The Coffee Book
Anatomy of an Industry from Crop to the last Drop

The Coffee Book is an engaging, informative look at one of the most popular products in the world. Jammed full of facts, figures, cartoons and commentary, it covers coffee from its first use in Ethiopia in the sixth century to the dramatic rise of Starbucks and other specialty retailers in the 1990s. Written with verve and filled with revealing anecdotes and little-known facts, the book surveys the social history of cafe society from the first coffeehouses in to Constantinople Renaissance French cafes to beatnik havens in Berkley and Greenwich Village; explores the process of cultivation, harvesting and roasting from bean to cup; and tells the dramatic story of international trade and speculation for a product that can make or break entire national economies. The book also examines the industry's major players, reveals how the quest for higher profits has often come at the expense of quality, and shows how a much loved product has been turned into a lifestyle. Finally, the Coffee Book considers the exploitation of labor and damage to the environment that mass cultivation causes, and explores the growing "conscious coffee" market and "fair trade" movement.
1999