This was an interesting book, but it did have some repetitive moments. It was the repetition at times that made me give it three stars instead of four. In some ways, this read like an extended series of magazine articles. Now, leaving that out of the way, it is a pretty interesting book. The book does a few things. It gives a history of doughnuts and especially of doughnut shops in the U.S. Though there is a bit focus on the chains (Dunkin', Tim Hortons, and Krispy Kreme), there is discussion of independents and their role in that history. The book also gives a look at the social role that doughnuts play in American society from being served in church functions and in office settings to the shops being one of the few hangouts teens have given they are too young to drink. Third, it looks at the morality and ambivalence of feelings that doughnuts generate. Are they comfort food? Are they the devil incarnate when it comes to diet and food discipline? Something else? Why are they so appealing and yet so reviled depending on who you ask? The author does a pretty good job of conveying this conflict. And finally, there are also bits and pieces of the economic dynamics involved in the doughnut business from marketing to image. When you think about it, the book does cover an awful lot in a little volume, thus if you like microhistories, you will probably find this one interesting. And if nothing else, well, it is a pretty short read.
