The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars

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Summary: The Emperors of Chocolate
Review: I am a chocolate lover! So, naturally, this book caught my eye from a list in my Economic's class. I was drawn into the book from the very first pages and it got more and more interesting as I read. I learned how Hershey and Mars chocolate companies started and how they run today. This book gives the reader an insight in the chocolate war between America's favorite candy companies. I recommend all to read this book, but only under one condition, make sure there is chocolate within reach.

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Summary: A fascinating exploration of the world of chocolate
Review: I am not particularly a chocoholic, but I really enjoyed The Emperors of Chocolate. The book is a mixture of biography, business history and chocolate lore, served up together in a marvelous blend. It reads like a novel (in parts, like a spy thriller), but I thought it was even more compelling than most novels because you know it is all true. Brenner really gets "inside" Hershey and Mars, and makes you feel like you are right there. The characters (Milton Hershey and Forrest Mars in particular) are almost bigger than life, and the stories Brenner tells -- often in the participants own words -- are alternately funny, fascinating and sometimes touching. Its a "must read" for chocoholics, and highly recommended for anyone else!

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Summary: Chocolate
Review: I too read this book for my economics class. Who knew there was a battle between chocolate companies? My favorite part of the book was when they were talking about the chocolate rations in soldiers backpacks during the Gulf War and World War 2 and how they had to come up with chocolate that could withstand a high temperture. Too bad they cannot make chocolate like that for civilans.
As much as I found the information intersting and I also found the book boring which is why I only gave it three stars. Maybe three was too generous. The secrets are intersting but the writing was dull.
If you plan on reading this book, have a package of Hershey kisses by your side. You will need them.

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Summary: Alison G., santa monica high school student
Review: I wasn't too excited when I entered my economic class and had been told to read a book that has to do with the economy. I did not think that this book would be entertaining at all, but I was extremely wrong. By reading this book I found out about the companies Hershey and Mars Inc. The best thing I thought was that I found out what M&M stands for. I am not going to say what it is because you need to find out for yourself. This was a great book and I recommend it to everyone who loves chocolate or just wants to know how those companies started.

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Summary: APPLIED CHOCOLATE
Review: If you are looking for a book about the history of chocolate making then this is probably not completely what you want. While the book does offer a variety of interesting insights into the history of some the world's great chocolateers, it's real strength, I believe, is in the applications that come through in spades for applying branding, production and managerial principles to similar industries and companies.

If you want to build a consumer brand, whether it be western attire, garden tools, paper products, greeting cards..what have you...Emperors of Chocolate is a wonderful branding and marketing strategy book with applicable principles galore.

Look past the chocolate and apply the strategies to your own product.

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Summary: The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hers
Review: It was a very good book it had alot of interesting facts.about the two companies. it was very interesting and fun to read.

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Summary: The Emperors of Chocolate
Review: the book the Emporers of chocolate was very interesting, I was never previously aware that there were two companies who dominated the candy scene-Mars and Hershey. 8/10 of the top rated candy bars in America, fall under either of these two companies. Because these two companies are in a league of their own in terms of competition, the battle is fierce yet not seen to the public. Each company is very protective of their image, and that is what makes his book so interesting. You are taken behind the scenes and actually shown why. I thought it was very interesting that in the last 100 years that the amount of sucessful candy companies has dwindled from in the thousands to a mere 150. Who knows what this may be in the next 10 years, but this book helps show what may come in the future.

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Summary: My Review
Review: The Emperors of Chocolate made my mouth water as i was reading it. It was very detailed and descriptive. The competition between the two companies was very dramatic and it captured my attention.

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Summary: highlights from Emperors...
Review: This book is unique in its comibination of story-telling and fact-giving. I really enjoyed the eccentric characters behind the chocolate industry, such as the retired Forrest Mars, Sr., who lives in a penthouse above his smaller candy company, where he spies on employees through a one-way mirror. Or his son, who studied under the guy who makes Toblerones in Switzerland.

The behind-the-scenes look at the companies are equally intriguing. Any candy company that has its own intelligence division must be serious business. Brenner can then shift into the science of why people crave chocolate, and how the cocoa butter melts first to start the flow of chocolate over a happy customer's tongue, or how the Hershey company uses sour milk products for its distinctive flavor. An enlightening book for sure.

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Summary: Emperors of Chocolate-a very good book
Review: This book was actually pretty interesting to read. If you've ever been curious about what the history is behind all those popular candy bars you eat, how they're made and who owns the companies, I defenetly recomend this book. The greatest thing about this book is that its not just some documentary rattling off facts about the topic, it tells a story, it'll keep you reading on, and it's all about chocolate.