Cinnamon: A History of Taste and Empire

The sweeping cultural history of a spice so coveted it launched empires across oceans, reshaped global trade, and bound generations of Sri Lankans to colonial rule.

For millennia, cinnamon has been treasured for its healing powers and warm unmistakable aroma. But behind its familiar scent lies a tumultuous past steeped in conquest and rebellion.

In Cinnamon, acclaimed historian Nira Wickramasinghe traces the remarkable story of this “queen of spices,” from ancient Egyptian embalming tables a...