takeeveryshot · Rating 5 out of 5]

altered my brain chemistry i'm not joking i have not been normal since i read this

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must now resist the masculine urge to start a banana company.

[figs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear evidence of the dangers of the private sector being in bed with goverment. Makes me sick to even look at the banana next to me.

[Jake Hertz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monkey eat babana

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok.. but as other reviewers have pointed out to prone to try and extrapolate towards big ideas and future directions of travel with only the barest of detail.

[Dylan Simel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book and said “wow that’s a book I would like!” And guess what? I liked it! The modern history of Central America has been greatly shaped by a fruit that we in America take for granted. We grab it by the bunch and eat it daily; completely unaware of how it got from the jungles to our grocery basket.

[Nikki Ritsch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting ideas, but poorly organized and lacks a central character.