Green Gold : The Empire of Tea

Tea is more than just a drink. Over the last two thousand years this humble camellia tree bas grown into one of the most powerful social and economic forces known to man. With the exception of water, human beings consume more tea than any other substance on the planet. How did this simple leaf, first taken as an infusion by remote tribesmen, colonise China, Japan and then successfully conquer the rest of the world? Why did a wild plant from the Eastern Himalayas become so universally desired? Green Gold is the unique story of arguably the most important plant on this planet and its simultaneously tragic and liberating effect on the history of mankind. 'Evocatively illustrated throughout, this book celebrates the contribution of tea, part aiid prcsent, to civilized existence. Fascinating reading' GOOD BOOK GUIDE 'Full of in teresting facts and figures as well as being agreat story...so stick the kettle on, make yourself a cuppa and seule down for agood read' THE SCOTSMAN