A vividly entertaining history of the humble bean takes the reader on a curious, surprising and exciting journey across epochs, continents and cultures.
Raymond Blanc
Charming.
New York Times
I would strongly urge a reading of Beans by Ken Albala which entertainingly unravels that most complicated of legumes through space and time.
The Guardian
... Read moreFresh and engaging from the start ... A must have for any serious foodie.
The Telegraph
Extraordinarily detailed and amusing. ... It is a totally endearing mixture of expertise and whimsy and should, by rights, be a bestseller.
The Times
Albala's range of geographical, historical and cultural references is extremely impressive.
Ian Sansom, Saturday Guardian
A great read, full of exotic and intriguing information and thoroughly recommended.
Times Higher Education Supplement
Albala traces the histories of a wide range of beans and the result is an enthusiastic book which deploys commendable scholarship with the lightest of touches.
History Today
Who ever knew that beans were so complicated and interesting. Told in fascinating detail by Ken Albala, Beans: A History is an instructional book that reads like a novel.
Charlie Palmer
Here is the first biography of beans presented by Ken Albala in vivid prose. Gut-buster or aphrodisiac, lowly legume or savior of civilization, the bean is more significant than we ever realized.
Darra Goldstein
Beans is a lyrical book. It is a tale well told filled with unusual twists and turns with surprises popping up in almost every paragraph.
Andrew F. Smith, editor of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America
Lucky beans who have at last found their Homer. Who knew that the history of the Western world and parts of Asia could be illumined through the evolution of the lowly bean in its multiple forms from fava to soy? No one is better equipped than this skilled historian to wrap history, science, legend, folklore and fakelore in an entertaining narrative that delights while it informs. This is the most digestible bean dish I've ever encountered and all I want is more.
Betty Fussell, author of The Story of Corn and I Hear America Cooking: The Cooks and Recipes of American Regional Cuisine
In this delightful, informative bean biography, the author unravels the history, science and culture of beans across the world.
Sainsbury Magazine
Surprisingly readable and full of fascinating detail. ... Beans: A History would make a valuable addition to the bookshelf of anyone hungry to know the cultural and gastronomic history of the food on their plate.
Oxford Vegetarians
I was immediately hooked. What a great combination of scholarly commitment and good humour!
Jane Bowler, The Vegetarian
There appears to be very little Ken Albala doesn't know about the humble bean. ... an authentic and inclusive history.
Australian Gormet Pages Newsletter
A light-hearted and entertaining narrative.
Artisan
With not a pod left unshelled, Beans is just plain fun to read thanks to author Ken Albala's sense of humour, devotion to scholarly detail and breezy writing style.
The Roanoke Times
By successfully integrating history, geography, botany, and politics into understanding beans, Albala demonstrates the wonder of liberal education itself.
The AAG Review of Books
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