Uncommon Grounds: The History Of Coffee And How It Transformed Our World (1999) - Plot & Excerpts
This book is about the business of coffee, primarily coffee roasting, in the United States, from the second half of the nineteenth century on. Wish I hadn't wasted so much time realizing that this was the case. There are a few interesting chapters on early coffee consumption and on cultivation, then it's just backstabbing businessmen and marketing. That makes it sound more interesting than it deserves to. I rarely rated a book less than three stars but I made an exception for this book. The title, 'Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed our World', is totally misleading, not to say deceiving. It is better phrased as 'A History of Cheap Brands of Coffee in the United States of America'. I read this book with the expectation that coffee, as a healthily addictive drink, can unite people of different nationalities with its unique culture. What Mark Pendergrast wrote instead was the coffee of history within America. Perhaps it was not his fault after all but the faults of the hopeless publisher making a totally misplaced title.
What do You think about Uncommon Grounds: The History Of Coffee And How It Transformed Our World (1999)?
It was hard to get into at first but it turned out to be fascinating.....and I DO love my coffee!!!
—nickbutl
Started out good, but got too boring for me to finish. I guess I'm not a huge fan of non fiction.
—Miranda
