Well. I'm not having much luck with books so far this year. I was definitely hoping to love this much more than I actually did. I'm disappointed because I love sweets and it should have been right up my proverbial alley. I can't quite put my finger on what it was, but perhaps my expectations were more 'light-hearted' and 'chatty' - like a story - rather than what felt more clinical and slightly cold.

What a shame! But it seems that I'm in the minority in that regard and that's okay.

Insightful. If you are into food, especially food history this is for you. Good to know. many information and stories about sweets, candy. etc. While I was reading this, this book is a good reference for creating digital content, if you are a food blogger.

I’m interested in both sweets and in the culture of Great Britain so this book was of particular interest to me. This is a surprisingly comprehensive and scholarly approach to a sweet subject. I learned all I’d wish to know and more. Perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.

I have a weak spot for books about food, cooking and the history of food. And being completely honest, I love sweets & candy. The History of Sweets by Paul Chrystal is a detailed historical accountof the history of sweets, particularly in the UK. Chrystal lays out how a good number of sweets started out as medicine of some sort. Many sweet-precursors were used to treat anything from upset stomach to a sore throat. Apothecaries were some of the first candy makers. Chrystal also discusses the history of various sweet makers in the UK, including popular brands like Cadbury. There were a good number of colored photos and illustrations included with the text as well.

A very, very, very thorough history of the history of all things "sweets": candy and chocolate.

The book is focused on Britain but does cover the whole history of "sweets." He describes the antecedents for candy and the earliest "sweets" used for medicinal purposes. He explores how the various forms of candy developed. He then surveys the history of the development of chocolate from beverage to "health food" to its present forms.

A lot of the book explores the major corporations involved in the "sweets" business in Britain, their origins, and who ended up buying or getting bought by whom. The use of "sweets" in literature, music, and film is explored, as well as famous quotations about sweets.

One can tell the author is very passionate about the history of sweets - perhaps a bit too passionate. The work would have been great without the last half. If you want to know about the history of candy and how much the British like candy and chocolate, this book is for you.

I do like reading a non-fiction book every now and again, I love learning about the history of everyday items, clothes or in this case sweets. I didn’t expect the book to go so far back in time as it did.

One interesting fact was that in ancient India pieces of sugar cane juice were boiled and when eaten called khanda, the original candy! Before sugar was available honey was used as the basis of sweets. Sweets were used as offerings in religious ceremonies. Sweets, comfits and sweetmeats were the essential finale to a perfect medieval feast.

Liquorice was originally used for its medicinal and thirst-quenching properties. It was given to Roman Legionnaires for them to consume on long marches. Still on the subject of liquorice, in 1899 a salesman dropped a tray of samples and thus Liquorice Allsorts were invented and they are still in existence and quite popular even now, many years later.

I really enjoyed reading about my local area which is quite famous as being the home of Pontefract Cakes/Pomfret Cakes, I’m a bit ashamed to say despite living in this area all my life I hadn’t heard the story of the significance of the whole different images stamped on the liquorice pennies. In fact, it’s a bit of a tourist attraction, as the museum contains information about it and there is a Liquorice Fair during a couple of weeks in July in Pontefract. I did know that Farmer Copley’s grew liquorice root, though didn’t know they are the only ones left doing so in the UK!!

It was fascinating reading about the rather controversial sweets such as candy cigarettes, which I do remember from my childhood. At the time smoking was not considered as so bad for you and not as taboo as smoking is these days. Smoking was heavily featured on TV and in Movies so naturally children emulate their parents and screen idols.

Then all the different names for what we now call “Jelly Babies” started out as “Peace Babies” were sent to troops in 1918. They were also called “Unclaimed Babies” after the “foundling babies” left on the steps of a church or hospital. I honestly didn’t even know that the different coloured jelly babies had names, such as “Baby Bonny” for the pink, raspberry flavoured one and “Bumper” for the orange coloured/flavoured one. I had already heard of and tried the “Jellyatrics” ones that were first made in 1999. As the name suggests these are not made in the shape of “babies” but made in the form of older people, hence the name. Then in 2017 a range of tropical flavoured babies were brought out, including mango

I absolutely loved reading about the history of Needlers sweet factory of Hull as my mum and some of her sisters actually worked there when they left school. So, it was a great conversation starter with her and certainly a trip down memory lane. So much so I have bought the book about Needlers Sweet Factory, sadly all the photographs in that book are of the earlier years of the factory and not covering the years my mum worked there. The History of Sweets actually mentioned the names of the different machines, such as Cyclone Pulveriser, Lightening Twister, and the Eureka being just three of them mentioned.

The book really does contain some fantastic facts and the release years of all the different sweets. It covers the rationing during World War 2 and how sweets were re-introduced by giving away freebies to encourage future sales. I loved looking at the timeline of sweets from 1866 to 1977. For instance, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk came out in 1905, Maltesers were 1936 and in 1976 Marathons were created but have since changed name to Snickers. This book is an interesting read that I could go on and on about. I loved reading and remembering old sweets from my childhood that are no longer available too, like Neapolitans, my grandparents had them every year at Christmas.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book where it was amazing any children survived with some of the ingredients put in sweets!

Summing up I found the book really interesting.

interesting book about the history of sweets and its history with sugar and look at modern sweet companies and how things have changed. this book is also very linked with the authors other book Rowntree's the early history

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review
This was a cute book. Very short and sweet and I couldn't get enough smiles out of some of the info.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Pen & Sword in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to read this book. Look at that cover! This is essentially what it says on the tin, a brief history of different kinds of sweets and famous (mostly UK) companies. I live in York and I have a friend who lives in Birmingham so I had some background knowledge of the history of sweets with regards to the companies that operated in those areas. Chrystal clearly has a specialty in York knowledge so I did really enjoy that angle from a personal point of view.

This book hits all the key aspects you would expect and it is quite neatly organised. It firstly does a quick run through of different types of sweets, their historical origins and some interesting facts about their development. Next it hones in on some particularly important sweet companies and periods of time, before discussing advertising, wartime rationing and other factors of sweet history.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I felt like I learned a lot. I particularly liked the broad range of sweets it covered and I felt there was enough detail without it being overwhelming. This book is a little dry compared to some nonfiction books, but it was very readable and accessible. I felt it hit the information level just right and enabled me to seek out further details on certain things if I wanted to. Just be aware that it is written in a more academic style than pop-history.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book for a good overview of the history of sweets and chocolate. It was easy to dip in and out of and I had a lot of fun learning more about this topic.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

An excellent, thorough, and hugely enjoyable book about the beginnings of sweets and their development up to the current day. This is a fascinating, well researched and detailed history of the evolution of sweets around the world, full of wonderful illustrations and photographs. The author explains how medicine and sweets became interlinked as well as their dangers before they were controlled by legislation. He does not shy away from the connection between sugar, slavery and child labour, and highlights the commendable Nestle Action Against Child Labour Sustainability Program as one of the ways that improvements are being made.
The vast assortment of sweets and chocolates that have been created and marketed is incredible, and that so many of the UK companies began and remain in Yorkshire is striking. The author also considers the health aspects of sugar, sweets and chocolate. My Grandmother worked at the Needlers factory in Hull, so from a personal point of view I found the references particularly interesting. Thank you to Paul Chrystal, Net Galley and Pen and Sword History for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a really easy and enjoyable look back at the History of Sweets through time – and that cover really grabbed my attention!

I liked the little facts and interesting bits of information that the book contained regarding the changes of some of the names of the sweets which would be frowned upon nowadays too.

The book also touches on the not so glamorous side of chocolate and sweet making too as well as using them to discuss social history and what it was like through the major periods of history including the Great War and WWII. It was great to read how the factories were requisitioned to support the war!

We were lucky enough to visit York in September and we got to see a few of the places mentioned in the book too so it was great to be able to link them to the history and background. It was really interesting to see the evolution of the brands from small shops in some cases to global suppliers in 2021.

It is 4 stars from me for this one, I really enjoyed the layout too and the different sections of the manufacturers and the release dates of the different products – really made me realise how long song of them have been around for! Highly recommended even if it did give me the urge to raid the kitchen cupboards more than once!!

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Loved this
Fascinating read
Focuses on UK which I thought was a plus, makes it relatable

Clearly much research was undertaken for this book which I appreciate

This book was really fascinating. I love reading the histories of everyday items, especially food. I do think it's worth noting that The History of Sweets does primarily focus on the UK, so some of the locations or sweets mentioned in the book may not be as familiar as the author assumed if you are in another country. Don't let that discourage you, though. There's plenty of interesting facts and history to keep you hooked no matter where you are.

Thank you to Pen and Sword History and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I thought this was a fun read. You definitely get some interesting information and it is fun to learn about it. It does center around the UK so it isn't where I live but that is okay because it is fun to learn about other places. I do wish there were more pictures mainly because it is a book on sweets so I want to look at it!

This book was horrible. I could not finish it. Basically, it is a compilation of Google searches on candy manufacturers in Britain. I could have just as easily done the Googling myself. There are very long stretches of just text, no pictures. Not that a book necessarily has to have pictures, but if you are writing a book on sweets, that topic easily lends itself to gorgeous photographs, copies of old advertisements, etc. It was dry, dull, and unappealing. I was very disappointed in this book and would recommend this to no one.

The History of Sweets by Paul Chrystal is an awesome non-fiction book!

I love diving into a great non-fiction book that teaches me something I've always been nosy about. Candy, sweets and chocolate are a popular food item that I've always been curious about, but it wasn't something I actively looked into. When I saw this book I figured it was the perfect way to give into my curiosity and learn about something at the same time.

A lot of the history in this book centres around the United Kingdom, but it's still a great read regardless. This book has an abundance of information about sweets and it's written in an easily readable way. I found it was information but also felt very friendly. It didn't feel like a boring textbook, and instead kept me interested and active in my reading. I do think the order of the chapters felt kind of dull and didn't flow well, but that's just my personal opinion. The information itself was helpful and beneficial. I will have lots of facts to tell people later.

Three out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Oh, my oh my, this book will have you licking your lips and wishing you had candy to eat while reading it. Chrystal begins our journey through sweets with 10000-year-old cave paintings near Valencia and races forward at lightning speed. The book is filled with photographs, classic advertisements, and connections between food, social issues, and business. There is a plethora of information provided without reading like a lecture. Fans of candy, British social history, and food history will love this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Pen & Sword History for the opportunity to read an advance reader's copy.

I love sweets and the history of food so this book right up my alley. This book was really good. I learned quite a bit about candy that I didn't already know which was great. My only real problem with this was that it was obviously written by someone who is more familiar with British candies and sweets so I did need to look up a few things so see what Crystal was referring to. Overall this was a really good book. I can't wait to get a physical copy of this to add to my collection of food books!

An entertaining and enlightening book on the history of sweets. I love that it starts at the beginning of how sweet treats came about and then how they have developed and expanded over time. Having grown up in another country I can appreciate that it explores sweets from all over the world and how they differ, yet still have the power to draw and satisfy. It was good that some of the darker sides of the sweets industry is discussed as well as anything taken to excess can become harmful. This reads as an informational guide that can be read in order or hop around based on your own level of interest. The pictures are great enhancements to the content. All in all, a fun, educational look at the history of sweets.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

A super interesting and fun look into the history of sweets! I’ve always been curious and when I got the chance to read this book, I was so excited. It’s definitely a great read for anyone interested in sweets and its history. The book has so any beautiful photos and fun facts to read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Pen & Sword for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*