For All the Tea in China
How England Stole the World's Favorite Drink and Changed History
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4.1 • 55 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
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.
Customer Reviews
For all the tea in china
A good and exciting read on the summarized tale of fortune and how tea shaped British east India company and how the British helped shape the perspective of tea and how it came to India
A fast read
History, travel, industrial espionage and a dash of science-- I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Jack Sparrow, eat your heart out...
This was amazing. Very educational and very fun, with adventure, disguises, technological advancements, gunplay, pathetic local help, and the object of desire...tea!