A lovely piece of historical fiction, set in England. This book, beginning in 1895, also takes us to Africa and Brazil. It is about a young dandy named Robert Wallis who wishes to be a poet but manages spend most of his time, and all of his money, drinking and misbehaving. Suffering a terrible lack of funds he accepts a position with Samuel Pinker, categorising the different flavours of coffee. He falls in love with one of Pinker's three daughters and is sent to Africa where he becomes obsessed with a beautiful slave.
The descriptions of the aromas and tastes of coffee are fascinating and the historical and business details are also very interesting. It is easy to forget the hardships women went through to get the right to vote. A book filled with wonderful characters.
You can borrow The Various Flavours of Coffee from Wagga City Library or reserve it here.
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