A gorgeous book written by a woman under the spell of her bees. In order to show all sides of beekeeping Bishop writes partially from her own experience as a domestic keeper, but predominantly through a fascinating two years shadowing Donald Smiley, a commercial beekeeper in Florida.

The book is split into sections to cover every aspect of the history of honey and beekeeping, from the design of domestic hives and the mechanics of a bee's stinger, to the uses of honey in cosmetics and medicine and the importance of other bee products such as wax and royal jelly. Through each of these chapters weaves the year in the life of Donald Smiley, as he moves his bees from place to place, harvesting and marketing each type of pure honey in a neverending cycle of physical labour and sweet reward. At the end of the book Bishop also includes several honey-rich recipes, from ancient (probably unpalatable) meals to modern marinades.

Scrumptious, lyrical and well worth a read. ( )