Coffee books that I keep coming back to
These are coffee books that I gravitate to regularly. Apart from containing lots of great information and advice, they contain stories about people and places that I’ve come to know and care deeply about. I hope you enjoy.
What I Know About Running Coffee Shops by Colin Harmon
Four time Irish Barista Champion and owner of 3fe in Dublin, writes about his experience in building a coffee company and roastery. The book is filled with stories, guidelines and realistic advices for people who view the coffee shop business with romanticism.
Although the book is pretty business heavy, any reader who has ever dreamed about opening a coffee shop will enjoy reading the book and get a healthy dose of reality.
Nice Coffee Time by Liz Clayton
Liz has been observing and taking photos of coffee people for a long time. In this book she travels the world to “connect the personal and social aspects of coffee, and the inextricably human influences on those experiences, across as broad range of land as [she] could easily travel in a few months.”
With each photo there is a sense of place. She visits people in their kitchens and takes photos of them making coffee, noticing the differences and similarities in the way we all live.
New York City Coffee – A Caffeinated History by Erin Meister
A great overview of the coffee culture in New York, focusing on nineteenth century forward. Meister is an amazing storyteller and this book feels like reading New York’s history itself; it’s hard to imagine New York becoming the city it is now without coffee. Or, as Meister writes herself: “If we wanted things to be easy, […], we’d live somewhere else—and certainly we’d drink something else. What we love, what we live for and what makes us real coffee-loving New Yorkers, however, is the thrill of the thing, the challenge that sweetens the reward.”
The Infinite Emotions of Coffee by Alon Halevy
This is such a fun book to read. For someone not working in coffee, it’s a great introduction and celebration of coffee culture.
At the time of writing, Alon was the leader of the Database Research Group at Google. Due to extensive travels, he was able to explore the many cultural aspects of coffee. With the added help of social media, the world of coffee experts opened to him. By interviewing some of the most influential growers, importers, roasters and baristas of today, he writes a collection of vignettes that is beyond compare in coffee literature.
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed Our World by Mark Pendergrast
The book is very detail heavy so I don’t recommend reading it in one sitting, but rather pick a random chapter and immerse yourself in coffee history. I can’t think of any other book that covers coffee with the same historical depth – especially in regards to the economic and political aspect of coffee.
Coffee – Philosophy for Everyone: Grounds for Debate edited by Scott F. Parker and Michael W. Austin
A series of essays where coffee is viewed through the lens of philosophy’s four areas: metaphysics, culture, aesthetics and ethics. Essays range from practical advice on how to appreciate the substance and nuances of coffee to the ethics of coffee trade, the aesthetics of coffee and the sense of community that the coffee house brings.