I recommend this book. Quick read, witty, off-the-cuff style, plus some good information about the candy business and why small businesses struggle against the big guys. Plus, for a 40-something reader, it’s a nostalgia trip. I remember fondly a number of the candy bars that Almond also remembers--I have found myself thinking back to my days staring at the local Ben Franklin candy counter, weighing my options. . . .

posted Nov 3, 2006 at 9:59AM

If you like candy, or maybe love candy, then take a bite, lick, or whiff of Candyfreak. It is the story of one confectionary-obsessed individual (the author Steve Almond, with his ideal candy-ready last name) and his journey to discover what happened to the candies that made his childhood so sweet--the Choco-Lite, the Caravelle Bar, Hersey’s Cookies n’ Mint, the Valomilk, and the Kit Kat Dark. To discover the fates of these and other forgotten goodies, Almond investigates and tours confection companies. Almond is a self-described candy freak and his book is a rousing declaration of his obsessive sweet tooth, a richly detailed history of the candy bars and other sweets in the United States, and an exploration of the rarely-seen world of candy manufacturing. Almond meets candy makers, experiences their sweet products, and provides the reader with his honest opinion. The descriptions of the candies are so rich that you may very well do more than just taste the goodness—you might just literally devour this book. Eat-while-you-read: Valomilk Bars, the messiest candy ever invented.

posted Aug 20, 2009 at 2:39PM

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