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Just the Tonic

a History of Tonic Water
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( 37 ratings, 9 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Just the Tonic explores the fascinating history of tonic water, linking it to the fight against malaria through the discovery of quinine in the cinchona tree bark. The narrative weaves botanical exploration, Victorian empire, and the significance of botanical gardens like Kew into this compelling historical account.
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Format: Hardback
$4999

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in science history, botany, Victorian exploration, and the stories behind everyday beverages.

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Just the Tonic is an accessible yet informative history of tonic water: its connections to the major disease malaria, the cure discovered in the bark of the cinchona tree and its constituent alkaloid quinine. It is a history deeply intertwined with botanical exploration and empire in the Victorian era, and the role of botanical gardens such as Kew.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Just the Tonic is an accessible yet informative history of tonic water: its connections to the major disease malaria, the cure discovered in the bitter bark of the cinchona tree and its constituent alkaloid quinine.

It is a history deeply intertwined with botanical exploration and empire in the Victorian era, and the role of botanical gardens such as Kew.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Gastronomica praises the book for blending historical narrative with quirky anecdotes, enhanced by exquisite illustrations from Kew Gardens and the Wellcome Collection. The Field highlights its engaging writing and attractive presentation, calling it the first authoritative history of tonic water and a perfect gift.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781842466896

Publisher: Royal Botanic Gardens

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 October 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Kew Publishing

Illustration: 150 Illustrations, color

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 172.0mm

Height: 246.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 112

About the Author

Kim Walker trained as a medical herbalist, and now specialises in the history of plant medicines. She is currently working on a PhD on cinchona at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. She is on the committee of the Herbal History Research Network, the British Society for the History of Pharmacy and is a member of the Association of Foragers. She is the co-author of The Handmade Apothecary (Kyle Books, 2017) and The Herbal Remedy Handbook (Kyle Books, 2019). Mark Nesbitt is curator of the Economic Botany Collection at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and his research centres on botany and empire in the nineteenth century, and on the history and current day management of botanical collections. He is the co-author of Curating Biocultural Collections (Kew Publishing, 2014) and The Botanical Treasury (Andre Deutsch, 2016).

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