Coffee: A Dark History

A very enjoyable history of coffee. Some of the reviews before this book scared me the author might just talk about himself… I did not find this to be true. There is a bit too much conspiracy theory in the tail end for me… but skeptical googling didn’t disprove any of it. I think imagery and maps could help add to the visualizing of some of the locations and timelines of the book. I definitely have a new appreciation for types of coffees and as a result of reading have started to experiment with different brewing styles, as well as paying more attention to bean types and blends.

The book is a great start for people interested in learning about the history of coffee, however the author decided to steer in a direction away from coffee into politics, unproven economic theories and history that may be very interesting if found in another publication but not keeping up with the central theme of the book. For example, I learned more about the island of St Helen than I did about the evolution of coffee in Europe and Middle East. I would have loved to deep dive into the coffee culture of Naples and Turkey but instead I spent hours reading about the struggle of farmers in Latin America and guerrilla training provided by american forces.

I gave up early in the book. The author just wandered about and I had difficulty seeing where he was going. There are many, many titles on trade and foodstuffs and this tries to cash in on the trend. He needs an editor.

This book is very interesting in its historical and technical data. It is entertaining, BUT when Mr. Wild starts with his political ideological rants and begins brainwashing, I had to stop reading and erase Mr. wild from any future reading...........too much editorializing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you like history like I do, you will love this book

Just an excellent review and analysis of the coffee industry and its influence on the worlds history behind the scene.

Quite a fascinating history of this fabulous brew. Lots of it not so pretty. I am also much more discerning where I buy my coffee now.

'Coffee A Dark History' by Anthony Wild makes an interesting tale. It takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the past half-millennium as the author loosely tracks how an obscure plant from the highlands of Ethiopia became a global institution.Indeed, Mr Wild's story is often somewhat less than the titular beverage and more about the historic events and political and cultural personalities that the coffee bean touches during its travel through time. Following the exhibition of China's green teas by her Great Fleet's visit to Arabia in the 14th century, the book suggests that coffee was "discovered" by Sufi missionaries as an alternative stimulant brew in the mountains of Ethiopia. Did you know that the locals there infused the leaf of the coffee plant into a mildly stimulating drink?From these very humble origins, we are invited on an interesting journey as 'Coffee A Dark History' follows the roasted bean first to Yemen of old and then via the Ottoman empire to Europe where its surging popularity saw the growth of coffee transplanted across the globe with the spread of colonialism. Mr Wild takes us on numerous, interesting tangents along the way. We visit Boston at the time of the historic 'tea party' and St Helena for the exiled years of Napoleon. He tackles the subject of slavery and how he feels that this source of labour was central to coffee plantations becoming established in the colonies of Europe's great powers of the 17th and 18th centuries.In more contemporary times, the book tells how instant coffee was created as a convenient easy drink for soldiers - first in the Great War and then, more significantly, in World War Two. He also saves space to define the economic plight of modern coffee growers and the concept of Fair Trade.I would recommend "Coffee A Dark History". If you are after a book that tracks the history of the coffee beverage with blinkered vision, then probably stay away - it is not for you. However, for the history buff - who happens to like the odd espresso or cappuccino and is interested in a slightly offbeat tale of how their favourite beverage interacted with the chronicles of history, then this may well be a book worth considering.On a final note, I'd like to offer a personal thanks to Mr Wild for introducing me to the concept of roasting one's own coffee beans. It is a notion I had never considered until reading his book and it has revolutionized my coffee consumption at home. I never realized that freshly-roasted coffee could offer so much more taste!