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Book - Product Information
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
Mark Pendergrast
Rating: 4.0/5 Stars
Rank: 27181
Since its discovery in an Ethiopian rainforest centuries ago, coffee has
brewed up a rich and troubled history, according to Uncommon
Grounds, a sweeping book by business writer Mark Pendergrast.
Over the
years, the beverage has fomented revolution, spurred deforestation,
enriched a few while impoverishing the many, and addicted millions with
its psychoactive caffeine.
Coffee is now the world's second most valuable
legal commodity, behind oil, according to Pendergrast, who is also author
of For God, Country, and Coca-Cola. "A good cup of coffee can
turn the worst day tolerable, can provide an all-important moment of
contemplation, can rekindle a romance," he writes.
"And yet, poetic as its
taste may be, coffee's history is rife with controversy and politics." For
example, coffee bankrolled Idi Amin's genocidal regime in Uganda and the
Sandinistas' revolution in Nicaragua. Uncommon Grounds provides
some fascinating tidbits.
Did you know that coffeehouses helped spawn the
French and American revolutions? Or that coffee supplanted alcohol as a
favorite breakfast drink in Britain in the late 1600s, and later became a
patriotic American beverage after the Boston Tea Party?
Pendergrast also
details the rise and fall of regional coffee brands in the United States,
the role of advertising in the industry, the global economic impact of
coffee prices, and the recent emergence of specialty-coffee
retailers--Starbucks, for example.
Finally, he explores the social and
environmental ramifications of coffee and highlights recent attempts to
encourage a livable wage and environmental protection in coffee-producing
nations such as Brazil. Pendergrast also includes an appendix on "how to
brew the perfect cup." This wide-ranging book is a good read for those
curious about the history and context behind that morning cup of coffee,
as well as for those strictly interested in the business side of the
industry. --Dan Ring--This text refers to an out of print or
unavailable edition of this title.
About the AuthorMark Pendergrast was born in Atlanta and is a graduate of Harvard
University. A business journalist, he has published articles and reviews
in a number of magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times, the
Sunday Times (London), and Financial Analyst.
Editorials
Sample 3 of 13
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
Mark Pendergrast
![]() | | | Amazon.com | | Since its discovery in an Ethiopian rainforest centuries ago, coffee has
brewed up a rich and troubled history, according to Uncommon
Grounds, a sweeping book by business writer Mark Pendergrast. Over the
years, the beverage... read full editorial |
![]() | | | Publishers Weekly | | "Pendergrast's broad vision, meticulous research, and colloquial delivery
combine aromatically..." |
![]() | | | Washington Monthly, Oct. 1999 | | "Uncommon Grounds is not only a good read but a vital one...for responsible
coffee drinker[s]." --This text refers to an out of print or
unavailable edition of this title. |
Customer Reviews
Sample 3 of 26
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
Mark Pendergrast
![]() | | | now it is 3 degrees of separation not 6 | | (Seattle, WA) September 21, 2004 - 5.0/5 stars | | Everything we do, everything we buy has an impact far around the world.
This is an excellent study of these links through an in depth review of
the coffee industry. Pendergrast has researched the significant
political,... read full review |
![]() | | | Excelent | | (Querétaro, Juriquilla, Querétaro Mexico) May 9, 2003 - 5.0/5 stars | | Ok, I admitt that if you do know about coffee you'll probably find it
somewhat incomplete, specially in the terms of how to get a great cup of
it. However, what makes this book great is the fact that it clearly states... read full review |
![]() | | | Good to the last page | | (Lawrence, KS.) January 19, 2000 - 4.0/5 stars | | Mark Pendergrast has done an excellent job chronicling the history of
coffee and its impact on the world. From the discovery of the bean to its
use as a medicine and then for social gatherings. Pendergrast goes into
detail... read full review |
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