Can you handle mornings without a brew? No? Multiply that. Imagine an entire population under a cloud of lethargy, unable to kick start their days. Now introduce coffee. Bingo. The brain moves into over-drive and it's time for empire building. So goes Stewart Lee Allen's crazy theory. Only thing is, after retracing coffee's journey to world domination - by train, rickshaw, cargo freighter and donkey - he has plenty of evidence to back it up. Stewart Lee Allen has filtered out the richest beans from coffee's hot and frothy history . . . serving up a steamy, high-energy brew that will stimulate you more than a triple-strength espresso. As they might say in Starbucks: 'Enjoy.'
Devil's Cup
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* this is lively, interesting stuff, laced with dry wit and canny observations. Scotland on Sunday * Stewart Lee Allen certainly delivers ... he cuts a caffeine-fuelled arc that runs from coffee's Ethiopian origins, through its Arabian distillation, across its European domestication, before terminating in a cross-country search for the worst cup of American coffee ... a funny book that takes some funny routes. The Independent * Two parts travelogue and history to one part caffeine-fuelled theory ... From the genteel cafes of Vienna to wired, late night email conversations on the internet, the book celebrates coffee's ability to sharpen the mind and give society a jolt. Not just mocha do about nothing. The Face * I loved this informal bio of the humble cup of joe... Allen's funky history provides the answer and sets the standard. Sunday Herald
From the Back Cover
'Two parts travelogue and history to one part caffeine-fuelled theory ... From the genteel cafes of Vienna to wired, late night email conversations on the internet, the book celebrates coffee's ability to sharpen the mind and give society a jolt. Not just mocha do about nothing.' The Face
Coffeepot give us peace / coffeepot let children grow / let our wealth swell / please protect us from evils / give us rain and grass Ethiopian Prayer
Magic cup / carry me above the traffic jam. Keep me civil in the subway / And forgive my employer, as you forgive me. Amen A Western Prayer
Stewart Lee Allen makes the very convincing argument that civilisation is largely based on coffee drinking (or chewing). Until the art of coffee guzzling arrived in the great cities, the only way to quench a thirst was to drink ale, which is hardly the best method for keeping rational, and beery philosophy is rarely watertight in the sober light of day, whereas caffeinated, over analytical thought, makes serious progress.
Allen traces the development of world wide coffee consumption by travelling to all the places of historical significance, for this particular subject. Starting in Ethiopia, continuing through Northern Africa, over to Asia, becoming involved in art smuggling and illegal passport wrangling, and off to Europe. There he covers revolutions and enlightenment. And then finally to America, in search for the most soulful coffee he can find.
Repeatedly likened to a caffeing fuelled Gonzo, this story is both incredibly funny as well as thoroughly educational.
Stewart Lee Allen was born in California, and has lived in Kathmandu, Sydney, Brooklyn and Calcutta. A widely published journalist he is also the author of an acclaimed collection of stories, The Art of Rape.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This books falls badly between two stools. As a history of coffee's spread through the world and its effects on society it offers little more than a few potted histories. As a road trip memoir it also offers little beyond the author's clumsy attempts to smuggle forged art out of India and his wanderings round East Africa.
The final section, where the author and his companion attempt a road trip across America is the final insult to the reader. We learn little from this except not to mix ephedrine and caffeine. Finally, the book's conclusion is abrupt and feels as though the author had simply run out of ideas.
If you want to learn about the history of coffee you will learn more from Wikipedia. If you want a road trip memoir then Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is still to be bettered.
The final section, where the author and his companion attempt a road trip across America is the final insult to the reader. We learn little from this except not to mix ephedrine and caffeine. Finally, the book's conclusion is abrupt and feels as though the author had simply run out of ideas.
If you want to learn about the history of coffee you will learn more from Wikipedia. If you want a road trip memoir then Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is still to be bettered.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By "ruthmaxey"
Format:Paperback
A great read, particularly in its sections on Africa (the place about which Stewart Lee Allen is most respectful and passionate) and its pivotal role in the history of coffee. Allen is entertaining, adventurous, fun-loving, and never takes himself too seriously. Although I disagree with his claim that a certain global coffee chain serves good coffee and although some sections work better than others - Allen seems to be running out of steam towards the end, as though his mission has exhausted even him - and although the editing of the text could be better at times... these are essentially small niggles in what is a five-star read. I learned a lot from this book, which made me want to drink even more coffee than I do already, and I would entirely agree with the chef and writer Anthony Bourdain that reading it is a "riveting" experience. Would make a lovely present for anyone who loves coffee.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Mr Lee Allen's "The Devil's Cup" is as satisfying as the brew it celebrates. At once both intoxicating with heady drama and hi-jinx in pursuit of the holy grail of the 'mugga joe' and stimulating with a fascinating account of coffee's journey from Ethiopia to Adrien, Texas. Lee Allen's crusade (and I mean this in the religious sense) is testament to coffee's significance across cultures, time zones and history. From its use as a stimulant of spiritual fervour to its role in enlightening modern thought and philosophy , Lee Allen ensures that the next espresso to infiltrate my blood-brain barrier will be infused the meaning of its significance since time god knows when.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hot stuff
This book is the one to buy if you're looking for a detailed examination of coffee and it's stimulating influence on society. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Truman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most interesting book I have read in a long time.
I had never heard of this book before and as I was looking for something to read, my girlfriend suggested to read this "coffee book", which she had received as a present at some... Read more
Published on 9 July 2009 by Henri Pauli Mikael Welling
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent read for fans of good travel literature and coffee
If you love coffee, then you will be interested in reading this funny, informative,entertaining book. Read more
Published on 31 Oct 2003 by Milena T. Zlatarova
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