1. Tea: A Global History

Title: Tea: A Global History

Length: 183pg

Date of Publication: October 19, 2012

Link:Book

Booklist Professional Review

"As English grandmothers say, a good cup a tea puts the world to right. The English, of course, are not the only tea consumers in the world; in fact, as the subtitle of this handy, informative little survey indicates, tea is enjoyed the world over and ranks, globally, as the second-most-popular beverage after water. Botanical details about the tea plant and a discussion of the six types of tea (determined by the method for treating the leaves for consumption) leads the author to a fuller examination of the history of tea cultivation and usage in Asia and in the Western world. Reader interest will be more closely focused on tea preferences and customs in England and the U.S. For instance, how the tradition of afternoon tea was born in England will delight public-library tea drinkers, and those with a historical bent will be interested in how the story of the Boston Tea Party is placed here into the general history of Americans’ fondness for tea. The author concludes with optimism over tea’s continued popularity." --Brad Hooper

Reader Review:

'"his book is very good at presenting the production of tea and tea culture around the world. In China, Japan, Indonesia and India there is information about the growing and gardens. The chapter on Caravans and Mediterranean Shores”' is perhaps unique in talking about the '“Tea-Horse Road”', the Silk Road, and the Siberian Routes that were all avenues of tea. My own native St. Louis is presented as the first to popularize ice tea during the 1904 World’s Fair. My parents met at a tea dance in college, but this very different than combination with Tango dancing in 1913 to create a tea dance called The Dansant
The chapter '“Tea Comes to the West”', writes of the route of Tea into Europe and America. So the reader is introduced to the East India Company, and the Race for clipper ships. She does not overlook that nastiness in the Boston harbor.
The book is wonderfully illustrated in color, some favorites included an 1820 engraving '“Method of gathering Tea my means of Monkeys”', “Men laden with tea bricks for Tibet”, and a “1910 caricature of American suffragettes having a tea party in jail”'.
Readers of this might also enjoy '“A Social History of Tea”' by Pettigrew and Richardson."

- Gary Sprandel

What does this book teach the reader?

This book teaches the reader about the economic and social uses of tea and how it changes over different time spans and cultures.