A Thirst for Empire

In Erika Rappaport's big, beautifully illustrated book, we have the first global history of how tea became a universal beverage. Rappaport accomplishes this feat by circling the world created by British imperialism, connecting tea pickers, plantation owners, traders, retail shop owners, chain stores, teetotalers, workers on their breaks, and ladies that lunch. Exploring the tea leaf's transformation from plant to drink, Rappaport tells a rigorous, vivid story of the workings of modern capitalism. - Victoria de Grazia, Columbia University