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Coffee: A Dark History Paperback – February 11, 2005

by Antony Wild (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 49 ratings
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“Masterful and exhaustive . . . eye-opening lessons in economics, ethics, culture and science, resulting in a comprehensive overview of a commodity that is second only to oil in its importance to world trade.” ―Worcester Evening News

Coffee trader and historian Antony Wild delivers a rollicking history of the most valuable legally traded commodity in the world after oil―an industry that employs 100 million people throughout the world. From obscure beginnings in east Africa in the fifteenth century as a stimulant in religious devotion, coffee became an imperial commodity, produced by poor tropical countries and consumed by rich temperate ones. Through the centuries, the influence of coffee on the rise of capitalism and its institutions has been enormous. Revolutions were once hatched in coffeehouses, commercial alliances were forged, secret societies were formed, and politics and art were endlessly debated. Today, while coffee chains spread like wildfire, coffee-producing countries are in crisis: with prices at a historic low, they are plagued by unprecedented unemployment, abandoned farms, enforced migration, and massive social disruption. Bridging the gap between coffee’s dismal colonial past and its perilous corporate present, Coffee reveals the shocking exploitation that has always lurked at the heart of the industry.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    344 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    W. W. Norton & Company
  4. Publication date
    February 11, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.79 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0393337391
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0393337396
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company (February 11, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 344 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0393337391
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393337396
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.12 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.79 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

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Antony Wild

Antony Wild

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
49 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Richard Hinds
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
If you like history like I do, you will love this book
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Andrew Karnowski
4.0 out of 5 stars insightful look at coffee history
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2022
Verified Purchase
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.
One person found this helpful
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carlos
3.0 out of 5 stars Stay off political ideology
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2013
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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 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One person found this helpful
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sergei frolov
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book and fantastic work!
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2018
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Just an excellent review and analysis of the coffee industry and its influence on the worlds history behind the scene.
One person found this helpful
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H.S.Thompson
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of it not so pretty. I am also much more discerning where I ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2017
Verified Purchase
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.
One person found this helpful
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Joe Broers
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2013
Upon seeing the prevailing negativity of the reviews I am inspired to leave a short comment on my experience of this book. It has been several years since I read it and I no longer even have my copy (Loaned it to a friend who was investing in a coffee roasting venture). So I cannot cite any specifics about this book.

I have not read etensively on the subject and cannot remark about the veracity of Wild's claims. However the complaints that it reads like a textbook or that it is biased against the rich or anti-american seem unfounded and unfair.
My experience was this: when I read the ambitious intro I remember thinking, this guy will never be able to pull this off! And I felt after reading it that he was quite successful in his ambitions to discuss the many complex issues around this essential brew.

Lastly I will say tht by reading his book I was inspired to try to roast my own beans. Thanks to his explanation of the process my wife and I were able to do so with absolutely perfect results! (Used a hot air pop corn popper- discovered these papery thin skins came off in the process so we learned to put the popper in a very large bowl for them to settle down into. Smells like bloody h*ll, by the way, until about 3 or 4 hours later.)

Very glad I read this book.
10 people found this helpful
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SL
4.0 out of 5 stars Good historical overview but went overboard with the political stuff and conspiracy theories
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2019
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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.
3 people found this helpful
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Joseph L. Kolb
3.0 out of 5 stars you need a couple cups to read through this
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2014
antony is a coffee trader and historian who wrote this book on the history of coffee. the origins are a bit murky, but seemed it was used in Ethiopia around the 1400s and spread into Europe in the 17th century. coffee houses and coffee continued to grow in momentum using the slave trade to reap in large profits. coffee has 800 chemical ingredients, so outside from being a heavily studied bean, it's also very delicate and most of what we drink is stale due to oxidation. according to mr wild, the best way to have coffee is to roast, grind and prepare at the same time, which probably isn't going to happen in this day and age. there is an interesting photo of a spider web done on caffeine, i.e., spiders don't spin good webs caffeinated. the darker side is that large corporations have the monopoly on the industry and have both exploited land and people for profit. regional brands are often corporations creating a sense of place attached to a particular brand of coffee. balancing global economy with global ecology will be a challenge not only for coffee but all commodities as the population grows and we continue to consume. overall, a dull read until the modern times. if you like jim marrs' writing and political insight, this book may interest you. I can imagine both antony and jim discussing politics over a freshly brewed cup of coffee. I would agree with other reviewers to find this in the library or used book store first.
4 people found this helpful
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