Seeds of Change

One of the most important events in human history was the Columbus landing in the New World in 1492. One of the most important aspects of this initial encounter and those that followed it was the exchange of species across the ocean. These species include but are not limited to the horse, potato, sugarcane, maize, tobacco, and corn. This book, published at the 500th anniversary of the 1492 landing, examines how these exchange of species has transformed societies on both sides of the Atlantic. Tie-ins with later events are carefully explained, such as the growth of slavery to work on the sugar cane and tobacco farms. The book is actually a compilation of essays, and each essay can be read separate from the others, and each is well-referenced. Altogether, a good book on an important subject.

I bought this book after seeing the original exhibit many years ago at the Smithsonian. The book stands alone and is a wonderful introduction to the topic of the impact of food on history for anyone. You do not have to be a scientist or an historian to read, comprehend and enjoy. The book contains a great deal of information on the migration of New World food crops to the Old World and their impact, as well as chapters on Africa and American Indians and case studies on Montserrat and Antiqua. The illustrations are plentiful and varied from contemporary color photography to historic photographs to historic illustrations.

I found this book in the library of the high school where I teach. It is now out of print, so copies are hard to find. But anyone interested in the history of Western civilization, heirloom plants and/or of the influence of various crops on world history and politics should read this book. There is a chapter on the introduction of wine to North America, fascinating anecdotes on the difficulty and eventual success of introducing the potato to European tables, the value of maize in Africa, and many other little-known but very important facts about the changing foodways in our history. It's great reading.