Chocolate Wars

One of the most controversial YA novels of all time, The Chocolate War is a modern masterpiece that speaks to fans of S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders and John Knowles’s A Separate Peace. After suffering rejection from seven major publishers, The Chocolate War made its debut in 1974, and quickly became a bestselling—and provocative—classic for young adults. This chilling portrait of an all-boys prep school casts an unflinching eye on the pitfalls of conformity and corruption in our most elite cultural institutions. “Masterfully structured and rich in theme; the action is well crafted, well timed, suspenseful.”—The New York Times Book Review “The characterizations of all the boys are superb.”—School Library Journal, starred review “Compellingly immediate. . . . Readers will respect the uncompromising ending.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review An ALA Best Book for Young Adults A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Editor’s Choice A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year

The extraordinary and dramatic story of the chocolate pioneers—as told by one of the descendants of the Cadbury dynasty—ending with Kraft’s recent takeover of the empire. With a cast of characters straight from a Victorian novel, Chocolate Wars tells the story of the great chocolatier dynasties—the Lindts, Frys, Hersheys, Marses and Nestlés—through the prism of the Cadburys. Chocolate was consumed unrefined and unprocessed as a rather bitter, fatty drink for the wealthy elite until the late 19th century, when the Swiss discovered a way to blend it with milk and unleashed a product that would storm every market in the world. Thereafter, one of the great global business rivalries unfolded as each chocolate maker attempted to dominate its domestic market and innovate recipes for chocolate that would set it apart from its rivals. The contest was full of dramatic contradictions: the Cadburys were austere Quakers who found themselves making millions from an indulgent product; Kitty Hershey could hardly have been more flamboyant, yet her husband was moved by the Cadburys’ tradition of philanthropy. Each company was a product of its unique time and place, yet all of them shared one thing: they want to make the best chocolate in the world. Chocolate Wars divulges the visions and ideals that inspired these royal chocolate families and, above all, the mouth-watering chocolate concoctions they created that have driven a global transformation of one of our favourite treats. And with the recent purchase of Cadbury’s by mega–food manufacturer Kraft, the story is brought rapidly into the present.

The school year is almost at an end, and the chocolate sale is ancient history. But no one at Trinity School can forget the Chocolate War. Devious Archie Costello, commander of the secret school organization called the Vigils, still has some torturous assignments to hand out before he graduates. In spite of this pleasure, Archie is troubled that his right-hand man, Obie, has started to move away from the Vigils. Luckily Archie knows his stooges will fix that. But Obie has some plans of his own.

"Robert Cormier's brilliant novel The Chocolate War is a compelling coming-of-age story about young people in conflict at a New England prep school. The richly drawn characterizations and crackling dialogue keep the intriguing action moving from beginning to end. As dramatized by Joseph Robinette, all the elements of the book are brought vividly to life--the humor, drama, despair and hope ultimately lead to an ending that is as satisfying as it is surprising. Though a number of the roles are students at the prep school (male), an ensemble of 5 to 10 actors who voice the inner thoughts of the characters and comment on the proceedings throughout may be played by male or female or any combination thereof, thus making for a well-balanced cast, if desired."--Publisher's website

Deborah Cadbury takes a journey into her own family history to uncover the rivalries that have driven 250 years of chocolate empire-building.

This Christmas, a childhood promise comes calling… Clementine Hardy always wanted to be a librarian in her Marietta hometown. But at thirty, she fears she’s become too predictable—so she quits, books a European vacation, and accepts a research job in New York. Then on her birthday, a hunky piece of her past arrives, drops to bended knee, and proposes in front of half the town. Bad boy celebrity chef Jude Barlow is done with the bright lights and late nights. He sells his Manhattan restaurant and volunteers in Africa to clear his head. A year later, he’s a new man with a new goal: find the girl from summer camp—the most practical woman he knows—and collect on the pinky promise they made when they were twelve. Clem won’t marry a guy she hasn’t seen in nearly two decades, no matter how attractive or how talented he is in and out of her kitchen. But why does he have to look more delicious than the chocolate creations he concocts for the Graff Hotel? More delicious than anything in New York?

A Dark History of Chocolate looks at our long relationship with this ancient ‘food of the Gods’. The book examines the impact of the cocoa bean trade on the economies of Britain and the rest of Europe, as well as its influence on health, cultural and social trends over the centuries. Renowned food historian Emma Kay takes a look behind the façade of chocolate – first as a hot drink and then as a sweet – delving into the murky and mysterious aspects of its phenomenal global growth, from a much-prized hot beverage in pre-Colombian Central America to becoming an integral part of the cultural fabric of modern life. From the seductive corridors of Versailles, serial killers, witchcraft, medicine and war to its manufacturers, the street sellers, criminal gangs, explorers and the arts, chocolate has played a significant role in some of the world’s deadliest and gruesome histories. If you thought chocolate was all Easter bunnies, romance and gratuity, then you only know half the story. This most ancient of foods has a heritage rooted in exploitation, temptation and mystery. With the power to be both life-giving and ruinous.

The first book to penetrate the secret and cut-throat world of chocolate. After ten years of research, Washington Post reporter Joel Glenn Brenner takes us inside a world as mysterious as Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, where industrial spies jockey for inside information as paranoid executives fight an all-out war for market share. Forrest Mars was one of the most private and successful entrepreneurs in America. An autocrat, with brilliant - if sometimes unconventional - management strategies, he built one of the world's most innovative companies - a $10 billion a year empire, shrouded in secrecy. The day after he died of natural causes a Mars spokesperson refused even to admit that the founder had worked for the firm. Milton Hershey was a dreamer who wanted to create not just a company but an industrial paradise. After making an immense fortune his company is now controlled by a charitable trust whose profits fund the wealthiest orphanage in the world. Never before has so much been revealed about the chocolate industry. This authoritative and eye-opening account is the best type of business narrative - a revealing, engrossing and unforgettable read. *An engrossing portrait of two of the world's wealthiest companies, both founded by men dedicated to their very different, though equally eccentric, personal visions. A fascinating insight into what began as a fraternity of family-owned businesses and has now grown into a multi-billion dollar industry dominated by cut-throat wheeler-dealing. Joel Glenn Brenner's Mars cover story for Washington Post Magazine won three prizes.