Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee - Mark Pendergrast

Written by Mark Pendergrast
Read by Matthew Boston
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World

Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc.
Release date: August 14, 2018
Duration: 17:03:44

Uncommon Grounds tells the story of coffee from its discovery on a hill in ancient Abyssinia to the advent of Starbucks. In this updated edition of the classic work, Mark Pendergrast reviews the dramatic changes in coffee culture over the past decade, from the disastrous “Coffee Crisis” that caused global prices to plummet to the rise of the Fair Trade movement and the “third-wave” of quality-obsessed coffee connoisseurs. As the scope of coffee culture continues to expand, Uncommon Grounds remains more than ever a brilliantly entertaining guide to the currents of one of the world’s favorite beverages.

“Jonathan Marosz’s deep, determined voice flows smoothly through a well-researched history, which is peppered with enough trivia to make it enlightening and memorable. However, he stumbles with the abundant Spanish words, names, and places from Central and South America, losing any opportunity for cultural authenticity. The effect of coffee on slavery, politics, war, economy, crime, and disease will convince even the most doubtful of the importance of knowing more about the addictive stimulant once advertised as “good to the last drop.” —AudioFile