The Sweet History of the World. 2000 Years of Sugar Dominance in Economics, Politics, and Medicine

It has defined life on all continents, creating and destroying entire cultures through industrialization, labor migration, and changes in diet. It has amassed fortunes, corrupted governments, provoked wars and ethnic hatred. It controls our daily lives and holds the medical industry in its hands. So who is this gray cardinal and where did he come from? The sugar industry, since its inception, has been a mix of greed, cruelty, and pleasure. Historian Ulbe Bosma reveals to us the thrilling story of the adventurism, triumphs, and downfalls of sugar magnates. In this exposé, we learn how sugar—a hollow substance devoid of nutritional value—has enslaved humanity: from kings and emperors to the poorest peasant and worker classes.