Art of Tea: A Journey of Ritual, Discovery, and Impact

by Steve Schwartz

Have you ever wished the world would just stop for a minute?

What if it could?

As a teenager, Steve Schwartz lived in 24/7 survival mode, going hungry whenever he couldn’t find enough work to pay for a school lunch. At the age of eighteen, he nursed his dying mother through the final stages of terminal cancer.

His mother’s death launched him on a journey to the far reaches of the world, where he discovered a passion for the ancient , calming rituals of tea.

Fascinated by the craft, he voyaged with sages and tea gurus around the globe, sourcing in far-flung fields and developing award-winning blends along the way, turning that passion into world-renowned teas.

Join Steve, the founder of Art of Tea, as he reveals the surprising true story behind its international success. Learn how he grew a tiny tea concept into partnerships with brands like Wolfgang Puck, Caesars Palace, Disney, and Vera Wang, all through the timeless ritual of tea itself—and its mysterious ability to carve small pockets of peace into modern life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Tea

218 pages, Paperback

Published April 21, 2022

Reviews

[Brian Puerto · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s nothing explicitly wrong about an American man who traveled abroad for some time subscribing to Indian alternative medicine then citing that discipline and experience in the formulation of a business product.

It’s just kind of corny but still educational in showing how someone winds up getting into wellness then cashing in on it. I suppose it’s also got tips for running your own business admittedly taken from other books.

The narration is also a little unpleasant because the depiction of his young adulthood and business ventures comes across as self-aggrandizing.

“I could have had a 6 figure gig as a Rabbi.”
“I wasn’t like other teenagers, I had to work for a living. Still, me and my buddies organized music festivals in the desert.”
“My time in Israel connected me with people I could relate to.”
“I extracted … strategies [from The Art of War] that I applied to my own work.”

I don’t doubt that he believes these statements but it feels removed from broader understanding and self awareness by a few degrees. That’s probably not deliberate but could come from being vapid.

I also lost my mother to the same illness at a similar age.
I’m irrevocably changed by the experience and the differences in how the author and I seemed to handle the trauma might color my perspectives.

I disclose that to be honest and do something the author didn’t which is offer transparency. This book is not a colorful portrait of someone’s life as a business leader.
It is blindly charging ahead singing its own praises, like the marketing arm of a business.

The book is ok but I do not recommend it for anyone I’ve ever known, 2/4 because the tea brewing advice is somewhat accurate and comprehensive.

I also got the chance to try their tea in Bogota, Colombia it’s a 1/4.

[Moni Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title of this book is a little deceptive. I thought I was going to get information about the history and art of tea. Instead it ended up being the memoir of a CEO.

[Yafet Rodriguez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Page 20 “on the one hand, New Mexico is a Home of a number of dilapidated tribal Native American compounds where alcoholism runs rampant. On the other hand, it is a land of spiritual calling where seekers and artists flock to find refuge.” I don’t know how to say this but WTF is that comment necessary for in this book. Like this really rubbed me the wrong way.

When it comes to books like these I expect a history of the product or thing they art saying is in the book not a whole life story. I understand why you wanted to go into meditation and yoga and tea and herbal. Everything else was unnecessary. Especially the quote I up put in the beginning and on top of that your whole book is about you and not TEA 🫖. Up until page 125 (which I skipped too because that’s why I wanted a tea book for) is when I started reading better and there are 202 pages. I don’t know I hated the book except for the tea info 👎🏽👎🏽

[Zac Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nothing burger of a book, I went in hoping to learn more about the history and nuances of a drink I don't myself enjoy, but while the Art of Tea does eventually get around to the specific categories of tea, their differences, and their history, this accounts for only ~20 pages of the text's functional 150 page length. The majority of the book is dedicated to telling the author's life story and puffing up the author's company, a diversion i would happily tolerate but for the fact that the prose is mediocre and has not even received full proofreading, with my hardcover copy containing multiple direct typos and punctuation errors. Thankfully, the pages were sparsely set, so I was able to complete it in only a few hours.

[Elena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I cannot say anything positive about this book, except that it is short. I will try my best not to be needlessly harsh in my review. For anyone picking it up I should clarify that the topic is not necessarily tea and rather the author's life and company. It might be more interesting for people trying to build a startup. The general impression I got was that of reading a lengthy advertisement, that I was somehow tricked into paying for. The style struck me as unpleasant. The actual tea advice is sparse. Altogether it did not speak to me in any way. If anyone has a recommendation for a good book on tea, its history, ingredients and the ritual involved, I'd be interested.

[Mary K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy tea from this company and so liked reading about the company's founding and the way they source their tea

[Keshia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely story of this man's journey to his life passion. I appreciate the details and explanations about tea that is helpful for me in starting my own journey to peace, happiness, rituals, and healthy alternatives. The following was my favorite quote:

"While I never would have chosen the tragedies of my early life, I can't change the fact that they happened. And because they did happen, I learned from them. I believe that people like me who suffer losses early in life are armed with the depth of wisdom that comes from moving forward despite pain and trauma. These people understand that they have the ability to make it out of any circumstance. They develop within them a special brand of resilience and carry that forward into every situation, every single day.

Even in pain, there are gifts. I personally believe that's how it's meant to be. I believe we human beings are a reflection of the universe, which is constantly creating and crashing into itself. Stars are colliding with other stars to create new stars, new formations, and new galaxies. We are meant to innovate, to create, to push, to build, and to celebrate the gorgeousness of this life in whatever way we feel most deeply called."
-Steve Schwartz

I would love a more detailed follow up about the process of steaming, pan-frying, drying, and resteeping teas, as I am interested in learning what I can do with other herbs that grow in my area. But it was maybe barely enough info for me to start to experiment.

I also liked the quote on page 117:
"On the one hand, we all want to be happy. On the other hand, we all know the things that make us happy, but we don't do those things. Why? Simple. We are too busy. Too busy doing what? Too busy trying to be happy." Matthew Kelly, the rhythm of life

However, I'm not sure how much I agree with him on this, because I am not fully convinced I actually know what makes me happy. Furthermore, I certainly do have too much to do before I can enjoy making a cup of tea, like the fact that every time I enter my kitchen, I've discovered my kids have completely trashed it again. It's difficult to make tea when the cupboard is blocked and the sink is full and there isn't a spare counter or a clean chair to sit on. But there are also plenty of times where I am not mindful about how I could be spending my time doing something better for my happiness than I am.

[Alivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read like a long advertisement for the author and his company. He quotes "The Art of War" and praises Apple for its innovative business decisions. He uses business jargon and catchphrases that will be out of date in ten years and seemingly worships successful CEOs. He does get one star above the minimum because there's a nice section on different types of tea - varieties, how to steep them, and what flavor notes to look for.
The recipes section felt out of joint with the rest of the book since Schwartz is into Ayurveda and disapproves of adding milk or sugar to tea, yet all of the drink recipes included sugar in the ingredient lists, making me wonder who wrote them and why they were not credited.
The cover and dust jacket do have a very nice matte texture that lured me in - Schwartz is at least a decent salesman, if a boring writer.

[Lizz Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a blend of memoir, inspirational reading, history of tea and recipe book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and learning more about the journey that brought us an amazing tea company. I have been a customer of Art of Tea since 2012 which made reading about Steve's journey even more special and insightful. I also loved reading that one of my favorite blends Art of Tea created was a mistake!

[Carla Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worthwhile Read

I like the book is broken into sections. The first is about the story of the author, his journey, and his business. I loved the second section because it was more about the specifics of tea and learning about the different varieties and how to brew it. At the end of the book are some recipes that I can’t wait to try!

[Elizabeth F · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but would have appreciated if it went into more detail everything written at least in the memoir portion feels very surface level in a way. The tea history was cool and I found it interesting, and info about prepping tea is information I already knew, but the recipes look fun to try as well.

[Shaun Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Knows Tea!

What a great book... Steve knows tea, has a passion for tea and as someone whose known him personally for years he is a truly good man... if you want to know more about how tea heals body, mind and soul this book is for you!

[Keaton Dickinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chap 7 is interesting and the rest is a CEO memoir

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads and here is my review. I enjoyed reading about the authors journey in discovering his love for tea and finally opening up his tea company. I appreciate and enjoy my cup of tea more now than I read his book.