Book cover of Black Gold: The Dark History of Coffee

Book description

Your morning flat-white helped shape the modern world

'Elegantly written, witty and so wide in scope, so rich in detail and so thought provoking' Joanna Blythman

It may seem like just a drink, but coffee's dark journey from the highlands of Ethiopia to the highstreets of every town in…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Black Gold as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Another book that served my research well, this one is both compelling, disturbing, and thought-provoking but still compulsively readable. It covers virtually every aspect of coffee’s 500-year history in Europe while also drawing on even older information from coffee-producing countries. The sections that captured my attention most were about the marketing of coffee—fascinating stuff! This book makes it possible to enjoy your favourite drink even more, all the while being aware of its history of exploitation and colonialism and often unsustainable means of production. It will make you seek out ethical, environmentally-friendly coffee without being preachy. Thoroughly worth reading. 

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