The Coffee Book: Anatomy of an Industry from Crop to the Last Drop

by Gregory Dicum and Nina Luttinger

Book Overview

A history of coffee from the sixth century to Starbucks that's "good to the last sentence" (Las Cruces Sun News).

One of Library Journal's "Best Business Books"

This updated edition of The Coffee Book is jammed full of facts, figures, cartoons, and commentary covering coffee from its first use in Ethiopia in the sixth century to the rise of Starbucks and the emergence of Fair Trade coffee in the twenty-first...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1595580603
• ISBN13: 9781595580603
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: New Press
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.1" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

The Coffee Book: Anatomy of an Industry from Crop to the Last Drop, Revised and Updated Edition

This is a must read for anyone who works with or loves drinking coffee. If you're looking for a crash course in the history, economics behind or current politics of the coffee industry, look no further!

Coffee could be worse than cattle!

Mr.Dicum and Ms.Luttinger have writtne a phenomenal book. From their obsure historical facts to their pinpointing the origin of coffee, 6th century Ethiopia, you will be riveted to your seat as if you were reading a fictional novel. They put coffee, the coffee industry, and global coffee politics under a microscope and often times it fails to hold up to the scrutiny. No matter what your political affiliation is you can't help but be immediately shocked and awed and the incredible amount of sociopolitical machinations that go on for you to have that morning sip of java.For 11 years I have been a futures investor, broker, and author. One of the preferred futures contracts that I trade is coffee. This book has provided me with an indepth background and perspective on coffee that I never had before. This is now one of my reference books. For those that are interested in investing in coffee either actual grounds or in futures this book is for you and for those that can go a day without the original "liquid gold" you have got to read it. At the end of the day you will appreciate that Starbuck's "venti mocha grande" just a little bit more.

Good to the last drop!

This was a fascinating book. A very good overview of coffee from it's beginnings to the present, and a real eye-opener on it's effect on world economy and politics over the centuries. I was especially interested in the sections on ecology and marketing, and found it to be very well researched and complete, yet written in a very catchy way. The illustrations and sidebar notes included fit in nicely.Perfect to accompany "un tinto", as they say in Colombia.

A Double Jolt

Superb. Hits like a double espresso. Provides everything you need to know about the history, social implications, and economics of coffee. A must read!

The best single book I've read on coffee. Outstanding!!

The Coffee Book is an invaluable source of information on coffee commerce and history. Dicum and Luttinger take you through the beginning of coffee cultivation, its growth into the second most valuable commodity traded in the world today (petroleum is number one), and a detailed chronology of the major events shaping the coffee industry. This book provides an invaluable foundation for the reader to understand where we are today in the coffee business and what may be important aspects of coffee commerce for the future. I've read many books on coffee but if I could have only one book as my primary reference, The Coffee Book would be my choice without a doubt.Michael Maxey