Buy new:
-20% $18.30
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$18.30 with 20 percent savings
List Price: $22.95

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 19 hrs 44 mins
In Stock
$$18.30 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$18.30
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$15.72
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Clean, crisp pages with no writing or highlighting. Copy may have had light use and/or slight shelf wear. Free shipping directly from Amazon Prime with hassle-free returns means your satisfaction guaranteed. Clean, crisp pages with no writing or highlighting. Copy may have had light use and/or slight shelf wear. Free shipping directly from Amazon Prime with hassle-free returns means your satisfaction guaranteed. See less
FREE delivery Wednesday, May 15 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 19 hrs 44 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$18.30 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$18.30
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

Michael D. Coe
+ Follow
Sophie D. Coe
+ Follow
See all
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The True History of Chocolate: Third Edition Paperback – June 28, 2013

by Sophie D. Coe (Author), Michael D. Coe (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 285 ratings
See all formats and editions

There is a newer edition of this item:

The True History of Chocolate (New ed) /anglais
The True History of Chocolate (New ed) /anglais
$11.42
(285)
In stock
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$18.30","priceAmount":18.30,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"18","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"30","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"IgDTWsDa5%2Bl7kQq2ZM1NePfE8%2BHUKeSnh4%2FDyKuyR5WyN1Fhr2GccWuzXZCiz2g47mheJYvuOy7TX0XdTonJ4f2I9j3SwgM5NCjwa2VQzv40dkM%2BhyYX%2F6rRWuTdcNSE%2FYPrRrFux9C%2F%2FtvzWU86Tw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$15.72","priceAmount":15.72,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"72","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"IgDTWsDa5%2Bl7kQq2ZM1NePfE8%2BHUKeSnbSXVAJMnZEZcl2miKiljWjQNXt6%2Ff%2FN3e7Mc40PB7G5cnCsG7dax9VNNmJSIE98umSHLmdYmUhWeVuduZlykhUrUx9ZcsFXT8TfMU9XD6xdJCB1V%2Bpai9%2BEuSLq5TLzJmv8H4UYAg7TtcHpqTJvxlA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

“A beautifully written . . . and illustrated history of the Food of the Gods, from the Olmecs to present-day developments.”―Chocolatier

This delightful tale of one of the world’s favorite foods draws on botany, archaeology, and culinary history to present a complete and accurate history of chocolate.

It begins some 4,000 years ago in the jungles of Mexico and Central America with the chocolate tree, Theobroma Cacao, and the complex processes necessary to transform its bitter seeds into what is now known as chocolate. This was centuries before chocolate was consumed in generally unsweetened liquid form and used as currency by the Maya and the Aztecs after them. The Spanish conquest of Central America introduced chocolate to Europe, where it first became the drink of kings and aristocrats and then was popularized in coffeehouses. Industrialization in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries made chocolate available to all, and now, in our own time, it has become once again a luxury item.

The third edition includes new photographs and revisions throughout that reflect the latest scholarship. A new final chapter on a Guatemalan chocolate producer, located within the Pacific coastal area where chocolate was first invented, brings the volume up-to-date.

97 illustrations, 13 in color
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    280 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Thames & Hudson
  4. Publication date
    June 28, 2013
  5. Dimensions
    6.2 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0500290687
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0500290682
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

The True History of Chocolate: Third Edition
$18.30
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History
$15.04
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Cocoa (Resources)
$19.95
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
Only 14 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sophie D. Coe was an anthropologist and food historian. Her book America's First Cuisines was published in 1994 to universal acclaim.

Michael D. Coe (1929– 2019) was Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Yale University and Curator Emeritus for the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University. His books include The Maya, Mexico, and Breaking the Maya Code.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thames & Hudson; 3rd edition (June 28, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0500290687
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0500290682
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.23 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.2 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 285 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Michael D. Coe

    Michael D. Coe

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Yale University, Michael D. Coe is a specialist in the comparative study of ancient, tropical forest civilizations. Coe's books include The Maya, Mexico, The True History of Chocolate, Breaking the Maya Code, Reading the Maya Glyphs, and Angkor and the Khmer Civilization.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Sophie D. Coe

    Sophie D. Coe

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
285 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
From the earliest days of the Maya to modern-day mass production, this book combines anthropological studies, etymology, and historical sourcing to produce a truly fascinating study on that wonderful stuff we’re all addicted to. A must-read!
Helpful
 Report
Daniel Morgan
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and Well-Researched; and most of all, Fun!
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is such a thorough book about cacao from its origins to about 1900. Written by two anthropologists, I appreciate how thoroughly the authors recognize diverse history of cacao. Rather than treating this as a Whig history of stages, the authors continually return to Mesoamerica (to which they dedicate the first half of the book) as well as the role of actors around the world - France and Siam, Philippines and Ghana, Switzerland and Brazil. Best of all, this is a popular book written by academics, meaning that the language is clear and the facts are backed up by actual research. This was an amazing book and I would highly recommend it to anyone remotely intrigued by the title.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
mickey
4.0 out of 5 stars Only four stars because of the printing.
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Ok, I got the "compact" edition... Thames & Hudson is a venerable and respectable publishing house; I have many of their books, mostly art and artists. My complaint is that, while the color plates are great, the black &white illustrations are blurry and often show moire patterns. I'll refrain from going into the technical details, but as a retired photolithographer, I know how to fix this. T & H should know better.

Now, regarding the subject matter, the Coe's work is impeccable. I have "Mexico" , older edition, "The Maya", and "Reading the Maya Glyphs". I plan to collect them all.
Helpful
 Report
Briana la Fea
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for History Lovers
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
Verified Purchase
Easy read detailing the history of chocolate. If that kind of thing interests you, this book is worth the time.
Helpful
 Report
hman
3.0 out of 5 stars A good history, though frequently boring
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
Like many histories, _The True History of Chocolate_ is a pretty boring recitation of who screwed who out of what in what year.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that the solid form of chocolate we’re now familiar with was developed, and the history gets interesting after page 238 in the book. All consumption of “chocolate” until then was in the form of a cocoa-like drink, as originated in Mesoamerica, which swept Europe once the Spanish (and others) started importing cocoa beans.

Interspersed throughout the recitation of history are innumerable articles and essays based on the contemporary medical theory/quackery of “the balancing of humors.” Various of these artcles posit that chocolate is “hot” or “cold” in this context … in excruciating detail. Several of them also debate the subject of whether or not chocolate was to be considered an aphrodisiac (another contemporary idea).

Nevertheless, I’m glad I bought this book. Despite its many boring aspects, it is of interest overall.
Helpful
 Report
Karen B
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply amazing read.
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
A fascinating and fact-filled account of the history of chocolate from its Mayan origins to its reception in Europe during the early 1500s, the changing nature of its production and marketing to the present day and the major players in this - religiously, socially and culturally. This is such an engaging and interesting read. Filled with information about early Meso-America and an unflinching portrait of the Conquistadors and their role in the later dissemination of chocolate, never mind the cultural atrocities perpetrated on the people they encountered in South America, the book then travels to Europe and the reader learns of the role this rich and heady drink played among first, the cultural elite, before finding its way to the stomachs and hearts of the masses. The role of slavery is touched upon and my only critique is I would have liked to read more on this. Otherwise, this book is the seminal book on the history of the product we've come to know and mostly, love devouring.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Star
5.0 out of 5 stars good book on chocolate history - will make you hungry
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
Fascinating topic. Everything from the origins of the plant to the modern day chocolate scions is covered - though notably with more of a focus on the early history (Aztec and Spanish). I'm not sure what else to say. If you like chocolate, you'll probably find this book interesting. The writing is very academic and detailed, which I don't mind, but others might. Some topics are repeated unnecessarily, but in general, I thought it was fine enough. (Although, now I really want to try that old frothy chocolate, and I don't know where they make that :( )
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
m2aestro
4.0 out of 5 stars Review Last Edition of The True History of Chocolate
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2011
Verified Purchase
This is a thoughtfully written account of the better-researched history of chocolate. It has been updated in a new edition. I bought the older edition because I'm cheap, and was replacing a book I had lost. If you are interested in linguistics, as I am, you can use work cited in this book to locate new research papers and stay current on this subject.
You can find information that dispels some of the bogus lore floating about on the Web about chocolate. There is much.
I'd like to see somebody write a chapter on the various species of flowers that the Aztecs used to flavor chocolate; I have forgotten two of them, and only see vanilla noted in most people's writing on the subject. Incidentally, there are multiple species of Vanilla in the chocolate homelands, with one set of four species still existing in some old plantations in the Yucatan of Mexico, and a different set of four, with overlap, existing in some old plantations in Guatemala. The various flowers to not impart the same aromas and flavors! Vanilla planifolia is merely the dominant flavor source for most commercially farmed vanilla, and provided the chemical reference for the synthetic vanillas. However, the genetic background on Tahitian Vanilla indicates a hybrid, and I'm not certain that the source for the second parent that is not V. planifolia is a settled subject.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Cristina Bojorquez
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book
Reviewed in Mexico on April 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
The True History of Chocolate is a journey that takes you throughout the history of one of the world's most ubiquitous and influential foods. From the ancient Mayans and Aztecs to the courts of Eurpean kings and the mass production of what we know today as chocolate.
Report
ana ferreira
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Spain on January 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Excellent research and a perfect and exciting explanation.
Report
Caio
5.0 out of 5 stars Muito bom!
Reviewed in Brazil on July 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
Além de aprender sobre diversos aspectos do chocolate, esta obra proporciona um tour pela História Geral.
Report
Natalia Sokolova
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book to read
Reviewed in Canada on October 29, 2018
Verified Purchase
Interesting non-fiction history of chocolate that is written like adventure story. It has a lot of material uncovered and interesting facts to learn about cacao.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars An exceptionally good read, both for those interested in history as well as chocolate.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 24, 2019
Verified Purchase
I found this book fascinating. It carried me effortlessly from 3000 BC through to the present day, charting the journey from the wild cacao groves of Central America to the commercial product we can all enjoy.
2 people found this helpful
 Report