Coffee: The Epic of a Commodity

by Heinrich Eduard Jacob

“A cup of coffee is a miracle, a wonderful assemblage of relationships”. This classic follows coffee's journey around the world, from London to Brazil, telling in fascinating detail and amusing anecdote the singular history of the legendary commodity, from its discovery that chewing on the beans were keeping goats awake in Yemen to the author’s own experiences with the bean in 1935.Referred to as a “documentary novel” back during its inception, H.E. Jacobs pioneered the concept of creative nonfiction, combining the reality of nonfiction with the epic presentation and prose of fiction. This genre exploded into popularity and remains so today. Coffee tells the story of this popular beverage in short, fun to read essays that will entertain anyone that enjoys a good, strong cup of coffee.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Food, Economics, Ebooks, Audiobook, Business

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

German and American journalist and author. Born to a Jewish family in Berlin and raised partly in Vienna, Jacob worked for two decades as a journalist and biographer before the rise to power of the Nazi Party. Interned in the late 1930s in the concentration camps at Dachau and then Buchenwald, he was released through the efforts of his future wife Dora, and emigrated to the United States. There he continued to publish books and contribute to newspapers before returning to Europe after the Second World War. Ill health, aggravated by his experiences in the camps, dogged him in later life, but he continued to publish through to the end of the 1950s. He wrote also under the pen names Henry E. Jacob and Eric Jens Petersen.

Reviews

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This isn't a book on coffee! almost no discussion on coffee until book 4 (the last few chapters) and even then it isn't the main topic. At best this is a drab book on European history (even Columbus' voyage made it in!) but if you're looking for a direct/interesting history or evolution of coffee in popularity, culture, customs, or trade THIS ISNT IT! There was more discussion on beer than coffee!

I kept waiting for interesting facts but none came. Or they were lost in historical dribble that didn't apply to the thesis or supposed topic of this book.

For example, I was bemused to learn "americano" came from war, when American soldiers, confused by espresso, diluted it with water... nothing of that sort hit here. You're better off reading Wikipedia.

I'm sorely disappointed.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heinrich Eduard Jacob was a pacifist German Jew whose work was blacklisted by the Nazis since 1933. Nevertheless, in 1935 he managed to publish Myth and the Triumphal March of Coffee, as the saga of the commodity--this is a translation of that work.

Alas, I lost interest in this quickly. It's not a history like Salt or Milk, with its straightforward tracings of the trading and sociopolitical impacts of a particular food. Instead, it seems to be a collection of stories and anecdotes about coffee, from a series of legends about how coffee was discovered in Yemen to Jacob's own stories of being in Brazil in 1931, when the state bought coffee only to destroy it, to increase the price of its own coffee shares. Many of the chapters are tangents into tobacco, Jewish thoughts on wine, Japanese poems about tea, or legends about Bacchus. A serious student, who already knows the history of the regions Jacob talks about, would probably have a great deal of fun with this book. But its poetry and poetic license is not for me--I want straight, footnoted facts.

[Sumit Gouthaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gave up midway.

The book has lots of interestinflg stories. But ultimately most of the material and writing style is far too boring for my taste.

No amount of coffee could help me get to the end of this one.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read Around the World: Germany [2]
If it had not bogged down in parts, this would have been a 4 star read. Still, it was good and I learned a lot about coffee. Amongst other things. ;-)

[Andrew Canfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coffee. A drink which has fueled productive citizens for centuries and provided an economic boost to struggling farmers around the world. A substance which has earned alternating accusations of both ridicule and acclaim from health experts since its introduction to the human palate.

Author H.E. Jacob set out to record a history of coffee’s caffeinated conquering global tide in Coffee: The Epic of a Commodity. He begins by recounting a millennia-old legend of coffee’s discovery by Islamic goat herders in Yemen. These individuals discover the ability of this new shrub to cause constant wakefulness of a sort which lasts even during the nighttime. This side effect was first observed in their charges before the herders tried coffee for themselves during an attempt to discover the root of their goats’ fountains of energy.

Given Mohammed’s prohibition against alcohol but lack of one against caffeine, the local imam found little fault with harnessing its powers to produce seemingly nonstop wakefulness. The drink quickly found favor throughout Middle Eastern capitals-earning the nickname 'wine of the Middle East' along the way-a development not always welcomed by Muslims wary of using stimulants.

Coffee’s spread to many parts of Europe was, according to Jacob, slowed by the popularity of wine and (in the case of the Germanic lands) beer. Concerned it would cut into the profits of their vineyards or beer gardens and unaccustomed to its presence in their homes, large numbers of Europeans were slow to come around to this hot drink.

The godfather of coffee’s introduction into Austria, where it gained a foothold in Vienna of the sort it would take much longer to gain in other parts of the continent, was Battle of Vienna hero Jerzy Kulczycki. The popularity of coffee houses, at first in Vienna but later in Paris and even tea-crazed London, is explained well in the book’s pages.

The Viennese would head to the coffee house three times a day; business would be done there and the most honored guests were not always the wealthiest but those with the most loyal attendance. The democratizing nature of the coffee shops in Vienna and elsewhere and the push back this earned from more reactionary elements when rebellious years like 1789 and 1848 broke out left these shops looking like the birthplaces of leveling tendencies.

The penchant of Asian nations for enjoying tea made it hard for the commodity to spread to places like India. Although it came to gain a degree of acceptance, nations on this content were set in their ways when it came to enjoying a drink which was already a provider of caffeine.

India’s efforts to excel in coffee growing were stymied after a promising start. This occurred thanks to the outbreak of crop disease which did tremendous damage to the country’s coffee industry, causing Indians to revert to their fallback: tea.

Brazil plays a major role in the latter portion of the book. Its rise as a coffee-growing superpower, with only the formerly Dutch-controlled Java (Indonesia) even visible in its rear view mirror, was not preordained. France’s abortive efforts to become a coffee planting powerhouse were badly damaged by the Santo Domingo uprising. The loss of this important coffee-growing island left Napoleon’s country looking for substitutes (hello chicory) and for a way to make up for the lack of revenue from the commodity. Alongside India's failed foray into coffee's big time, the way was clear for Brazil's rich soil to product large quantities of the world's coffee harvest.

Coffee: The Epic of A Commodity is a so-so guide to coffee's spread. H.E. Jacob's writing is a bit dry at times, and some of his racial references (the book was published in 1932) are cringe worthy nearly a century later. The frequent jumping from country to country could have been bound together more coherently; these switches are often undertaken in a manner that seems a bit random. Although coffee is the thread running through it all, the effort to tie the narrative together seemed too strained.

The book is not a complete disaster. Much can be learned about the tactics nations utilized to either increase or hold down supplies of coffee when faced by challenges like the Continental System. The focus on coffee's economic aspect of coffee--its place as a commodity in an international economic chain--is the book's strongest suit. These portions salvage a mostly slow book to the level of a somewhat readable work of nonfiction.

-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado

[Nathan Schrock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a difficult book to review because of it's unique style. As "The Epic of a Commodity", most of the book recounts the economic influence of Coffee throughout Europe in the 17th-19th centuries, and Brazil in the 20th. I hesitate to recommend it whole-heartedly to the average schmo, as a large part of it is economic history, with the thrilling narrative at a minimum. Still, Jacob details a fascinating history of coffee as a commodity, and I'm happier for having read it.
"The name “mocha” has a wonder-working influence. Arabia cannot produce nearly as much mocha as the public demands. Brazil has here come to the coffee-merchant’s aid. During the rainy season, coffee is shipped on old-style windjammers to Arabia, by the longest route, round the Cape of Good Hope. It reaches port as wet as a soaked sponge. The damp and the long voyage have spoiled its aroma. Doctored and dried under the Arabian sun, and rechristened with the money-making name of mocha, it is now shipped on steamers to be sold in the great markets of the West."

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like coffee, but I do like history. This poetically written homage to the bean was first published in German in 1935, so it contains such gems as, "It is part of the nature of coffee that it can never become the favorite beverage of women...Its effects on the brain are antagonistic to the longing for harmony and peace which is characteristic of the best of women." The history begins with coffee's start as the "wine of Islam"; attempts to abate widespread drunkenness in Europe by switching people to coffee; periods in which it was thought to cure everything; periods in which it was banned as poison; times when it became rare and pricey; when it became common and cheap; and when trading in coffee influenced national economies and history.

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally written in the 1930s, it presents a record of trade in and history of coffee as promised, from its roots in the Arab world to Europe, Brazil and the U.S. up until the 1900s. He discusses the early establishment of coffeehouses as places of socialization, places to conduct business, places to discuss politics. His writing does contain information but I found it often irritating. He redundantly characterizes the cultural influence of alcohol as "Bacchic" and that by some Christians and all of Islam, coffee was considered a tool to combat its influence ("Anti-Bacchic"). He makes liberal use of exclamations, offers a heap of odd assertions such as that "the Spanish are a strange people" and that coffee is something that is not befitting to the disposition of women. Also, i learned some classic derogatory slang for certain racial groups. In his defense, toward the end of the book he discusses the Austrian School and the concept of marginal utility.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A journey following coffee

This is a book written in the early 1930's and as such some might find difficult to read but I found great use of the kindle features.
The author begins the journey for coffee's mythical origin and follows through both Asia and Europe. He takes his time telling his story and some may find it too detailed, though I enjoyed the literary journey.
The history of coffee is as much the history of the world that drank it and throughout the book I found myself thinking "oh that's why the South drink chicory" or "so that's why it's called Venetian".
I bought the printed version for friend's in Alaska who have plenty of time in the winter to enjoy the same travel.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me forever to read this book because it was not what I expected. I was interested in a cultural and somewhat anthropological history of the role coffee has taken in various places on the globe. Instead this is mostly economic and if you aren’t interested in tariff wars between German states, or why the market can’t support the oversupply and lessening quality of Brazilian coffee, go elsewhere. I was hoping for a different attitude and I missed.

[Jim Razinha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't what I was expecting, nor did I know that it was originally published in 1935, but it was still an engaging history. More history of history than history of coffee, but still an interesting read.

[Eric Draesel · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Brutal Read

I bought this book thinking it was a thorough, yet fun history of coffee. It turns out this book is a painfully dry, historical narrative meant for 1930s historians. Painfully boring.

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I needed a pot of coffee to plow through this. Boring, arcane....

[Baobab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I was inspired to read this by reading Giorgio Riello's Cotton: The Fabric that Made the Modern World. This book is similar, but treats the commodity coffee more in a sociological, historical sense. There are many details about history (German and Austrian history in particular) from the 16th through the 19th centuries that made the book interesting, though not compelling reading for someone truly interested in coffee, as opposed to history. The book was written in the early 1930s and reflects the prejudices and perspectives of its time. The last two chapters are an extended consideration of the Brazilian policy of the early thirties that burned bumper crops of coffee beans during a time of glut on the market in order to stimulate the price. This apparently outraged many at the time, especially since so many europeans were barely able to find food (let alone coffee) to feed themselves, and would have loved to drink coffee made from those beans. The concept of destroying a commodity in order to stimulate demand must have been new and controversial at the time. The preceding chapters may well have been tacked on to the final two in order to provide a book-length publishing vehicle for them.

[John Findlay · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a person who enjoys a cup of coffee (or three) in the morning, I wanted to learn more about the history of coffee. This book satisfied that interest. It provides a history of the discovery of coffee and the manner in which it was adopted, or not adopted, in various countries. I enjoyed that portion of the book quite well, despite the writing style being infuriating in the author's penchant for flowery prose. I learned that coffee began as the "Muslim's drink", as opposed to the preference for wine in many countries that bordered on the Mediterranean, beer in Germanic countries, and tea in the British empire. There was also discussion of coffee substitutes at times when availability was scarce, and the discovery of a means of making decaffeinated coffee. And the final portion of the book gave perspective on the economics of coffee growing, and the problems with overplanting in Brazil and the resulting oversupply and prices dropping to near zero. I was less interested in this portion of the book, and found it a struggle to finish. So I would give this book a 4 on information and a 1 on readability, and compromise with an overall 2.

[Adam Irving · Rating 3 out of 5]

A stimulating curiosity

I quite enjoyed most of the first two thirds of this work. The history is fascinating. It is only in the last third, when the voice of the author really emerges, that I am reminded of how old this book is and when it was written. The racial references and stereotypes penned remind me of other travel writers of the era but that does not make them any more palatable. Even if one makes allowances for when the book was written, the terminology and blatant insertion of author into the history will be distracting to those looking for a more straightforward history.

[Studebhawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the Trail of Coffee
A tail of an epic commodity. What a tale it is. From its early beginnings in Yemen, the author takes us on the coffee trail from Arabia to Europe. The details of the growth of the coffee trade are meticulously detailed here. Interestingly, the development of coffee culture in Europe and the development of a polite cafe society provide another look into the social implications of coffee culture in Europe.
Today coffee trade has developed all around the world in areas never considered at the time of its development in Yemen. Demand for coffee has grown and it remains a valuable commodity. Coffee is one of the most dangerous commodities to purchase in certain areas of the world due to logistics and political instability. Coffee: Valuable, dangerous to grow and a pleasure to consume, that is the continuing saga of coffee.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

One should remember this was written in the 1930s and since then a lot of water has passed under the bridge, so to speak. However, this well written book benefits from having been written much closer to the time when coffee was in its European heyday, and that makes it a still-valuable source to this day.
I should also credit the translation which is brilliant, making the book read as though written in English.

[Rin The Frawg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, and didn't drag on too much. The translation from German to English was well done, using a good mix of colloquial and academic language. There were also pictures, which is a plus. The one thing that I could criticize is that this book sometimes would get into history, that while interesting, doesn't have a whole lot to do with coffee. Over all though, it felt well-planned and interesting, so it was definitely worth the read.

[Diego Vasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about coffee, what more can be said

A fascinating and insightful historical look into my favorite beverage: coffee. Not dull or boring like some cup of tea but a real wake me up into the beginnings and the significance of this aromatic drink which has help shape culture and economies.

[Biljana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is very much a book about a commodity. Though interesting and very well-researched, I found it a boring read at times and that the author just droned on about things that had nothing to do with coffee. I expected something else from the book, but that is my own fault; I didn’t take its title literally.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading about caffeine as a November reading challenge. This book was published originally in the 1930s and reads as one would expect. The author complains of the difficulty of writing about economic history - I would say that this is an apt complaint; the religious stories and stories of personality were interesting but the book became very dull when discussing trade relations.

[Anne Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so slow. The first two chapters I really enjoyed and then things took a turn. It was not really about coffee until book 4 and by then, I was so impatient. It was a lot about beer and not enough about coffee. I learned a few things but I feel like this could have been pared down significantly and would have been more entertaining.

[Leonard Gladden · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic story told in grandiose style.

I love coffee. I love stories told by master storytellers. This book is both! His vocabulary is prodigious and his enthusiasm undeniable. Grab a cup and learn how it came to you from the distant past....

[Sekhar N Banerjee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too long for the topic

There is good material in the book, but it has been made unreadable by describing an inordinate amount of history, which to me appeared unnecessary or else could be described much simpler and direct way.

No I did not like the book

[Nick Harriss · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book, first published in 1935. I particular enjoyed that later chapters, which gave a fascinating coverage of the Brazilian economy, then largely dependent on coffee production, covering the 100+ years from the Napoleonic Wars to the Great Depression.

[Mitra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A scholarly slow paced book. A lot of information packed in the book that was written in the late 1930s. As a result it is a little old fashioned writing or perhaps it is because of the translation but the earlier anecdotes and the way coffee drinking spread is fascinating.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the raw fruit to the roasted beans, and how it became so beloved and universal - a great read with your favourite coffee brew...

[Reuben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting chapters here but also several extremely dry chapters about trade wars.

[KC Comal · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a strange, dated book! Lots of dated sexist and racist stereotypes mixed with anecdotes and a lot of economic and social history of coffee!