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For All the Tea in China
For All the Tea in China: How England Stole the World's Favorite Drink and Changed History | Sarah Rose
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 Chinaterritory forbidden to foreignersto 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 Chinaa 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.
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Smarkies
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Pickpick

Gives a good overview of how the British via Robert Fortune managed to obtain the valuable tea seedlings from the wuyi mountains in China to improve on the tea plantations in their other territories and therefore eat into the Chinese monopoly on good tea.

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marleed
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Pickpick

This beautiful little NF book was a Christmas gift. It‘s a piece of 1800‘s English/Chinese/Indian history made more interesting if one is like me and drinks hot tea, all day, everyday. There‘s a couple quirky things in the writing, but overall I learned a lot about The East India Company, Robert Fortune and his part in moving the tea trade from China to India.

Sharpeipup I really enjoyed it! 4y
74 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Amiable
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Feeling inspired to brew up a cuppa after reading this book.

68 likes1 comment
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Amiable
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Pickpick

Completed for the “something from another country” category—and to complete the board for #nonfiction2019! Subtitled “How England Stole the World‘s Favorite Drink and Changed History,” it‘s a quick read about the East India Company‘s successful plan to infiltrate China‘s tea industry.

@Riveted_Reader_Melissa

mreads Congratulations 👍👏👏 5y
Amiable @mreads Thanks! You‘re getting close too, right? 5y
mreads @Amiable yes just 5 more and I've got them all planned 5y
See All 9 Comments
Amiable @mreads Excellent! It took me a while to finish because I couldn‘t decide on this last category. 5y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Great job!! ♥️👏🏻🎉📚 5y
Amiable @BarbaraTheBibliophage Thank you! I have to admit it‘s not that much of an accomplishment, really —I love nonfiction and about 50% of what I read each year falls into this genre. So I didn‘t really have to do anything different in my reading life to complete this challenge! I just read what I wanted. 😀 5y
kspenmoll Congrats!!!🙌🏻🙌🏻🎉🎉 5y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Wonderful! Great job! Now what will you do with the rest of your year. 😂 5y
Amiable @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Keep reading nonfiction! I just started a book about Ebola. 😀 5y
53 likes9 comments
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Sharpeipup
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Figured it was appropriate to start this one during my evening cuppa.
#bookandtea

25 likes3 stack adds
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umbrellagirl
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Stuck at Toronto airport with multiple delays. Too stressed to read. Let‘s play! My answer depends on the tea, but I‘m going to choose 5a. #perfectcuppa @mrsmarch

PS read the tagged book 👍🏻

TrishB D4 6y
mrsmarch My parents were in the air halfway to Florida and realized they didn‘t have keys to the condo! Luckily my niece is at college in Orlando at UCF and has keys to lend. 🤞🏻 So we had to coordinate across states and generations. 6y
LeahBergen D6. No milk but a little sugar (in regular old black teas 😄). 6y
CarolynM I'm with you🙂👍 6y
62 likes5 comments
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ravenlee
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Pickpick

Pick with reservations. The information is fascinating, and the story of Robert Fortune‘s work to bring tea plants and industry to India is interesting.

But the style is disruptive to the story. I charge the author with gross abuse of a thesaurus. Also, the discrepancies I noted in an earlier post were very distracting. And lack of dates (some are unknown, but some are simply omitted) and sudden jumps make sections confusing.

ravenlee First book completed for #24B4Monday and just over four hours. @Andrew65 @TheReadingMermaid 6y
Andrew65 Well done 👍😊👏 6y
30 likes2 comments
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ravenlee
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While I‘m finding this book very interesting and enjoying the information, there are stylistic and editing things that are driving me bonkers. Inconsistencies in naming companies (is it Dent, Beale, and Co or just Dent and Co?), explaining background for the same person multiple times or not the first time he‘s mentioned, etc. Then there‘s this - pretty sure we‘re just talking direction, rather than “the West.” It‘s distracting.

Crazeedi I hate when this happens 6y
21 likes1 comment
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ravenlee
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“What the world has sought when it sips a cup of tea is a mild effect, a high with neither lift nor letdown, a calming alertness, a drink of moods.”

Man, I miss real tea. I had to give up caffeine years ago, and now I can barely stand even a decaf black tea. This book makes me so wistful.

Redwritinghood Had to give up tea?! 😱😱 You‘re stronger than I am. Not sure I could do it. 6y
14 likes1 comment
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ravenlee
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It‘s time for #24B4Monday, and I‘m raring to go! I hope to finish the tagged book, then it‘s Polaris Rising (been waiting over a year!), HP, Mercy, Nancy, and make a little progress in the Rand. Some Sherlock Holmes for palate cleansing quick reads. No Black History Month tie-ins, as I finished March to get it back to the library.

Apparently I can‘t tag anyone. Is Litsy acting up for anyone else today?

ravenlee @andrew65 @TheReadingMermaid so I CAN tag in comments? Anyway, I‘m in! 6y
Andrew65 Yes you can tag in comments and great to have you with us. 😊👍👏 6y
readinginthedark I've had a few issues with Litsy today, too. Maybe it's just heightened activity? 6y
ravenlee @readinginthedark I know a few people had troubles with the last update, but mine started a day or two after I updated. I tried reinstalling the app, maybe that will help. Bad Litsy! Disrupting my day with your weird tics. 6y
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ravenlee
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Well, that‘s certainly one way of dealing with it. I guess you could say the British were full of...night soil.

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ravenlee
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Botanists as swashbucklers...interesting.

BibliOphelia Tagged book has a semi-maniacal swashbuckling botanist, and led me to other articles on botanists as flower-pirates, adventurers and mercenaries out for fame, money, or simply the love of the flower. Definitely a slightly crazy bunch! 6y
ravenlee @BibliOphelia I‘m picturing Indiana Jones “liberating” plant specimens! 6y
BibliOphelia Yes! 😁😂 6y
23 likes3 comments
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ravenlee
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Up next. Darn library, always tempting me away from my own books.

Coffeedaily Just doing it‘s job! 6y
22 likes1 comment
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Lreads
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Thank you for the chance to try Harney teas! I love tea but have never been able to try any from Harney. I'm always on the lookout for new teas to try but I avoid anything lemon, mint, or containing nuts. I love Bigelow's French Vanilla black tea! @umbrellagirl #harneyteagiveaway

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LitsyHappenings
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Repost for @umbrellagirl (cpl more days!):
I've seen kindred spirits posting about Harney: They are a local business & my favourite tea.

I'd love to share some tea so I am hosting a giveaway. You won‘t get my actual tea, but I‘ll pick one just for you.

To enter: between now & 24th Dec, repost this photo, tag me, use the hashtag, & tell me have you tried any of their teas? What tea do you like? Continental US only. #harneyteagiveaway #giveaway

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Bklover
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#Harneyteagiveaway
@umbrellagirl is hosting a tea giveaway! I have tried Harney & Sons teas and they are wonderful! I‘ve tried a lot of the cinnamon teas, but would love to try something with the chocolate or black currant or Jane‘s tea. They all sound amazing! Thanks for this giveaway- it‘s wonderful!

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Kshakal
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This sounds so fun @umbrellagirl !! Thanks for doing this! I have never tried there but I love trying all sorts of new tea! I like all teas except green tea...just not a fan of that! #harneyteagiveaway

umbrellagirl Thanks for entering 💙☕️ 6y
21 likes1 comment
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BookNerd9906
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Thanks to @umbrellagirl for her super sweet giveaway. HT it‘s my favorite! Hot Cinnamon Spice is my favorite flavor pictured, but I‘ve never tried chocolate coconut or chocolate mint. I‘m intrigued. #harneyteagiveaway

umbrellagirl Thanks for entering 💙☕️ 6y
BookNerd9906 @umbrellagirl thanks for hosting! 6y
30 likes2 comments
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CoffeeNBooks
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Thanks @umbrellagirl for the chance to win in this great #harneyteagiveaway!! Hot Cinnamon Spice is my favorite, but I love all kinds of tea! 🍵

umbrellagirl Hot cinnamon is great for this time of year. ☕️💙 6y
NoConcernsForCarol The green tea with coconut is nice They sold a really good roobios a few years ago and they also sell a really good vanilla decaf tea and the tins themselves also make for nifty vases Which is how I first got introduced to this tea I received a plant in one of their pretty tins and then i got curious about the tea and tried a couple kinds I‘ve liked all the ones I‘ve tried so far 6y
CoffeeNBooks @NoConcernsForCarol Cool! I'll have to try those flavors! 6y
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NoConcernsForCarol @CoffeeNBooks I‘m going to have to try a lot of the ones I see in this post thanks for posting this pic that shows so many cool varieties looks like I have some shopping to do soon to stock up on some tea. 6y
nibech I bet the black currant is good! How do I enter the giveaway??!! I love tea!!! 6y
CoffeeNBooks @nibech Check out the original post on @umbrellagirl's page for the details! 🙂 6y
62 likes6 comments
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TheBookAddict
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@umbrellagirl thanks for hosting the #harneyteagiveaway!

I have not tried their teas, but I do enjoy tea. I usually like to get lemon grass tea, green tea, and chai tea. Which tea is your favorite?

EH2018 Hot Spice cinnamon is amazing! 6y
umbrellagirl The Soho is at the top of my list just now, but that changes depending on my mood. Thanks for entering! 6y
TheBookAddict @EH2018 @umbrellagirl those two sound amazing! 6y
33 likes3 comments
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Reecaspieces
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@umbrellagirl thank you so much for hosting this giveaway. I love Tea and have never tried Harney and Sons. I am looking for a new place to buy tea and all of these look fantastic! #harneyteagiveaway

umbrellagirl Thanks for entering ☕️💙 6y
Reecaspieces @umbrellagirl thanks for hosting this giveaway! 6y
64 likes2 comments
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umbrellagirl
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I have seen a few kindred spirits posting about Harney tea. They are a local business and my favourite tea.

I would love to share some tea so I am hosting a giveaway. Don‘t worry, you won‘t get my actual tea, but I‘ll pick one just for you.

To enter: between now and 24th Dec, repost this photo, tag me, use the hashtag, and tell me have you tried any of their teas? What tea do you like? Continental US only. #harneyteagiveaway #giveaway

Tove_Reads Those sound fab! I am a tea nerd, well herbal tea nerd. I grow my own mints and choc mint is my fave! 6y
AmyG Thank you! 6y
umbrellagirl @Tove_Reads They have so many great varieties. Soho is my current love. 6y
See All 22 Comments
LeahBergen A friend recently gave me a tin of Pumpkin Spice and it‘s quite lovely (I‘m not usually the biggest rooibos fan). I‘ll have to try some of their black teas. Which are your faves? 6y
umbrellagirl @LeahBergen Soho is the best. Paris is always good. It‘s a lighter flavor. I‘m really enjoying the cinnamon spice with the cold weather and holidays coming. 6y
LazyDays This is a nice collection. I LOVE the tins!😍 6y
LapReader I‘m in Australia 😭 6y
umbrellagirl @LapReader I‘m sorry! They don‘t have international shipping rates on the website. ☹️ 6y
umbrellagirl @LazyDays Thank you. I do too! 6y
Whimsical.Curiosity Oh yeah!! All tea all day 😊 6y
umbrellagirl @Whimsical.Curiosity same! ☕️💙 6y
Samplergal I‘m totally a Earl Grey gal, but that chocolate mint is also wonderful! I‘d be so happy with any. ❤️❤️❤️ 6y
mcipher Yay! Excited about this one. Thanks for the giveaway!! ♥️ 6y
umbrellagirl @Samplergal they are all good! 6y
umbrellagirl @mcipher you are most welcome. I get to support a local business, share something that I love, and maybe brighten someone‘s day. We all win 💙 6y
Samplergal @umbrellagirl so nice. Comforting tea. Life is hard these days and tea makes it better. 6y
Cinfhen Such an awesome giveaway!!! Love this idea!!! 6y
umbrellagirl @Cinfhen Thanks! It isn‘t book-related but we could all do with a good cuppa. 6y
Cinfhen Amen to that 🙏🏻I love the spicy cinnamon tea!!! #Fireball ☄️☄️☄️ 6y
Wonderwoman89 OMG!! Seriously? This is my favorite tea. Definitely doing this giveaway. This is on my Christmas list 6y
umbrellagirl @Wonderwoman89 I haven‘t yet had one I didn‘t like. 💙☕️ 6y
84 likes22 comments
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Daisey
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1. Daisy, I know it's a bit obvious but it is my favorite.
2. Cucumber & tomato
3. Yes, I have a small garden of my own with tomatoes & peppers, and I help with the larger ones of family members. I also have a handful of house plants.
4. Tagged book is all about tea and how the British stole Chinese tea plants to start their own plantations in India. I also really enjoyed The Drunken Botanist which I've already seen mentioned.

#GardenParty

REPollock Your recommendation of the tea book is ❤️ 6y
45 likes1 stack add1 comment
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umbrellagirl
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1. Tea bags as I cannot find my infuser
2. Bring on the caffeine
3. Ordinary Tetley, Earl Grey, Harney & Son Paris
4. Anything with mint or strange flavours

#muglove #teaquestions

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BookswithTea
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Today's Amazon delivery! A couple of new books plus things to do when I'm not reading. 😉 Always trying to keep both mind and body active!

15 likes1 stack add
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iread2much
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Pickpick

A fun and very informative read. This book focuses on how tea was stolen from China and grown in other parts of the world to meet the growing western demand for this beverage. I highly recommend this book which is full of adventure, intrigue, labor issues, and a hint of mystery.

3 likes2 stack adds