Humans have variously regarded the coconut as a sign of wealth and success, turned them into art, and even employed them in the charcoal filters of gas masks. It was coconuts that triggered the mutiny on the Bounty, and coconuts again that saved the life of the man who became the 35th President of the United States. At a time when coconut products are seemingly everywhere, Robin Laurance looks beyond the oils and health drinks to uncover the often surprising roles played by the coconut palm and its nut in times past and present.