The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession.

Up to 80,000 fruit-bearing plant species are edible, and the hunting of rare fruits has garnered interest since the 15th century B.C. The inspiration behind fruit hunting remains strong, as Gollner observes that “our whole planet is brimming with fruits that are inaccessible, ignored and even forbidden.” The Fruit Hunter celebrates fruits from the exotic to the everyday, and Gollner’s humorous asides are complemented by his investigative approach, reflecting his journalistic background with publications such as the New York Times and Gourmet. Here, fruits are more than vessels of caloric value, and this forms the heart of the work. Gollner exposes humanity’s emotional and spiritual connections to fruit, considers its role as an aristocratic status symbol, and explores superstitions and medicinal use. Attention is drawn to endangered fruits and the more than 1,400 seed banks that exist on a worldwide scale. The book explores moral and ethical dilemmas in the areas of grafting, cross-pollinated fruit hybrids such as pluots and cantabananadews, and even the fruit mafia. Sure to intrigue readers is the secretive world of Grapples, the miracle fruit’s dark past, and the reintroduction of heirloom apple varieties. Revealed is the world’s ignorance of the toxicity, geopolitics, and genetically modified nature of commercially available fruit. Whether in Brazil, Thailand, or elsewhere, Gollner offers insightful anecdotes of fruits tasting like cotton candy, lemon meringue pie, wine gums, marshmallows, and even chicken noodle soup. Perhaps most memorable is the durian, “the most odoriferous fruit in the world,” which resulted in evacuating an entire apartment building when eaten at a party. The depth of this book lies in the fact that it is about much more than fruit, it is a tale of the people with fruit obsessions: the hunters, detectives, grafters, fruitarians, and smugglers. These 16 chapters ensure that anyone who reads this book will cast a knowing glance at pluots and Grapples when next in the produce section. Highly recommended.