Empire of tea

Markman Ellis,

Richard Coulton and Matthew Mauger

This book offers a rich cultural history of tea, from its origins in China to its arrival in London and subsequent spread around the world. The authors, all scholars whose work concentrates on the eighteenth century, tell colourful stories about the leaf—of poets’ enchantment with it, and scientists’ struggles to understand its medicinal properties. They also explore tea’s darker side, including the conflicts and controversies it has fuelled, such as the Boston Tea Party and the First Opium War.

Speaking Tiger, 328 pages, Rs 499