Book Review: Chocolate: The Consuming Passion by Sandra Boynton

When people discover the extent of my chocolate infatuation and connect that with my love for writing/reading, they are bound to eventually suggest, “Write about chocolate!” My immediate reaction is always, “How?” My creative ability doesn’t extend to thinking up an entertaining manuscript entirely about a single consumable product. I just really enjoy eating it. That’s about it. Can’t write a manuscript based on that, can I?

Enter Sandra Boynton.

Ah, here you are. You didn’t have the same problem, did you Ms. Boynton? You somehow managed to write a delightfully funny, entirely charming, suspiciously educational, genuinely entertaining book all about the consuming passion for chocolate. It’s rather annoying, really. 

And impressive. I’m impressed. 

Did I mention how amusing the book is? I mean, who knew that statistics could be quite so diverting? Numbers don’t necessarily remain in my memory, but this one is simply so relevant: “fourteen out of any ten individuals like chocolate.” I know from experience that the sources are impeccable.  vb

Oh, and when speaking about white chocolate, I am entirely on the same page with you. Page 25, to be exact [pictured below]. Our “confidently bland” white chocolate lovers may feel slightly attacked, but it would be a lie to say I didn’t laugh out loud or the page didn’t speak to me on a very personal level. I hope you don’t think it presumptuous of me, but I have to ask, Are you Shakespeare? Because your subtle barbs are liable to prick someone.        

Boynton exits. (running)