The Empire of Tea : The Remarkable History of the Plant That Took Over the World

Regular price
Unit price
per
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

The Empire of Tea : The Remarkable History of the Plant That Took Over the World

Regular price
Unit price
per
Condition guide

Save 10% On This Item as a Thryft Club Member

Join Thryft Club for S$30/year and enjoy 10% off everything, plus S$10 off your first order. Join now →

ISBN: 9781590201756
Publisher: Abrams Press
Date of Publication: 2009-02-24
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: History, Sociology
Goodreads rating: 3.21
(rated by 301 readers)

Description

From Darjeeling to Lapsang Souchon, from India to Japan-a fresh, concise, world-encompassing exploration of the way tea has shaped politics, culture, and the environment throughout history. From the fourth century BC in China, where it was used as an aid in Buddhist meditation, to the Boston Tea Party in 1773, to its present-day role as the most consumed substance on the planet, the humble Camellia plant has had profound effects on civilization. Renowned cultural anthropologist Alan MacFarlane and Iris MacFarlane recount the history of tea from its origin in the eastern Himalayas and explains, among other things, how tea became the world's most prevalent addiction, how tea was used as an instrument of imperial control, and how the cultivation of tea drove the industrial revolution. Both an absorbing narrative and a fascinating tour of some of the world's great cultures-Japan, China, India, France, the Britain, and others-The Empire of Tea brings into sharp focus one of the forces that shaped history.
 

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.