This fascinating collection of diverse essays, written by anthropologists who have lived in a wide variety of communities around the world, explores postcolumbian cultivar diffusion and its importance in human history. As varied as the foods discussed are the factors affecting their acceptance and adaptability--for example, environmental compatibility; storage capability; psychological and medical repercussions; and social, economic, and political impact. Students gain a rich understanding of the material basis of human existence, specifically the effect of New World cultivars on the Old World.