Diane Flynt

I received an advance copy through NetGalley.

Diane Flynt's book is a love letter to apples, their complicated history, and cider. She focuses on the American south, a welcome and fascinating exploration that goes much deeper than similar, more regionally-broad cider books like American Cider by Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo and Cider Revival by Jason Wilson. Her books has a unique structure and flow along parallel paths: her own interest in apples and cider as she creates her own Virginia cidery, and the tumultuous history of apples in the south.

Both paths are fascinating. Her travails are relatable, going between heartbreak and hard grind. She doesn't shy away from the hard facts of the history, either, in blunt terms addressing the major role of apples in slavery and in the theft of land from native residents--and surprisingly later details, such as the government's imminent domain-style land-grab of homesteads within the borders of nascent national parks. The conclusion of the book discusses the modern cider industry--the current effort to rediscover "lost" apples, the struggle for cideries to survive (agritourism being a major route), and the role of money-driven modern apples like Cosmic Crisp.

I loved the book. It is educational and affirming, and yet another nonfiction work that enlightens me about a fruit and drink I regularly enjoy.… (mehr)