Upon her death in 2007, the New York Times acknowledged that Eva Crane wrote some of the most important books on bees and apiculture. A Book of Honey is one of her seminal works and must be on the shelves of anyone who is serious about understanding honey. Not only does it describe how and why bees make honey, but she also describes in detail the constituents and characteristics of honey. There is a chapter on the uses of honey in the kitchen as well as mead-making, medical remedies and cosmetics.
Eva describes the history of honey starting from the evolution of plants and bees, then on to the harvesting of honey by humans over the past 10,000 years and its religious significance and beliefs.
There is a huge databank of information to facilitate further detailed study, making this an essential read for both teachers and students. Please note that Eva’ s comments at the end of her preface refer to the original cover which as now been replaced in this 2019 reprint.
