A History of tea : : the Life and Times of the World's Favorite Beverage

Locations
Call Number: Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / Essays & Narratives / Martin, Laura C., 641.337 Ma
On Shelf At: Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / Essays & Narratives / Martin, Laura C.	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	641.337 Ma	4-week checkout	Due 05-05-2024

"As the world's most popular beverage, tea has fascinated us, awakened us, motivated us, and calmed us for well over two thousand years. A History of Tea tells the compelling story of the rise of tea in Asia and its eventual spread to the West and beyond. From the tea houses of China's ancient Tang Dynasty (618-907) to the tea ceremonies developed by Japanese Zen Buddhist monks, to the current social issues faced by tea growers in India and Sri Lanka- this fascinating book explores the complex history of this universal drink. It illuminates the industries and traditions that have developed as tea spread throughout the world and it explains how tea is transformed into the many varieties that people drink each day. It also features a quick reference guide on subjects such as proper tea terminology and brewing. Whatever your cup of tea, green, black, white, oolong, chai, Japanese, Chinese, Sri Lankan, American or British, every tea aficionado will enjoy reading A History of Tea to learn more about their favorite beverage." -- (Source of summary not specified)

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

Publishers Weekly Review
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Table of Contents
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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Highly recommended for tea enthusiasts and those interested in international trade history submitted by Cherie on July 31, 2023, 5:49pm I LOVED this book! It gives a wonderfully comprehensive history of tea, its significance, and how it spread throughout the world. Learning how tea was used as medicine, an aid in meditation, a currency, and essentially catalyzed the opium wars was all so fascinating.

The book is laid out so you can read it from beginning to end, or jump around to whatever might interest you. This makes it really easy to read in smaller chunks, but if you read it from beginning to end with few breaks, be prepared for a little bit of repetition.

My favorite parts of the book are the appendices. Unlike most other appendices, which generally contain summaries of research and bibliographic information, these appendices contain things like how to brew the perfect cup of tea, where the best teas come from, what tea is best for what time of day, and a lot more fun stuff. Also included in the middle of the book are a plethora of wonderful illustrations and color photographs.