Review by Choice Review
The botanical genus Citrus includes limes, lemons, oranges, and countless additional species, varieties, and hybrids. While many of these fruits would be commonly recognized, others are wild, rare, historical, or strongly regional products that reflect the people and cultures that shaped and cultivated them through time. The history of Citrus is deeply intertwined with the history of human exploration, colonization, and trade. Mabberley (emer. fellow, Univ. of Oxford, England) traces the natural and cultural history of Citrus from its ancient origins through classical history and art to the modern era. The text contains extensive and beautiful color illustrations that display the breadth of fruit shapes and forms, demonstrate the symbolism and import of Citrus in art, and include modern photographs and advertisements. The story of Citrus spans the globe and stretches from ancient to modern times. Researchers and students studying Citrus biology, agriculture, or conservation, as well as students of history or art, will likely find this book valuable and an exemplary treatise. The general reader will likely enjoy this book as a standalone text or for its many beautiful full-page illustrations. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students, faculty, professionals, and general readers. --Anna L. Jacobsen, California State University, Bakersfield
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Celebrated botanist Mabberley (Mabberley's Plant-Book, 2017) delves into the history of fruits too often taken for granted in the modern world. The first historically recorded citrus fruit is the citron, the use of which in ancient religious rituals evolved into its appearance as candied rind in hot cross buns and fruitcake. Citrus fruits found in markets today are products of centuries of hybridization that tend to produce sweeter fruits. Many citrus fruits became popular for their concentration of vitamin C. First used to cure scurvy in sailors, limes became synonymous with British seafarers--"limeys." That glass of orange juice now ubiquitous at breakfast didn't become so till after the Spanish flu epidemic of the early twentieth century. Raising citrus crops has become a big revenue generator in Israel, California, and Florida. But intensive cultivation of citrus trees can lead to economic volatility due to the the vagaries of weather and infestations that can savage crops. Mabberley's scientific text is almost overshadowed by a wealth of color illustrations and photographs that also make this volume a sumptuous trove of art.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Botanist Mabberley (emeritus, Univ. of Oxford; The Peter Crossing Collection) has a treat for readers who've ever wondered about the origins of the oranges they've eaten, the limes they used for drinks, or the lemons they squeezed on their fish. In five chapters, readers get a sweeping history of citrus. The book's coverage spans from the ancient world through the Middle Ages, when citrus was used in herbal medicines, into an explanation about the importance of vitamin C, and data that indicates the rise in popularity of all citrus fruits in contemporary times. Readers also learn about different types of citrus and even criminal activity regulating the citrus industry and trade. VERDICT This highly recommended resource provides an eye-opening account of a major part of many readers' daily diets. Foodies and food historians will appreciate Mabberley's expert explanation of how citrus became so widely loved around the world. The sumptuous artwork is a feast for the eyes as well.--Jacqueline Parascandola
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