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Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America Audiobook
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(3.01) - 3,334 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Part candy porn, part candy polemic, part social history, part confession, Candyfreak explores the role candy plays in our lives as both source of pleasure and escape from pain.
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"This book is pretty interesting, it explores how small regional candies are made. Mostly because the big chocolate companies, Mars, Nestle and Hershey's won't let anyone in to see their facilities. The process is really fascinating and I discovered some really interesting candies while reading this book, one being the GooGoo Cluster which is a southern treat so sweet it will make your teeth hurt (Southerners eat it with a can of Dr. Pepper to wash it down, ick). The other major discovery is the valomilk which is probably the best mass produced candy I've ever had. Its made practically by hand with top quality chocolate and Madagascar vanilla. It is soo good. They sell them at Cracker Barrel. Everyone should try them."
— Ashley (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Combines the patter of a stand-up comic with the soul of a 10-year-old whose allowance is burning a hole in his pocket.”
— Boston Globe -
“An exuberant tribute to cheap, plentiful, locally produced sweets and ‘the small, attainable pleasures’ they provide. Like a good candy bar: a piece of delicious ephemeral fun.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“My husband uses [a] good German word, ‘schmackvoll.’ Rough translation, he says: lip-smacking good. And so it is with Candyfreak. ‘Schmackvoll.’”
— Seattle Times -
“Almond is frank, witty, and engaging, and his book has a nutty crunch all its own and is not so sweet that you’ll feel icky when you finish with it.”
— San Jose Mercury News -
“A chewy, charming literary valentine…The book begins funny, gets a little creepy, and, with liberal amounts of humor and heart, becomes powerfully good.”
— San Diego Union-Tribune -
“[Candyfreak is] part memoir and part candy history. It’s Almond’s journey from childhood to adulthood, eating his way through both sorrow and joy, exploring what all the sweet stuff means and has meant to him.”
— Raleigh News and Observer
Awards
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Winner of the 2005 YALSA Alex Award
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Nominated for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award
Candyfreak Listener Reviews
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" I love candy and loved this book. I learned all about independent candy makers and now embarass myself over my found love of the Five Star Bar. The author is witty and self-depricating and only moderately judgemental about corporate America and those who put money in the pockets of those large corporations at the expense of the little guy. "
— Beth, 2/15/2014 -
" Funny and interesting...I actually ordered some of the candy the author talked about. YUMMY!! "
— Nancy, 2/12/2014 -
" For the most part the confessions of a man obsessed with sweets. It details the emotional role candy played in his childhood and the lingering taste-triggered memories still underlying his everyday consciousness. The description of his journey to visit the source of (and, of course, sample) some traditional confections provided interesting insights into the manufacturing aspects and marketing difficulties of the small American candymaker. I knew of this book from an interview with Almond on KUOW's The Beat on 20 July 2004. "
— Ronald, 2/9/2014 -
" I was increasingly distracted by the autobiographical material: in fact I grew to dislike the author in almost every respect. The rest of the book couldn't compensate. It was one dull factory tour after another. "
— David, 1/31/2014 -
" 3.5 stars, really. Fun. One of the reviews on the cover refers to Almond's 'joyful obsessiveness' and I think the phrase is perfect. I love watching/reading people who absolutely love the thing they're focused on. "
— Voracious, 1/27/2014 -
" One of the most delicious memoirs ever. This book is cleverly written and a real insider's view of the candy bar's history. This book does contain some unsavory language. "
— Charmion, 1/16/2014 -
" I must have read this nearly ten times, yet I don't get tired of it. Plus, it led me to such marvels as the Twin Bing and the Idaho Spud bar. "
— Jared, 1/6/2014 -
" Great book and it's not just about candy. It's about being a kid and remembering what was so great about it. And about candy. But really unusual candy and things that you wouldn't even think would be associated with candy. It's actually a cut-throat business! "
— Angie, 12/20/2013 -
" Stellar writing, per usual, from Almond. Just a little too samey on the candy plant visits. Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars. "
— Jason, 11/25/2013 -
" This is my favorite of Steve Almond's many wonderful books. Part investigative journalism, part memoir, all voice and insight and character. This book made me nostalgic, but it was also an education in the ramifications of capitalism. "
— Christopher, 11/16/2013 -
" Enjoyable search for obscure old-fashioned candy. I tasted some of them and wasn't impressed. They were right that Valomilk explodes on airplanes. "
— Valerie, 6/17/2013 -
" this book is so funny and well-written and researched - a great tour of the author's favorite candy. i probably ate my weight in candy while reading since i had to try everything he wrote about. yum. "
— Renee, 3/2/2013 -
" Parts of it are hilarious, and parts are touching, but the book is just too long. It did give me a craving for a Powell's run which I have so far been able to deny. "
— Annette, 1/10/2013 -
" I cried when I read this on an airplane. I got nostalgic about the Idaho Spud Bar. "
— Jessi, 12/3/2012 -
" Part memoir about a man's undying love of candy. Part research about what-the-heck-happened-to-the-little-local-candy-makers. All good. "
— Christina, 8/22/2012 -
" Funny and worth a read, especially if you like candy as much as I do. This book has inspired me to online-order some Peanut Chews, which aren't sold in my area of the USA. Long live candy!!!! "
— Paula, 8/14/2012 -
" So so good! Fascinating and this guy is an amazing writer. Very funny, very enjoyable read, esp if you love candy. "
— Farrah, 6/10/2012 -
" Thoroughly delightful. Perfect for cross-country air travel. "
— Allison, 5/19/2012 -
" I should have known from the comparison to Dave Eggers on the cover that I wasn't going to like this book. "
— Emerald, 5/18/2012 -
" Good story - and he is dead-on in his depiction of the evil that is coconut. If nothing else, the book provides a map for roadtrips to the beloved candy of your youth. (Even if that was just last week.) "
— Thomas, 5/14/2011 -
" Loved this book about the history of several regional candy bars. Now when I travel I find myself looking out for them. I enjoyed reading about the process of chocolate making. "
— Jeanne, 4/19/2011 -
" I must have read this nearly ten times, yet I don't get tired of it. Plus, it led me to such marvels as the Twin Bing and the Idaho Spud bar. "
— Jared, 4/19/2011 -
" Interesting insight to the candy industry and the delicious goodies that we may never have the opportunity to sample because of $20,000 slotting fees, Walmart, and the homogenization of America. "
— Jeff, 3/21/2011 -
" Stellar writing, per usual, from Almond. Just a little too samey on the candy plant visits. Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars. "
— Jason, 1/23/2011 -
" Made me want to try all the chocolates he tried. I am trying the Lake Champlain chocolates and I am really enjoying them! "
— Rebecca, 1/20/2011 -
" Weird, funny, and delightful at times, vulgar in spots, a bit dullish in other spots, and surprisingly educational. This one is hard to explain. "
— Cathi, 1/20/2011
About Steve Almond
Steve Almond is the author of twelve books of fiction and nonfiction including the New York Times bestsellers Candyfreak and Against Football. His most recent novel, All the Secrets of the World, won an NEA grant. His short fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize, and Best American Mysteries. In spring of 2024, Zando will publish his craft book, Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow.
About Oliver Wyman
Oliver Wyman is an actor and award-winning audiobook narrator. He has won five Audie Awards from the Audio Publisher’s Association, fourteen Earphone Awards, and two Listen Up Awards from Publisher’s Weekly. He was named a 2008 Best Voice in Nonfiction & Culture by AudioFile magazine. He has appeared on stage as well as in film and television, and he is a veteran voice actor who can be heard in numerous cartoons and video games. He is one of the founders of New York City’s Collective Unconscious theater, and his performances include the award-winning “reality play” Charlie Victor Romeo and A. R. McElhinney’s cult classic film A Chronicle of Corpses.