Sweet as Sin: The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Became America's Favorite Pleasure

""Who knew candy was so closely interwoven with the very fabric of American culture? Sweet as Sin takes us on a stirring journey through the evolution of confections, from the early innovations of the Native Americans to the industrialized candy craze of the twentieth century. Infused with wit and candor, the writing explores the intriguing backstory of our guiltiest pleasure and the extraordinary relationship between candy and American history." --Tucia Lyman, television director, and executive producer for historic recreations "Here's what is so fantastic about Sweet as Sin: you think you're just going to be reading about the history of candy, but intertwined you find so many untold stories of the history of America. Sweet as Sin is filled with exciting stories of slavery, spies, inventors, and men and women who helped shape and define America in their quest to succeed; and how glad are we that they did? Thanks to them we have delicious, heavenly sweet candy, in every size, shape, color, and flavor! Sweet as Sin will be the 'candy bible' in my museum stores. Thank you, Susan Benjamin, for making my job so much fun!" --Michele Schulz, visitor services manager, Days of '76 Museum "Susan Benjamin has delivered a witty and charming account of candy's rise to sweetheart status in American society. Shifting between personal anecdotes and big-picture narrative, Sweet as Sin provides an engaging blend of micro- and macro-history. This book claims to be a history of candy, but actually delivers more than it promises, serving up healthy doses of social, cultural, and environmental history along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I appreciated the author's efforts to preserve both the history of candy and the memories she and so many other Americans associate with confections." --Dr. Keith Alexander, assistant professor of history, Shepherd University "Sweet as Sin is a delightfully delicious look at the history of candy. It is a wonderful journey from start to finish and is filled with intriguing facts, pictures, and anecdotes. This is a must-read for anyone with a sweet tooth!" --Jonathan Clough, director of marketing, SWEET! Hollywood "Superbly sweet! Benjamin brings her passion and love for all things sweet and delivers a meticulous account of how candy became a powerful force in our early and modern societies. Every candy connoisseur can revisit the sweets of their youth in detail." --Steve Weiss, competitive chef and sugar artist on Food Network and director, Blue Ridge Community and Technical College culinary program "Who knew that a book on candy could contain so much fascinating history? Susan Benjamin's wonderfully written chronicle of America's love affair with candy is edifying, entertaining, and delicious!" --Susan Erony, independent scholar of art history