Dates have an important role in their arid homeland of the Middle East, where they are a dietary staple. The fruit can be consumed fresh or dried, as a snack or a dessert, and is even thought to have aphrodisiac qualities.

In Dates: A Global History, Nawal Nasrallah draws on her experiences growing up in the lands of ancient Mesopotamia, where the date palm was first cultivated, to explore the history behind the fruit.