Spice: Summary and book reviews of Spice by Jack Turner, plus links to an excerpt from Spice and a biography of Jack Turner.

A brilliant, original history of the spice trade—and the appetites that fueled it. It was in search of the fabled Spice Islands and their cloves that Magellan charted the first circumnavigation of the globe. Vasco da Gama sailed the dangerous waters around Africa to India on a quest for Christians—and spices. Columbus sought gold and pepper but found the New World. By the time these fifteenth- and sixteenth-century explorers set sail, the aromas of these savory, seductive seeds and powders had tempted the palates and imaginations of Europe for centuries. Spice: The History of a Temptation is a history of the spice trade told not in the conventional narrative of politics and economics, nor of conquest and colonization, but through the intimate human impulses that inspired and drove it. Here is an exploration of the centuries-old desire for spice in food, in medicine, in magic, in religion, and in sex—and of the allure of forbidden fruit lingering in the scents of cinnamon, pepper, ginger, nutmeg, mace, and clove. We follow spices back through time, through history, myth, archaeology, and literature. We see spices in all their diversity, lauded as love potions and aphrodisiacs, as panaceas and defenses against the plague. We journey from religious rituals in which spices were employed to dispel demons and summon gods to prodigies of gluttony both fantastical and real. We see spices as a luxury for a medieval king’s ostentation, as a mummy’s deodorant, as the last word in haute cuisine. Through examining the temptations of spice we follow in the trails of the spice seekers leading from the deserts of ancient Syria to thrill-seekers on the Internet. We discover how spice became one of the first and most enduring links between Asia and Europe. We see in the pepper we use so casually the relic of a tradition linking us to the appetites of Rome, Elizabethan England, and the pharaohs. And we capture the pleasure of spice not only at the table but in every part of life. Spice is a delight to be savored.

BookBrowse

Welcome to the glamorous and romantic world of spice. Turner's history is arranged thematically with essays exploring different aspects, such as exploration, love, romance and religion. Although he consciously avoids using sweeping statements such as 'changed the world', he explains that the search for spices sparked a whole complex of activities we have come to take for granted, but which were anything but inevitable.  (Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).

Full Review (228 words).

Media Reviews

San Francisco Chronicle Turner impressively weaves a tremendous amount of information into a cohesive, pointed narrative…His study of spice illuminates modes of social behavior that are as prevalent now as they were centuries ago, reflecting humanity's timeless tendency toward stratification, fantasy and greed.   The New York Times - Michiko Kakutani In this, his first book, Mr. Turner not only gives the reader a wonderfully vivid history of the quest for spices and the lucrative spice trade, but he also provides some intriguing insights into why spices once exerted such a hold over the human imagination -- and how they catalyzed the Age of Discovery.... a culinary history and a delightful read.   The New Yorker Turner arranges his history of spices thematically, in a series of lively essays on their role in different aspects of human endeavor, such as exploration (Columbus was looking for cinnamon when he discovered America) and love (a fifteenth-century tract prescribes an ointment of honey and ginger for Increasing the Dimension of Small Members and Making Them Splendid).   Christian Science Monitor Turner combines erudition with a breezy style, and some wonderful touches of humor. Spice is history that hits home.   Washington Post - Sidney W Mintz Turner's history is chronological only for particular places; each definitive episode mostly stands on its own. Turner aims to tease out the more important continuities of spices' past and follow them down through time. Hence readers must be prepared to move from the spread of Islam after the death of Mohammed -- which cut Europe off from the clove islands for a time -- back to the peppercorns discovered in the nose of the mummy of Ramses II. In principle there is no reason why this serial presentation -- selected anecdotes about spices as flavorings, as medicines, as embalming agents, as magical agents and so on -- should not serve the reader well. And this is entertaining, for a while. Yet because of it, the book takes on something of the quality of a trip to the zoo, where one moves from the aviary to the monkey cage, with each case standing on its own.   San Jose Mercury News A nifty grab bag of a book. Entertaining and informative.   Orlando Sentinel Based on research that is broad and deep, Turner succeeds remarkably well in capturing the evanescent attractions of spice.   New York Times In his fascinating new book…Jack Turner not only gives the reader a wonderfully vivid history of the quest for spices and the lucrative spice trade, but he also provides some intriguing insights into why spices once exerted such a hold over the human imagination -- and how they catalyzed the Age of Discovery.   Los Angeles Times Jack Turner handles his subject with discernment and confidence, his style appropriately brisk and animated…Impressive and reassuring is his combination of sympathetic understanding and toughminded rationalism. Although he never condescends to the past, neither does he ever blur the line that separates fascinating lore from the objective truths of science.   Publishers Weekly .....His account of religious uses, on the other hand, paints a richer picture and gets closer to imagining the mystery that people found in these startlingly intense flavors and fragrances. It is this mystery and the idea that sensations themselves have a history that make the entire book fascinating.   Kirkus Reviews A wide-ranging, learned treat for epicures and cultural historians from - let us say it first - a man for all seasonings.   Booklist - Mark Knoblauch Turner displays erudition without pretension in compelling prose; the result is a highly readable account of the oft-reported quest for spices.   Library Journal - Dale Farris Exhaustively researched and amply footnoted, Turner's title nicely updates J.W. Purseglove's Spices, fleshes out Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz's The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices, and Flavorings, and provides more details about the intriguing story of spice than Andrew Dalby's Dangerous Tastes. Highly recommended. Philip Ziegler Jack Turner possesses the two ingredients most essential for the great historian–scholarly detachment allied to a passionate obsession with his subject. He also writes uncommonly well. A splendid book. Peter Mayle A fascinating and scholarly book that can help you improve both your cooking and your sex life. An excellent piece of work.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by Johnpslater
A thorough encyclopedia of spice. Many interesting stories and facts. Best read over a period as a reference book...a little hard going as a continuous read.

Rated of 5 by Julianna
This first book by Turner is very entertaining and well written. It contains many bits of information which are entirely new to me. I appreciated all of the literary references made in the book.
I am looking forward to further books by this...   Read More

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