Q. Edward Wang is Eminent Professor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Rowan University. He is the author of Chopsticks: A Cultural and Culinary History (2015), among other works on global cultural history.

Wang's book provides a fascinating glimpse at one of the world's most ubiquitous—and understudied—tubers. This study is impressive in its scope—truly global and interdisciplinary in perspective, bringing together recent advances in archaeology and botany with careful analysis of historical sources. The reader journeys from ancient Mesoamerica and Oceania to Asia and Europe. You'll never look at Thanksgiving sweet potatoes in the same light again.

• List of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. American Origin and Oceanian Diffusion2. A Sweet Connection Between Europe and America3. Mundane or Miracle? Feeding and Fueling China’s Population4. Hunger Food? Daily Meals? Sweet Potato in Japan and Korea5. Sweet Potato Islands, Sweet Potato Peoples6. From “Asian Crop” to “African Crop”: Recent Global ExpansionsEpilogueNotesSelected BibliographyIndex

Q. Edward Wang is Eminent Professor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Rowan University. He is the author of Chopsticks: A Cultural and Culinary History (2015), among other works on global cultural history.

Wang's book provides a fascinating glimpse at one of the world's most ubiquitous—and understudied—tubers. This study is impressive in its scope—truly global and interdisciplinary in perspective, bringing together recent advances in archaeology and botany with careful analysis of historical sources. The reader journeys from ancient Mesoamerica and Oceania to Asia and Europe. You'll never look at Thanksgiving sweet potatoes in the same light again.

• List of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. American Origin and Oceanian Diffusion2. A Sweet Connection Between Europe and America3. Mundane or Miracle? Feeding and Fueling China’s Population4. Hunger Food? Daily Meals? Sweet Potato in Japan and Korea5. Sweet Potato Islands, Sweet Potato Peoples6. From “Asian Crop” to “African Crop”: Recent Global ExpansionsEpilogueNotesSelected BibliographyIndex