I am a new convert ot the world of tea and would like to expand my knowlege concerning this wonderful beverage. I have done a bit of research into books available concerning the history of tea and the different varieties. One in particular I came across on line was, The Tea Companion. It looks like a good book but unfortunately is out of print and a bit hard to find. Anyhow I am posting to see what books you good people would recomend as a good general text. Also, does anyone happen to know where a copy of the aforementioned book might be gotten?
I have an extra (new and unread) copy of Jane Pettigrew's THE TEA COMPANION that I was saving for my granddaughter, but seeing as she's more interested in motorcycles (!) and guitars these days than she is in teas, I'd be willing to sell my copy to a tea-loving bibliophile (or book-loving amator theae :-).
Drop me an email and make me an offer if you're interested.
-- Boppa D.
P.S. I'm not a dealer of any kind, but I can accept PayPal transfers/payments.
If you haven't read the rec.food.drink.tea FAQ, read it:
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the page the FAQ's on, has many fun links.
For an all-around general steeping on teas, I'd go with James Norwood Pratt. His "New Tea Lover's Treasury" is availible from most online booksellers, as well as several tea companies. The nearly identical "Tea Lover's Treasury" might be availible used (it's OOP). Some people prefer the old one over the new. Highly reccomended.
BTW, for used books, a *VERY* good search tool is
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Not bad for new ones, either.
Kit Chow and Ione Kramer's "All the Tea in China" is a good synopsis of Chinese tea, though in some places the passage of time has made some information outdated and nearly laughable (e.g., their assertion that pu-erh is just a highly fermented Oolong). However, most information is good, and their list description of 50 famous Chinese teas is unique in my experience, and has provided me with many a night of fascinating reading. These can be obscure teas. Good culture and history sections, too.
David Lee Hoffman's (few) articles are really fascinating, though not at all your tea basics. One can read them at
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Also, these articles are included with the Silk Road Teas catalog, which you can request by calling (415) 488-9017 (Hoffman has no web site).
A good website for Chinese tea and tea culture is
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"Kam" is the guy that made the site, and also sells Chinese stuff (including tea) at Funalliance.com. His English is not perfect, and his way of referring to himself in the third person can be disconcerting. Nice guy, though. Unique perspective, and some information I've never seen elswhere.
Okakura Kakuzo's "The Book of Tea" is a fun Japanese work on the subject. There are a million editions in print, but it's availible online (free of charge) at
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That's part of Kai Birger Nielsen's tea page
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which has all sorts of fun info on it.
A slim, witty, Eurocentric, and opinionated volume is Malachai McCormick's "A Decent cup of Tea". If you see it at a library, read it, but I can't honestly say it would be worth the money to buy (although his polemic against tea bags is really entertaining).
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