For All the Tea in China

How England Stole the World's Favorite Drink and Changed History

By: Sarah Rose

Narrated by: Sarah Rose

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 19th-century adventure tale, one in which the fate of empires hinges on the feats of one extraordinary man.

©2010 Sarah Rose (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

“A delicious brew of information on the history of tea cultivation and consumption in the Western world.... A remarkably riveting tale.” ( Booklist)

classic time in horticultural exploration

The author provides a fine window into a wonderful time in horticultural exploration at the same time that she provides cultural and political contexts. I found the book fascinating. Unfortunately, I thought the author should not have narrated the book. While her narration is professional, I do not feel it suited the story.

informative

Very interesting. Really dragged after the adventuring botanist made it out of China, but enlightening just the same.

Was what I was looking for!

Very interesting if you like the topic! There are a few points where she runs off topic but otherwise I really enjoyed it!

Grossly Racist

it's an engaging story, but told in a grossly racist way. There's clear minimization of the effects of British imperialism on it's victims, and a basic approval of how that evil shaped the modern world. she's a good narrator, and it's a good story, but absolutely culturally tone deaf.

everything you wanted to know bout history and tea

everything you wanted to know about history and tea ...the history will indeed surprise you