The World of Caffeine

"This book is not about drug addiction, the preparation of gourmet beverages, psychology, religion, social classes, international trade, or love, art, or beauty. But, in telling the story of the natural and cultural history of caffeine, it necessarily encompasses all of these topics and many aspects of the human condition, fully considering the health impact of caffeine, and also taking an engaging tour of the fascinating cultural history of the drug that - through the agency of some of their favorite beverages - has captivated men and women, young and old, rich and poor in virtually every society on earth.". "The World of Caffeine is the first natural, cultural, and social history of our favorite mood enhancer - how it was discovered, its early uses, and the unexpected parts it has played in medicine, botany, painting, poetry, learning, and love. Weinberg and Bealer tell an intriguing story of a remarkable substance that has figured prominently in the exchanges of trade and intelligence that constitute the history and intercourse of nations. Its most common sources, coffee, tea, and chocolate, have been both promoted as productive of health and creativity and banned as corrupters of the body and mind or subverters of social order." "This is a tale of art and society - from India to Balzac to cybercafes - and the ultimate caffeine resource."--BOOK JACKET.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Self-Help, Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.