SWEETNESS & LIGHT: the mysterious history of the honeybee is the story of bees and honey from the Stone Age to the contemporary cutting edge; from Nepalese honey hunters to the urban hives on the rooftops of New York City.

How we see bees and use their honey has changed over the centuries, at each point reflecting the era. The book follows the bee through time, landing on the honeybee geniuses who made great discoveries about the insect or were inspired by them. Darwin, Le Corbusier, Shakespeare, Winnie the Pooh: anyone who’s anyone has fallen in love with bees and honey.

The book ends with the current concerns about dwindling biodiversity and disease in hives. Since the book was published in 2004 these concerns have grown considerably. Disease, pesticides and lack of food in the countryside of monocultural agribusiness all add stress to the bees.