1. Candy Freak – Steve Almond

I’ve come to love Steve Almond from his role as co-host of the Dear Sugars Podcast with Cheryl Strayed. In fact, he is the original Sugar. I set out to read his work, and was thrilled to discover he’d written a book about candy, so that’s where I started.

This is a super fun, interesting look at a few of the last remaining family owned candy making businesses in the United States.

“Every now and then, I’ll run into someone who claims not to like chocolate, and while we live in a country where everyone has the right to eat what they want, I want to say for the record that I don’t trust these people, that I think something is wrong with them, and that they’re probably – and this must be said – total duds in bed.” – Steve Almond

2. The Emperors of Chocolate – Joel Glenn Brenner

This book is referenced in the one above, and I haven’t gotten to it yet. Apparently the author is the first person to ever gain access to the highly secretive companies of Hershey and Mars. This is the history of the business of chocolate.

3. Candy & Me: A Love Story – Hilary Liftin

I read this many years ago and have gone back to it again and again. Liftin chronicles her life through candy memories and milestones.

4. Chocolat – Joanne Harris

This lovely novel tells the story of a straitlaced village’s awakening to joy and sensuality, after the arrival of a new citizen who opens a chocolate shop. Almost every page holds a wonderful mouthwatering description of chocolate!

5. Charlie & The Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl

My list wouldn’t be complete without this classic. The story of poor Charlie Bucket, who finds a winning Golden Ticket for a tour of Wonka’s Chocolate factory. It’s ultimately an inspiring story, full of zany characters and yummy candy descriptions.

6. The Sugar Queen – Sarah Addison Allen

I have thoroughly enjoyed the author’s other novels, although I haven’t gotten to this particular one yet. Her stories are magical and romantic, all with a vivid southern setting. Here we have Josey, who lives with her mother and hoards sugary treats in her closet. One night she finds Della Lee Baker hiding among the hidden treats. She’s a local waitress who is Josey’s nemesis but also partly fairy godmother. It’s a novel about friendship, love, and hope for the future.

7. True Confections – Katharine Weber

Alice marries into a family whose business is Zip’s chocolate candy. In this novel, she tells us the saga of the family-owned-and-operated candy company, now in crisis.

8. Sweet Tooth: The Bittersweet History of Candy – Kate Hopkins

Here we have a cultural history of candy, exploring how it evolved from medicinal uses and being a luxury, to today’s candy bar treats. Kate Hopkins travels through Europe and the United States while providing us with both a personal account of her obsession with candy, and a thorough explorations into its history and development.