A wide range of topics are discussed from the geography of the area, buildings and décor to deadly nightshade and portrait medallions worn by the women.Each topic is deeply detailed, informative and I'm sure the product of years of extensive research. My favorite sections were about the people of York, their dress, jewelry and funerary practices. I also very much appreciated the photos and drawings which definitely breathed life into this work.
NetGalley, Julie Hall

I love chocolate, and am highly interested in history, so naturally when I saw this book, I knew I had to read it! Having visited Cadbury world in Bournville twice, I was familiar with some of the history of that company, but not so much with Rowntree's, despite having also visited York. Although the focus of the book is on Rowntree's (as you'd expect), the author also gives us a brief history of some other companies, which provides a wider historical perspective. I thoroughly appreciated this (for example, one of the Cadbury's completed his apprenticeship in Rowntree's). You will also appreciate the honesty of this account, as it provides a "warts-and-all" perspective of the chocolate industry, and doesn't gloss over the implications it had on the slave trade. Overall, I enjoyed this, and if you have any interest in Britain's industrial age, I'm sure you will, too.
NetGalley, Monica Wilson

To sum up, the book provides a very readable reference work..
West Somerset Railway Association

How does he do it? David Maidment has authored another in a long line of good books, a truly amazing output.
The Society of Model and Experimental Engineers

Recommended in the strongest possible terms.
The Railway magazine, February 2021