Dan Koeppel

Presents a history of the banana that describes its role in the development of Central American nations and international business, the diseases that threaten its survival, and the hobbies and traditions inspired by the fruit.

The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World

Banana

From its early beginnings in Southeast Asia, to the machinations of the United Fruit Company in Costa Rica and Central America, the banana's history and its fate as a victim of fungus are explored.

the fate of the fruit that changed the world

A. D. Knapp

I have a soft spot for single subject books, and I liked this one as well. 

As someone who eats bananas every day, this book was unexpectedly scary. Bananas on the endangered species list? Say it ain't so. The author ended on an optimistic note, but I have a hard time sharing that optimism. Evolution has simply caught up to a plant that's been frozen in time for hundreds of years. Genetic modification may be the only thing that can save the banana, but we have such a negative perception of such crops (even though those concerns apply less to the sterile banana than to crops that propagate sexually) that we may not get the problem solved before the Cavendish goes the way of the Gros Micheal.

Recommended for people who enjoy single subject books or people who really like bananas.

Anna Pinto

I loved the subject matter but didn't really love how the writer approached it. Still, I was able to pick up some interesting information about this familiar fruit. Also, I was a little bothered about how it seems the book considers Genesis to be part of History, even including it in the timeline at the end...Weird. And for the record: Brazilian bananas are the best ;)

Banana The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World

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