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The History of Sugar
- Narrated by: Kelley Fanto Deetz
- Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins
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The History of Sugar
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Summary
Call it dextrose, fructose, maltose, or sucrose. Have it powdered or granulated, by the teaspoon or cube, dark brown or light brown, refined or raw. Taste it in a thick slice of birthday cake, a palmful of chocolate candies, or a snifter of dark rum.
Whatever the form, whatever the treat - sugar drives us wild like nothing else. It’s lingered on our tongues for millennia and found its way into almost every household in the world.
Alas, the history of sugar is far from sweet. Long before it was linked to America’s obesity epidemic, sugar was fueling the dark forces of exploitation, colonization, conquest, and slavery. More than just candy and cake, sugar has drastically altered the diets, cultures, and economies of the modern world. How can we love sugar while having a healthy relationship with its bittersweet history?
From the earliest cultivation of sugarcane in Asia, to the brutal conditions on colonial sugar plantations, to the multibillion-dollar industry that dominates our grocery aisles today, The History of Sugar offers you a host of surprising insights into human nature. As historian Kelley Fanto Deetz reveals in her fascinating Audible Original, our relationship to this commodity showcases its incredible capacity to lure, to addict, to transform humans to bow to its sweetness at almost all costs - and still bring us together in moments of undeniably delicious joy and celebration.
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Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anna Nym
- 17-04-22
well narrated
The course was very well presented, clearly organised, interesting and informative. I would recommend for anyone interested in history and economy, or simply curious about how we got to where we are from the perspective of our love for sugar.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 24-02-22
well...
for historical point..well it was terrible to hear how people get sugar.
no nutritious value or medical information about subject.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Harry Bosch
- 22-01-22
Sweet treat.
Excellent, entertaining history of sugar. Encompasses the history of empire, slavery and other societal changes linked to sugar.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Edward
- 26-03-22
The WOKE version, long on option, short on facts.
Give this a pass if you are looking for unbiased information about the history of sugar.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Michael Dubarry
- 28-10-21
Too 'Woke' American to be of any value
If you are into intersectionality and CRT then this might be yet another approved resource. Otherwise it is disappointing from the get go. A shame as it is a fascinating and complex historical topic.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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- papapownall
- 11-11-21
Sugar coated history of sugar
The history of sugar is inextricably linked to the African diaspora in which millions of people were forcibly transported in slave ships from Western and Central Africa to different regions throughout the Americas and the Caribbean over a period of three centuries. The description of plantation life with make for uncomfortable listening for some who would prefer to ignore this period of modern history and focus on the abolitionist movement of the nineteenth century. Listening to this short book by historical archaeologist and historian Kelley Fanto Deetz it would be easy to assume that sugar plantations existed in the Caribbean islands but not in the United States. Maybe this is a reflection of the US audience that makes up the majority of the listeners of these Great Courses but I cannot help think that the author has chosen to sugar coat this story for her audience.
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