AUTHOR - GORDON KERR
PUBLISHED BY - OLDCASTLE BOOKS
From the Boston Tea Party to the French Revolution, from business meetings to first dates, the humble bean has been the beverage of choice to accompany momentous and everyday events for hundreds of years. Gordon Kerr traces its history from its earliest appearance up to the present day..
The drink we know and love today dates back to prehistoric Ethiopia but was first mentioned in print in the 10th century, when an Arab physician discovered that it “fortifies the members…and gives an excellent smell to all the body.” And apparently the Prophet Muhammad could “unhorse forty men and possess forty women” after drinking an early form of coffee. Not exactly the kind of behaviour one is used to seeing in Costa, but anyone who has enjoyed a cup of black coffee first thing in the morning knows where he was coming from. Facts like this abound in this excellent book by Gordon Kerr. Comfy sofas in coffee shops? Introduced by two Syrian coffee-house owners in the 16th century.
Kerr also explores the darker side of coffee’s history, as its cultivation has often involved slave labour. The sections on this will shock you, especially when we are told that slave labour persists in some coffee-producing countries to this day.
Coffee has also caused religious turmoil. In 16th century Cairo, when a preacher declared that coffee drinkers were not true followers of Muhammad it caused a riot, with worshippers attacking and burning a coffee house to the ground.
Coffee has also played a significant role in the cultural history of Europe, and Kerr explores its growth in countries such as France, Germany and especially, as you’d expect, Italy. A chapter is also devoted to coffee’s impact on the Americas.
The book is peppered with quotes from historical figures on encountering the miraculous drink. King Charles II, concerned about London coffee houses being used to spread gossip and “fake news”, sought to suppress them and coffee itself. He didn’t succeed.
Gordon Kerr’s book is a well-written, meticulously researched, funny and thought-provoking history of our favourite beverage, with an astounding fact on every page, and is recommended reading for coffee lovers everywhere.
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