Doughnuts, those deep-fried pieces of dough, have powerful associations with nostalgia, irreverence and playfulness. Treasured around the world, they are known by many names including loukoumades, ponchiki, beignets and oliebollen. Doughnut: A Global History takes the reader on a fast-paced journey through the story of this iconic food, from prehistory, ancient Egypt and Rome to medieval Europe and the Renaissance to Krispy Kremes and today's artisan creations. Heather Hunwick's meticulously researched and highly entertaining study explores doughnuts' impact on arts and culture, including the many fads, fashions and controversies they have endured.