Candy Freak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America
by Steve Almond
Candy Freak: A Journey Th...
by
Steve Almond
published
2004
by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
edit
binding
Paperback
isbn
096591187X
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recommends it for:
humans
My review, 3.0:
First I would like to quote MC Pee Pants.
"I want candy, bubblegum and taffy.
Skip to the sweet shop with my girlfriend, Sandy.
Got my pennies saved. so I'm a sugar daddy.
I'm her Hume Cronyn, she my Jessica Tandy.
I want candy!
I need candy, any kind will do
Don't care if it's nutritious or FDA approved.
It's gonna make me spaz like bobcats on booze..."
etc, as the song stops being about candy.
The cover blurb calls the author "the Dave Eg...more
My review, 3.0:
First I would like to quote MC Pee Pants.
"I want candy, bubblegum and taffy.
Skip to the sweet shop with my girlfriend, Sandy.
Got my pennies saved. so I'm a sugar daddy.
I'm her Hume Cronyn, she my Jessica Tandy.
I want candy!
I need candy, any kind will do
Don't care if it's nutritious or FDA approved.
It's gonna make me spaz like bobcats on booze..."
etc, as the song stops being about candy.
The cover blurb calls the author "the Dave Eggers of food writing" ... which seems not only wrong but a little mean. He comes off more like the Anthony Bourdain of candy writing!
This book is terribly enjoyable, and yes, it made me go buy candy, although Safeway's candy selection is pretty pathetic. Walgreen's at least provided me with Reese's Elvis-themed peanut-butter and banana cups. (um, what the hell.)
The best parts about the book, though, apart from laughing out loud at some of Almond's turns-of-phrase, were the moments when he evoked my own memories of lost childhood 'freak' moments. I can still recall the smell of Coulson's Pharmacy in Lewiston and the comics arrayed on a low shelf by the entrance. The sounds of the old (now gone) video arcades of the early 80's. The panoply of GI Joe figures at the local Gold Circle and the quest to track down each one, well before the days of thirtysomething toy collectors. :) These are the things that shaped my life, just like candy shaped Almond's life. These things are golden, never to return, always cherished....less
I finished this book this week, and I have two things to say about it.
First, today I was compelled to seek out an online candy retailer, and I bought 1 bag of Coffee Rios, 4 Goo Goo Clusters, 1 bag of Root Beer Barrels, 12 Slo Pokes suckers, 1 bag of Squirrel Nut Chocolate Caramels, 1 bag of Squirrel Nut Zippers, 4 Toffifays, and 4 Valomilks. I know you probably don't know how awesome that is, so you should read the book and find out.
Second, my teeth, pancreas, and waistline would like ...more
I finished this book this week, and I have two things to say about it.
First, today I was compelled to seek out an online candy retailer, and I bought 1 bag of Coffee Rios, 4 Goo Goo Clusters, 1 bag of Root Beer Barrels, 12 Slo Pokes suckers, 1 bag of Squirrel Nut Chocolate Caramels, 1 bag of Squirrel Nut Zippers, 4 Toffifays, and 4 Valomilks. I know you probably don't know how awesome that is, so you should read the book and find out.
Second, my teeth, pancreas, and waistline would like to tell Steve Almond he is a bad, bad man...
...less
recommends it for:
Everyone
This book is sweet. The author explores why sugar makes him shallow. The redeeming fact to this sweet and shallow book is the author apologizes for this in the preface and then goes deep to find the history, facts, industry, theories and thoughts surrounding sugar. Some of my favorite quotes from the this exploration:
" So, the question: Given all this moral knowledge, how can I lead the life of a unbridled candyfreak?"
"I hate most vegetable.................I realize t...more
This book is sweet. The author explores why sugar makes him shallow. The redeeming fact to this sweet and shallow book is the author apologizes for this in the preface and then goes deep to find the history, facts, industry, theories and thoughts surrounding sugar. Some of my favorite quotes from the this exploration:
" So, the question: Given all this moral knowledge, how can I lead the life of a unbridled candyfreak?"
"I hate most vegetable.................I realize that I am going to hell."
" In the ideal world, moms and dads would have enough time and energy to fill their children with love, and brothers would take care of one another, and there would be lots of extended family members to pick up the slack. But as the developed world has become a cold, atomized place in which people are cut off from their internal lives and therefore subject to the most basic form of self-esteem extortion -materalism- which means that they have agreed to be judged by what they eat and wear and drive, by their fitness as capitalists, as opposed to say the content of their characters.
And it goes for children as well, who are, if anything, more apt to project their emotional life onto objets rather than people. Any parent whose child has favorite blankie or sippy cup will back me up on this. What folks in the board rooms at Madison Avenue sussed out a couple decades back is this: Manipulation of family dynamic= big bucks. Thus, the guilty dad will buy off his kid. And the deprived child will learn to seek love in the material form."
"We are, are furthermore, in the midst of what I would call a radical object disconnect. For the most of human history, people essentially knew where their stuff came from........ Watching the process by which products are made reconnects us to the wonders of production............ Candy companies are servants of late-model capitalism, just as surely as Exxon and Dow. They dehumanize workers, both here and abroad, and pump out pollution and provides an indulgence that is unconscionable, given that the great many people who are starving to death-which is all the more reason to lose oneself in the trance."
I was going to put the quote about Cameron Diaz's eyeball, but after I read it again I remembered how creepy it was and that I didn't like it as much an I thought. I started reading this book at the begin of the weekend. I was addicted and didn't put it down until I finished it. When I did finish it, I felt like I had binged and was sick to my stomach....less
Read in February, 2005
From a blog post in 2005:
What a fun and interesting read! The full title is Candyfreak - A Journey Through The Chocolate Underbelly of America by Steve Almond The author is a self-avowed candy addict and traces his addiction back to a childhood need for affection. His anecdotes about his childhood candy habits (hording, sorting and classifying candy as well as his Halloween strategy) and bonding with his Father (The Enabler) via candy bars are hilarious, touching and sometimes a bit sad.
T...more
From a blog post in 2005:
What a fun and interesting read! The full title is Candyfreak - A Journey Through The Chocolate Underbelly of America by Steve Almond The author is a self-avowed candy addict and traces his addiction back to a childhood need for affection. His anecdotes about his childhood candy habits (hording, sorting and classifying candy as well as his Halloween strategy) and bonding with his Father (The Enabler) via candy bars are hilarious, touching and sometimes a bit sad.
The main focus of the book, however, is on the small candy producers who are being pushed out by Hershey, Mars and Nestle. He visited several companies who only sell regionally because of the huge cost of national distribution. Some chains require a candy company to pay $20,000 per store in slotting fees (a charge to place the product in the store) and the firms he visited can't afford it. Even local placement is going by the wayside as Wal-Mart pushes out the little grocery stores across America.
Here's a partial list of the candy bars he saw made: Valomilk, Idaho Spud, Goo Goo Cluster, Old Faithful, Twin Bing, Peanut Chews and Five Star Bars. I've never heard of any of them but it sounds like they may be found at your nearby Cracker Barrel. I'll have to look next time I'm at one.
Almond's style is humorously self-deprecating - sort of a kindler, gentler version of David Sedaris (without the gay overtones). He seamlessly mixes personal anecdotes with interesting historical material and his descriptions of the candy making process border on poetry. I only wish I could be half as descriptive! For more on Almond, see his website: <a href=www.stevenalmond.com>www.stevenalmond.com</a>.
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Read in March, 2007
recommends it for:
The candy obsessed, like myself
This book has my name written all over it, and I loved it!! Now if only they would come out with a book called Cupcake Freak...Even if you haven't eaten a piece of candy every day of your entire life (like the author, Steve Almond, has), you can still appreaciate how funny this book and the author are. Also for those of you who like to read books about large coorporations taking out small local shops, consider this the candy version of that story.
Lastly, be prepared after reading this book ...more
This book has my name written all over it, and I loved it!! Now if only they would come out with a book called Cupcake Freak...Even if you haven't eaten a piece of candy every day of your entire life (like the author, Steve Almond, has), you can still appreaciate how funny this book and the author are. Also for those of you who like to read books about large coorporations taking out small local shops, consider this the candy version of that story.
Lastly, be prepared after reading this book to crave candy bars!! Steve Almond's that good....less
An uncomfortable book. Just when the author slipped me into the sweetness and utter joy of his exploration of candy factories like Palmer Candy, creator of cherry chocolate chews, Twin Bings, and Idaho Candy, creator of coconut, mocha, chocolate Spud Bite, he pulled me out with phrases like, “You are unworthy of love. Candy will not save you.” He talks of candy as a replacement for the comfort of familial love. A scant connection to a withholding family. A solace from his lack of a romantic...more
An uncomfortable book. Just when the author slipped me into the sweetness and utter joy of his exploration of candy factories like Palmer Candy, creator of cherry chocolate chews, Twin Bings, and Idaho Candy, creator of coconut, mocha, chocolate Spud Bite, he pulled me out with phrases like, “You are unworthy of love. Candy will not save you.” He talks of candy as a replacement for the comfort of familial love. A scant connection to a withholding family. A solace from his lack of a romantic love life. I couldn’t help but wish that candy didn’t mean so much to him.
Perhaps Almond wished to add depth to his book with these intimate confessions of depression and hopelessness. Although, they are intrinsically tied to his story of candy obsession, I would’ve enjoyed this book more if it were purely lightness and fluff. Alluding to his family troubles and relationship problems while leaving all of the other characters, his father, his twin brother, his older brother, his mother, his ex-girlfriend, as insubstantial shadows left me with only vague unease. It’s unsatisfactorily ended with Almond’s brief connection to his nephews through their newfound love of jellybeans. There’s another story within Candyfreak. Perhaps the more important story.
If you love candy I would still recommend reading Candyfreak. The second-hand sugar high I received through his descriptions of chocolate was lovely....less
recommends it for:
Geeks of all stripes
I love to read pretty much anything written by geeks. People who are unhealthily obsessed with a given subject and clearly amped to educate others about it. With enough geeky passion on display, the subject becomes almost irrelevant.
Steve Almond is a hardcore geek for candy. His enthusiasm is more than evident in this book. It's a quick read, he writes well and I for one found myself desperately wanting something with chocolate and hazelnuts in it when I was done.
Highly recommended.
bookshelves:
biographies,
cookbooks-food,
nonfiction
Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
Candy Lovers
This book was so fun and light. And for a candy addict like me, this was a validation that I am not alone. Though it mostly deals with chocolate and nostalgia, the author does tour many of the small mom and pop candy factories left in the US. He writes in an easy conversational style and you can tell that both he and the peole he interviews really love the subject.
This was a lovely summer read and has made me put other candy history books on my to read list.
bookshelves:
non-fiction,
sociology
Read in July, 2007
For those who have a secret (or blatant) love affair with candy will love this humorous 'history' of the commercialized candy world. Plus, the author, Steve Almond, speaks to the reader with real-world type language, sharp and witty, so it is extremely fun to read. And if reading it doesn't make you want to go out and buy box-fulls of your favorite sweet, then you are, obviously, not a freak (in a good way
bookshelves:
non-fiction,
travel
Read in March, 2005
Reading this certainly makes me feel justified in eating an occasional candy bar. The first few chapters made me crave standard American candy (I bought Reese's Peanut Butter Cups) and the chapter on 5 Star in Vermont let me finally justify trying their $5 candy bars. (Not enough chocolate in the peanut bar. White chocolate may be creamy, but it's tasteless. The caramel bar - excellent caramel, but I would have preferred it in a dark chocolate or with a thicker layer of chocolate.)
Anyway, quit...more
Reading this certainly makes me feel justified in eating an occasional candy bar. The first few chapters made me crave standard American candy (I bought Reese's Peanut Butter Cups) and the chapter on 5 Star in Vermont let me finally justify trying their $5 candy bars. (Not enough chocolate in the peanut bar. White chocolate may be creamy, but it's tasteless. The caramel bar - excellent caramel, but I would have preferred it in a dark chocolate or with a thicker layer of chocolate.)
Anyway, quite entertaining, even if he didn't happen to visit Pearsons - the small candy factory I would like to see. Interesting to take a look at small business in America, and how some of them really do focus on the quality of the product....less
There are definite five-star sections within this book. The author travels around the U.S. to visit a number independent candy manufacturers and tell their stories. These are great parts. It is a real eye-opener to hear that in the early 20th century there were over 6000 American candy companies and now there are only 150 or so. The rise of the "Big Three" of Nestle, Hershey and Mars has made it nearly impossible for any other manufacturers to get their products into stores. Readi...more
There are definite five-star sections within this book. The author travels around the U.S. to visit a number independent candy manufacturers and tell their stories. These are great parts. It is a real eye-opener to hear that in the early 20th century there were over 6000 American candy companies and now there are only 150 or so. The rise of the "Big Three" of Nestle, Hershey and Mars has made it nearly impossible for any other manufacturers to get their products into stores. Reading these parts of the book filled me with an urge to "buy local", as much as that is possible with candy, and support a dying tradition.
My problems with "Candyfreak" are the author's autobiographical interludes. These are straight one-star confessions of how awful his life has been (professor at BYU -- boo-hoo) and how he has used candy to fill other gaps in his life. The level of self-pity in these sections is unbelievable. And if that wouldn't be enough, the author then treads upon the goodwill of several companies he visits by stealing samples and, in one unbelievable passage, pretending he is a representative of one company so that he can get into a food fair illicitly. All of these are presented in a boastful tone! Grow up, Mr. Almond....less
Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
People who enjoy capable food writing
Appropriately slight, this is a quick read from a celebrated modern author that -- while entertaining enough -- doesn't provide much evidence the accolades are justified.
Almond's descriptions of the folks who run the regional small-volume candy factories are mildly interesting, though in no case truly compelling (I found myself incapable of remembering either the names of the people, or the candy they manufacture, afterwards). Furthermore, I found myself annoyed (as opposed to charmed) at Al...more
Appropriately slight, this is a quick read from a celebrated modern author that -- while entertaining enough -- doesn't provide much evidence the accolades are justified.
Almond's descriptions of the folks who run the regional small-volume candy factories are mildly interesting, though in no case truly compelling (I found myself incapable of remembering either the names of the people, or the candy they manufacture, afterwards). Furthermore, I found myself annoyed (as opposed to charmed) at Almond's (over)use of the word "Freak," which somehow seemed the wrong word altogether.
Candyfreak demonstrates how hard it is -- even for a good writer -- to craft and write a documentary book as good as Word Freak, journalist Stefan Fatsis's book about Scrabble obsessives that focuses as much on the game itself as the characters who play it at the very highest levels. Without genuinely compelling characters (those described in Candyfreak are affable but ultimately uninteresting; in Word Freak, many are genuinely crazy) and compelling subject matter (say what you will about Scrabble, but it's complexities are much easier to describe to a neutral audience than the mere love of candy -- after all, who doesn't love candy?), you don't even have a very good GQ feature, much less a "book" proper. Also, (trust me on this) Scrabble obsessives are a lot more "freakish" than candy lovers... and thus are far more deserving of the "Freak" moniker.
The book does feature some pretty evocative food writing, though -- impressive when you consider the limited ingredient list by most candy bars. I think it would be hard to come up with more than one description of, say, marshmallow cream, but Almond dishes up several imaginative ones. Kudos for that....less
Read in June, 2008
This was a birthday present for my husband that I filched from him and read quickly. It is a quick read. Steve Almond teaches writing, and the guy can write. The short description is a gonzo tour of candy manufacturing with an emphasis on local outfits.
I personally wanted to read it because there's a section on the guys behind Goldenberg's Peanut Chews (which I bought in the vending machine in Campbell basement in college). My husband has become a little obsessed with Economy Candy in New Y...more
This was a birthday present for my husband that I filched from him and read quickly. It is a quick read. Steve Almond teaches writing, and the guy can write. The short description is a gonzo tour of candy manufacturing with an emphasis on local outfits.
I personally wanted to read it because there's a section on the guys behind Goldenberg's Peanut Chews (which I bought in the vending machine in Campbell basement in college). My husband has become a little obsessed with Economy Candy in New York. What could go wrong?
Well, Steve Almond takes neurosis to a whole new level. And, uh, candy obsession. I wasn't sure if some of his comments were a writerly tic or if, like some of the plant owners, I should be concerned he was about to dive into somebody's vat of caramel. Uncomfortable. Some plaintive and unexplained asides (the loss of his driver's license before a big trip) made me feel like something bigger was going on that he wasn't talking about, and I did feel sorry for him. But I also felt like this book could've been better and more fun....less
I love candy. When I was a child I always thought that when I grew up and had money, all I would spend it on was toys and candy. Well, I still buy toys & candy, but not in the quantities I'd envisioned at age 6. Anyways, Candyfreak takes you back to that feeling of love and obsession that you had for candy...at least that I had. There are so many ways that I found the author spelling out my candy habits--biting an M&M between my front teeth at the circumference, eating the shells first, ...more
I love candy. When I was a child I always thought that when I grew up and had money, all I would spend it on was toys and candy. Well, I still buy toys & candy, but not in the quantities I'd envisioned at age 6. Anyways, Candyfreak takes you back to that feeling of love and obsession that you had for candy...at least that I had. There are so many ways that I found the author spelling out my candy habits--biting an M&M between my front teeth at the circumference, eating the shells first, then melting the chocolate center against the roof of my mouth. Sitting on Kit Kats at the movie theaters in order to liquify them. Buying the latest new candy combo--at the time of reading, I had the new Kit Kat Caramel Bar hiding in a mug in my cupboard. I haven't tried it yet, because, also at the time of reading, I am on a SUPER restrictive diet due to a reaction to antibiotics, on which I am not allowed to have any sugar, caffeine, alcohol, wheat, yeast...not even any fruit! :( So yes, it was a wee bit torturous reading these detailed, emotional descriptions of a Five Star Candybar (I've been to the website & am planning on ordering a box...apparently it's "The Best Candybar Ever"). But, the author writes along the same lines as David Sedaris, in that he's a freak, and completely honest about it, and he makes you laugh out loud while reading the book alone in your apartment, which I love. The book is also very educational and a bit sad--he reaveals the monopoly that the Big Three (Nestle, Hershey, Mars) have over the marketplace, and you meet a number of independent candy barons, a dying breed. You'll laugh, you'll cry (or maybe just tear up a bit), you'll want to eat a lot of candy. I highly recommend this book!!!...less
Read in March, 2008
What to say about Candy Freak? It's a quick read, for sure; easy prose that doesn't make you think too hard. The subject--the rise and fall and continual fight for survival by small-time candy makers--is inherently interesting, for a couple of reasons.
First, it's a weird and underappreciated history. Today, candy bars are just candy. But back in the day, the candy bar was a widespread, regional and diversified animal. Each area had it's own versions of candy bars, none the same, though all b...more
What to say about Candy Freak? It's a quick read, for sure; easy prose that doesn't make you think too hard. The subject--the rise and fall and continual fight for survival by small-time candy makers--is inherently interesting, for a couple of reasons.
First, it's a weird and underappreciated history. Today, candy bars are just candy. But back in the day, the candy bar was a widespread, regional and diversified animal. Each area had it's own versions of candy bars, none the same, though all basically similar. Bars were handcrafted, tweaked and molded for specific populations.
Second, reading about candy in such an intimate way--Steve Almond not only eats a lot of candy, he thinks a lot about it--throws the reader back to their own habits or memories of candy. The whole book is sort of an extended Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ad, asking how each of us interacts with our favorite candy bars, helping us pause to recollect the nuances of our candy-eating experiences. Turns out, candy--and candy bars in particular--are a very personal experience and they resonate with us in a very strong way.
Which connects to the third point: the changing of our American culture. We've gone from a very diversified culture that prized individuality, creativity and uniqueness to a monoculture that prizes efficiency, replication and profit. We're all about the quick and easy, the familiar that will keep us steadied in a hyper-speed world. Candy helps root us in time and space, reminding us who we are.
Steve Almond, the author, hints at these things and tries to extrapolate them through personal story (and some personal agonizing that I could've done without) and it works well. He’s well aware of his hypocrisy for a product that is built upon the breaking down of people and resources for consumption and profit; he states explicitly that the rest of his politics and feelings as a human cannot support his freak for candy.
Yet, there it is. And I think that says a lot about Americans. We are constantly torn between the innate desire for pleasure--candy--and the moral desire for fairness, reciprocity and justice. What starts, ostensibly, as a book about candy reveals the more complicated issues that underlie so much of modern life; the things we cling to, the bright and shiny packages, the luxurious taste of chocolate and peanut butter, the remembrance of things past, is always tainted by the bitterness of what it costs to give us those things.
Candy, it turns out, has a dark side too.
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bookshelves:
libraryread
Read in August, 2004
Checked out from the library & munched my way through it in a weekend.
If you're looking for a history of candymaking, this isn't the book for you. It's equally a memoir, and a paean to an obsession. Even though I'm not a candy bar aficionado (preferring my chocolate pure & dark), I found this exploration of the author's fascination with candy, complete with visits to regional candy makers very entertaining.
Almond (who comments on the irony of his last name) writes wryly of usin...more
Checked out from the library & munched my way through it in a weekend.
If you're looking for a history of candymaking, this isn't the book for you. It's equally a memoir, and a paean to an obsession. Even though I'm not a candy bar aficionado (preferring my chocolate pure & dark), I found this exploration of the author's fascination with candy, complete with visits to regional candy makers very entertaining.
Almond (who comments on the irony of his last name) writes wryly of using candy as a substitute for the affection he didn't always get from his family. He claims to have eaten a piece of candy every day of his life as far back as he can remember, also confessing to an extensive stash of various sweetmeats; stocking up on limited edition treats such as the transcendent Kit Kat Darks (a wise choice, IMHO).
His travels take him to meet Ray Broekel, perhaps the foremost expert on the history of American candy, writing two books (neither of which sold very well, as they're apparently a bit dull). He visits candy manufacturers in Nashville, Sioux City, Boise and the East Coast, finding fellow candy freaks in the guise of taste engineers and product developers.
His factory tours take on almost an air of pornography, as he describes in great detail the enrobers, starch moguls and other equipment of the trade, extruding and engulfing sweet treasures. Almond never turns down a sample, even if it contains cocoanut - his candy nemesis. He's not too thrilled with marshmallow, either; but the Valomilks of Kansas change his mind.
The writing is lively, self-deprecating, and at times, laugh-out-loud funny. He's occasionally in questionable taste -- the ruler that used to appear on Marathon bars... well... he used it to measure other things.. . If you like David Sedaris and his ilk, I think you'll enjoy Almond's writing as well.
I'd recommended this book to those who make their Halloween candy last til Christmas and have a strict plan for eating M&M's, regardless of what it may be.
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Read in February, 2008
recommends it for:
fans of BIG HUNK! , diabetics-to-be
I like candy. Not just chocolate, but ridiculous sugary goo, like Jolly Ranchers and Big Hunk. Most kids seem to grow out of their candy obsessions, but not me. So I was looking forward to reading this book by Steve Almond, a man whose candy mania dwarfs my own.
Candy Freak has the tone of a really enthusiastic zine, and if viewed as such it comes across better than if you judge it as a professional book. The writing style is gabby and confessional, which means the somewhat interes...more
I like candy. Not just chocolate, but ridiculous sugary goo, like Jolly Ranchers and Big Hunk. Most kids seem to grow out of their candy obsessions, but not me. So I was looking forward to reading this book by Steve Almond, a man whose candy mania dwarfs my own.
Candy Freak has the tone of a really enthusiastic zine, and if viewed as such it comes across better than if you judge it as a professional book. The writing style is gabby and confessional, which means the somewhat interesting tales of chocolate factory visits and obscure candy lore get mixed with not at all interesting crap about Almond's ex-girlfriends, his depression during the 2nd Bush Administration, etc. etc. Enough about you dude, stick to the candy! The personal stuff works if you're a bon vivant like David Sedaris, but here it's just annoying.
In the course of reading this book, I decided that it's deeply embarrassing for a grown man to care this much about candy. That's not really Steve Almond's fault, but it didn't help my enjoyment any.
For your edification, here is a list of candies the author refers to as MWMs (Mistakes Were Made)
Twizzlers
Jujubes
Marshmallow Peeps
Circus Peanuts
Boston Baked Beans
Jordan Almonds
Chuckles
Sixlets
White jelly beans
Lime LifeSavers
Coconut (sic)
White chocolate
...less
bookshelves:
2007,
natural-history
+ An affectionate romp through candy nostalgia, not omitting biting commentary on the politics of big corporations vs. independent manufacturers
- Frequent forced humor
Not the easiest book to read on the treadmill, filled as it is with virtually pornographic paeans to a variety of candies. Motivated by his great love of candy, Almond tours several independent candy companies still hanging on in the U.S. If you like Americana or still bore your friends with tales of a local candy you enjoye...more
+ An affectionate romp through candy nostalgia, not omitting biting commentary on the politics of big corporations vs. independent manufacturers
- Frequent forced humor
Not the easiest book to read on the treadmill, filled as it is with virtually pornographic paeans to a variety of candies. Motivated by his great love of candy, Almond tours several independent candy companies still hanging on in the U.S. If you like Americana or still bore your friends with tales of a local candy you enjoyed in your youth and have never seen again, you'll enjoy this book. Almond's love of candy is endearing and the book is both entertaining and informative.
Almond is at his worst when he strains to be funny rather than trusting that his observations are amusing on their own, or in juxtaposition with his rather pathos-saturated analyses of what sounds like a reasonably average American childhood. I’d rather read a book that simply includes exposition on the author’s various inadequacies and failures without also having to suffer his attempts at wittiness. The Prologue and Chapter 1 particularly suffer from what I can only describe as a failed attempt to emulate Woody Allen. Don't let this dissuade you from plowing onward to the rest of the book, which is considerably less self-conscious.
The most critical observation I have to make about Candyfreak is that Almond's nostalgia for the golden age of American candy is paired with his contempt for today's analogue of the family-owned candy company of yore: The small organic, gourmet, or specialty candy manufacturer. Though he uses a candy-sampling vocabulary that would do a wine snob proud, Almond presents himself as a proletarian kind of guy who wants nothing to do with the bourgeois piggery of new small candy concerns, and prefers instead to bemoan the crushing of the old candy companies by the Big Three large candy corporations. Yet confusingly he praises and appreciates Lake Champlain Chocolates. Other reviewers have criticized him for his self-disclosures and personal narrative in this book; I'd have liked to hear more, particularly about this seeming paradox, which I can only understand as a conflict between his image of himself and self-conscious image management versus how he actually behaves in the here-and-now. It reminds me of people who enjoy a local microbrew but want to complain about how much it costs; how stupid everyone is to drink it; and how when they were a teen "local beer" meant Ortlieb's, which by god cost $5 a case and wasn't any good, but still evokes one's callow youth. (Note: Not that I know anything about "Joe's beer.") I don't mean to suggest by this comment that Almond's book isn't fun to read, but that there's an inherent schism between what he wants and what he chooses to do. If candy is about the little guy, Almond should visit the little guys who have figured out the niche market for specialty candies; if it's about nostalgia, he should own this as his personal, Proust-like odyssey. The book would be better for it.
Note to Algonquin Books: It's really obvious when you spell agar agar both correctly and as "ager ager" several times in two pages. For a modest fee, I'll correct your proofs.
Note to the author: You consistently eat a great deal of candy, don't gain weight from this, and describe hypoglycemic reactions. Get your blood sugar checked now and then, Steve. I'm not a doctor but you sound like somebody at risk of developing adult-onset Type I diabetes....less
Read in September, 2006
recommends it for:
those looking for a laugh or those who can't get enough chocolate into their diets.
I am most likely a sucker for this kind of memoir (see Word Freak for further confirmation) but I gobbled up Candy Freak faster than the basket of candy that accompanied it in the package a great pal presented to me as a birthday gift. Perfect for those who buy obscure candy bars simply because they haven't tasted them before and can't help but linger before candy displays wondering why chocolate's restorative powers aren't considered great enough to render it a reputable health food in the eye...more
I am most likely a sucker for this kind of memoir (see Word Freak for further confirmation) but I gobbled up Candy Freak faster than the basket of candy that accompanied it in the package a great pal presented to me as a birthday gift. Perfect for those who buy obscure candy bars simply because they haven't tasted them before and can't help but linger before candy displays wondering why chocolate's restorative powers aren't considered great enough to render it a reputable health food in the eyes of dieticians, Almond's story blends his own lifelong love affair with candy bars with the lesser-known history of America's last remaining mom-and-pop candy companies. Personally, I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book and discovered some new tasty treats as well. I recommend that those interested in reading this book seek out some of the candies discussed in the book (Peanut Chews, Idaho Spud, Valomilk, Five Star Bars, and the once exceedingly popular Sky Bar, to name only a few) to turn the read into an even more sensational experience....less
bookshelves:
food,
nonfiction,
own-currently
Read in December, 2007
I learned a lot from this book about the candy industry and how the Big Three (Mars, Hershey and Nestle) are pushing smaller, regional companies out of business -- and may succeed entirely if they start a price war. I also learned about some candy bars I really want to try.
My beef with Steve Almond, which applies to this book and to (Not That You Asked), is that he will suddenly switch from an interesting and funny, sometim...more
I learned a lot from this book about the candy industry and how the Big Three (Mars, Hershey and Nestle) are pushing smaller, regional companies out of business -- and may succeed entirely if they start a price war. I also learned about some candy bars I really want to try.
My beef with Steve Almond, which applies to this book and to (Not That You Asked), is that he will suddenly switch from an interesting and funny, sometimes serious journalistic style to ranting about his miserable childhood and/or how depressed he feels. This is jarring and does not, at least for me, add to the point. The other thing he does is throw out weird, again jarring, references to sex or just obscenities that dont' fit in the context of what should be a solid essay. It's like he can't refrain from showing the perverted side of his humor, but he really really ought to....less
book data (includes all editions)
avg rating
(all editions):
3.91 (979 ratings)
avg rating
(this edition): 3.88
(32 ratings)
number of reviews: 233
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Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America (Paperback)
isbn: 0156032937
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Candyfreak : A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America (an Alex Awards winner) (Alex Awards (Awards))
isbn: 1565124219
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Candy Freak (Large Print)
isbn: 1419304933
