Search - Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America

I laughed through this entire book. The author really is a candyfreak and and unabashedly so. Almond makes some poignant statements about how we comfort ourselves with candy. Highly recommended.

I loved this book! It's a combination of the history of candy bars, the background for the author's addiction to candy, and the author touring candy factories. Sometimes witty, sometimes poignant, always interesting. I've made several people read it, and they've all loved it.

A light fun quick read; Steve Almond makes a most wonderful candy sleuth! If you love chocolate (no, wait, make that LOVE chocolate) then you'll most likely enjoy this book. Almonds breezy, good-natured, kind-hearted look at our disappearing regional candies makes for fun reading. I'd write more but I'm off to see if I can acquire at least a few of the candy bars he wrote about ... specifically, Valomilk! Happy reading!

A treat, as its name implies. One man searches for America's remaining independent candy makers as the big three (Hershey, Mars, Nestle) take over check-out shelves everywhere. Steve Almond's love of candy guides the book through interesting visits to the makers of candy bars like the Twin Bing, the Idaho Spud, GooGoos and Valomilk. The writing is infused with a definite political flavor -- the overtaking of the small and entirely likable little guys by the corporate giants, who, Almond contends, put out an inferior product. Mr. Almond does a lot of reflecting about candy in general, including his likes (many) and dislikes (few.) Fun non-fiction, and timeless.