Includes bibliographical references (pages 266-271) and index.

Tasty, lethal, hallucinogenic, and medicinal--fruits have led nations into wars, fueled dictatorships, and even lured us into new worlds. Adam Leith Gollner weaves business, science, and travel into a narrative about one of earth's most desired foods. Readers will discover why, though countless exotic fruits exist in nature, only several dozen varieties are available in supermarkets. Gollner explores the political machinations of multinational fruit corporations, exposing the hidden alliances between agribusiness and government and what that means for public health. He traces the life of mass-produced fruits--how they are created, grown, and marketed--and he explores the underworld of fruits that are inaccessible, ignored, and even forbidden in the Western world. Peopled with a varied and bizarre cast of characters--from smugglers to explorers to inventors--this book unveils the hidden universe of fruit.--From publisher description.

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