The Empire of Tea

This cultural, political, and social history of tea presents a “ fascinating picture of tea's impact on the lives of millions of people around the world.” ( Publishers Weekly)   From Darjeeling to Lapsang Souchon, from India to Japan—a fresh, concise, world-encompassing exploration of the way tea has shaped politics, culture, and the environment throughout history. From the fourth century BC in China, where it was used as an aid in Buddhist meditation, to the Boston Tea Party in 1773, to it