Buchman is a beekeeper and professor of entomology with international experience in his field. This book looks at the history of bee keeping and honey gathering from as far back as the caveman and includes a "honey hunt" in Malaysia, the ways of the Medieval beekeeper and the sacred and medicinal uses of honey in cultures around the world. These chapters tend to get too florid for my taste, and at one point, weird, with a short section titled "Oh, to Be a Bee!" as the author expresses the longing to be one and all the great things that would entail. I think these issues with the writing style might be the co-author's input, because once it gets down to facts, things get much better. We have discussions on the life of a bee, hive activity, how a Queen is created, how bees make honey and the problems of the globalization of the honey industry. Then there is a section of the different types of honey that can be found worldwide (I didn't know blueberry honey existed, but oh, how I want some), and a section of honey recipes. ( )

Far more than "bee vomit," honey secured its place in human history very early on. From prehistoric cave paintings depicting honey-gathering straight through modern beekeeping, Honey Bees provides a brief history of the sticky sweet. Buchmann discusses life inside a hive, the origins of beekeeping and the development of the typical man-made hive, and the wide variety of health benefits of honey, from its healthy sweetness in cooking to its antiseptic properties. Appendices provide further information, resources for those interested in beekeeping and/or purchasing geographically-specific honey varieties, and a chapter-by-chapter list of his sources.

The information contained in this slim volume is interesting and the writing is lively, but where the book fails is in its organization. (A full chapter is devoted to descriptions of honeys from around the world, while descriptions of different types of bees, both honey-producing and otherwise, is relegated to an appendix.) One long chapter reads like a travel essay on an author's eco-tourist trip to watch a ritual Malaysian honey hunt, which, while interesting, does not fit the informative tone of the rest of the book. Colony Collapse Disorder, the #1 Bee Issue of the last 10 years, gets only a half-page mention in the Afterword, with no discussion of its potential environmental impact. I have no reason to doubt the veracity of the book's information as a whole, but glossing over CCD makes me wonder what else might be left out.

A good book for upper-elementary and middle-school readers interested in bugs, bees, or honey.

(Admittedly I picked it up because I have Concerns that CCD is going to be what leads to the eventual collapse of civilization. I'm relieved to learn--in this book!--that bees are responsible for pollinating only 35% of our food supply, but horrifyingly that 35% is pretty much all fruits and vegetables. Without bees, we're hosed, and the bees are disappearing. Food is already increasing in cost; a decrease in supply will lead to malnutrition and starvation, which will in turn lead--long-term, I mean--to the eventual "Colony Collapse" of humans. ) ( )

A interesting and enjoyable examination of bees as approached from just about every perspective imaginable. Buchmann not only informs us about the bees themselves, but he gives us a fascinating overview of the rich history of bee art and symbology, traditional honeyhunting procedures, hive construction and maintenance, ancient and modern beekeeping methodology, hives as weaponry, insect husbandry, the economic impact of honey on international trade over the centuries, the culinary differences between different varietals, the many therapeutic properties of honey, and much, much more. As if that wasn't enough to cover in less than 300 pages, there's also a handy list of honey sources/ resources, a few cool illustrations, a convenient glossary, and some tasty recipes to try. This book is definitely worth all the buzz it gets from beekeepers and gardening groups--a definite recommend. ( )

Stephen Buchmann is a bee and honey fanatic and it shows in Honey Bees. Beekeeping, originating seven thousand years ago, played an integral role in daily and religious life in ancient India, Egypt, and Rome. The Mayans were unsurpassed in their devotion to ‘their furry honey-making captives’. Buchmann describes bees (they have five compound eyes with thousands of slender hairs growing from its surface) in the right amount of detail. He describes the daily life of various bees (queens, drones, and workers), the structure of the hive, and the processes by which bees make honey and beeswax. Bees are amazing. “…the contents of a sixteen-ounce jar of honey represents the efforts of tens of thousands of bees flying a total of 112,000 miles to forage nectar from about 4.5 million flowers.” Buchmann touches on the history of honey, the merchant trade surrounding it, its medicinal uses and even includes some recipes. He also honors the beekeeper, a unique brand of individual.
Buchmann’s easy to understand yet descriptive language makes Honey Bees an enjoyable read. He touches on every subject relating to bees and honey, includes sidebars (one about L.L. Langstroth who invented the man-made beehive), and stories about ancient rituals still practiced such as the Malaysian ‘honey hunt’ dating to 1100 AD. The book contains additional reading, sources of honey and beekeeping equipment, the chemical composition of honey and more. It is suitable for pleasure reading or for school assignments. It is a worthy library addition. ( )