'An enthralling and erudite history of the spice trade' -- Traveller 'A typically droll and beautifully wrought book' -- Literary Review 'A springy, fresh feel!The Spice Route is what happens when you match a writer at the top of his form with a fashionable subject!The result is tremendous.' -- Literary Review-Nick Smith 'Absorbing' -- Scotsman 'A delightful, scholarly and thoroughly readable account' -- Geographical 20050508 'Serves up a feast of detail on a fascinating and little-known subject' -- Sunday Telegraph 20050731 'Its digressiveness is also a boon, allowing Keay to touch on everything' -- FT MAgazine 20050814 'Keay more sharply than romantically points up the economic basis of historic trade wars over three millenia.' -- The Times 20050716 'Fascinating new history' -- Daily Telegraph 20050716 'Keay's retelling of the tale is restrained yet powerful, his choice of facts compelling' -- Guardian 20050910 'Keay has produced another scrupulously researched, persuasive book.' -- TLS 20050910 'One of the clearest explanations of the oldest example of global trade and its cultural and political ramifications.' -- South China Morning Post 20060604 'Keay's history! begins with romance and wonder, before it gives way to the adventure and violence of the age of maritime exploration.' -- Independent:Laurence Phelan 20060618 'Keay crosses centuries as confidently as the great tea-clippers once coursed oceans. He writes elegant, exemplary prose, and this book is as full of bounty as any 18th-century privateer could pray for.' -- The Times: Ross Leckie 20060617 'Consistently interesting.' -- Robert Colville, Observer/Review 20060619 'A fascinating tale packed with eye-catching detail.' -- Independent 20060619 'Impressively researched' -- Guardian 20060708 'Fascinating! covering 3000 years of history in well-written, easy-to-read prose!The book is full of wonderful facts! Quite a lot to discuss. Exploitation, greed, values. All grist to a reading group's mill' -- Margaret Burgess, NewBooksMag 20060708