For All the Tea in China
Books | History / Europe / Great Britain / General
3.9
Sarah Rose
A dramatic historical narrative of the man who stole the secret of tea from China In 1848, the British East India Company, having lost its monopoly on the tea trade, engaged Robert Fortune, a Scottish gardener, botanist, and plant hunter, to make a clandestine trip into the interior of China—territory forbidden to foreigners—to steal the closely guarded secrets of tea horticulture and manufacturing. For All the Tea in China is the remarkable account of Fortune's journeys into China—a thrilling narrative that combines history, geography, botany, natural science, and old-fashioned adventure. Disguised in Mandarin robes, Fortune ventured deep into the country, confronting pirates, hostile climate, and his own untrustworthy men as he made his way to the epicenter of tea production, the remote Wu Yi Shan hills. One of the most daring acts of corporate espionage in history, Fortune's pursuit of China's ancient secret makes for a classic nineteenth-century adventure tale, one in which the fate of empires hinges on the feats of one extraordinary man.
Buy now:
More Details:
Author
Sarah Rose
Pages
272
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2010-03-18
ISBN
1101190019 9781101190012
Community ReviewsSee all
"This took me some time to get through, but through it I have learned so much. If one is looking for a detailed and unique insite on the history of tea, this work of nonfiction is the one. Over 500 books & documents were consulted in the publication of this project.
Rose’s use of imagery, historical context, and excerpts put you in the action of what I can describe as the greatest theft in history."
Addy Green
Similar Books
3.9
4.4
3.5
4.4
3.8
4.2
2
5
5