There is so much to learn about the art of tea and the tea trade and there have been countless books written on the subject. The first book about tea ever written was in 780 by Lu Yu called “Cha Jing” (Classic of Tea).
Here are a selection of books and links to others:
The Book Of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo is about the connection between tea and Japanese culture. In 1906 in turn-of-the-century Boston, a small, esoteric book about tea was written with the intention of being read aloud in the famous salon of Isabella Gardner, Boston's most notorious socialite. It was authored by Okakura Kakuzo, a Japanese philosopher, art expert, and curator. Little known at the time, Kakuzo would emerge as one of the great thinkers of the early 20th century, a genius who was insightful, witty—and greatly responsible for bridging Western and Eastern cultures. Okakura had been taught at a young age to speak English and was more than capable of expressing to Westerners the nuances of tea and the Japanese Tea Ceremony. He uses tea as a metaphor to describe Japanese art.
Tea Life, Tea Mind by Sōshitsu Sen XV In this text, Soshitsu Sen XV, the retired grand master of the Urasenke school of tea, tells how he mastered Chado, "The Way of Tea".
Liquid Jade: The Story of Tea from East to West by Beatrice Hohenegger
Travelling from East to West over thousands of years, tea has played a variety of roles on the world scene - in medicine, politics, the arts, culture, and religion. Behind this most serene of beverages, idolized by poets and revered in spiritual practices, lie stories of treachery, violence, smuggling, drug trade, international espionage, slavery, and revolution. Liquid Jade's rich narrative history explores tea in all its social and cultural aspects.
The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook: A Guide to the World's Best Teas Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. Heiss While a cup of tea may be a simple pleasure for most of us, there are a dizzying number of tastes from which to choose and every tea, whether a delicately sweet green tea from Japan or a bracing, brisk Darjeeling black, tells a story in the cup about the land that nurtured it and the tea-making skills that transformed it.
In this authoritative guide, veteran tea professionals Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss provide decades of expertise on understanding tea and its origins, the many ways to buy tea, and how to explore and enjoy the six classes of tea (green, yellow, white, oolong, black, and Pu-erh). Additional advice on steeping the perfect cup and storing tea at home, alongside a gallery of more than thirty-five individual teas with tasting notes and descriptions make The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook a singular source of both practical information and rich detail about this fascinating beverage.
The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. Heiss
The Story of Tea begins with a journey along the tea trail, from the lush forests of China, where tea cultivation first flourished, to the Buddhist temples of Japan, to the vast tea gardens of India, and beyond. Offering an insider's view of all aspects of tea trade, the Heisses examine Camellia sinensis, the tea bush, and show how subtle differences in territory and production contribute to the diversity of color, flavor, and quality in brewed tea. They profile more than thirty essential tea varietals, provide an in depth guide to tasting and brewing, and survey the customs and crafts associated with tea. Sharing the latest research, they discuss tea's health benefits and developments in organic production and fair trade practices. Finally, they present ten sweet and savoury recipes, including Savoury Chinese Marbled Eggs and Green Tea Pot de Crâme, and resources for purchasing fine tea.
The True History of Tea by historians Victor H Mair, Erling Hoh . Mair and Hoh have read and translated age old documents to follow tea through the years to find out how it got to where it is today.
The Good Living Guide To Medicinal Tea by Jennifer Browne Tea purists will say that tea is only what comes from the Camelia sinensis plant. But a huge part of tea, also includes herbal teas and tisanes. For centuries, different herbal infusions have been used as a cure and remedy for various health problems. The Good Living Guide To Medicinal Tea is the ultimate guide to those herbal tea remedies as it delves into how to brew different plants and herbs, aside from Camelia sinensis leaves, for our benefit.
The Great Teas of China by Roy Fong The Great Teas of China is the authoritative guide to the extraordinary tea world of China, written by the leading master tea merchant in the United States, Roy Fong. From hand-picked white teas from Fu Ding and expertly crafted oolongs from Taiwan, to patiently aged puerh from Yunnan and everything in between, Fong offers his insights on choosing, brewing, and enjoying more than a dozen of his favorite Chinese teas.
Fong’s Imperial Tea Court teahouse in San Francisco has been an inspiration to a whole generation of tea enthusiasts, who visit from all over the world to enjoy the finest selection of Chinese teas available in America. The Great Teas of China is a very personal and accessible introduction to contemporary tea connoisseurship.
Tea Sommelier: A Step-by-Step Guide by François-Xavier Delmas and Mathias Minet lets you grow and expand your tea knowledge. François-Xavier Delmas is actually the founder of Palais des Thés tea shop. Tea Sommelier goes over some history of tea but really focuses on tasting tea and aims, not only to teach you how to become a tea sommelier but also inspire you to try and cook with tea not just drink it
19 Lessons On Tea: Become an Expert on Buying, Brewing, and Drinking the Best Tea – A guide by 27 press 19 Lessons on Tea is a comprehensive tea guide that will help you gain a thorough understanding of the drink. This book primarily covers premium loose leaf tea served hot, but provides information on all major styles of tea.
The Tea Book by Linda Gaylard The Tea Book covers all the tea basics from the types of tea cultural tea rituals, and even gives you some tea recipes.
A Little Tea Book by Sebastian Beck A Little Tea Book is peppered with personal anecdotes from the author and covers a wide array of information about the basics of tea, but in a simplified way
Stuff Every Tea Lover Should Know by Candace Rose Rardon
This pocket sized guide book on tea is like a tea dictionary that will get you the answer to your question in seconds.
Fiction
The Tea Girl Of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See. This book centres around tradition, tea farming, and the bonds between mothers and daughters.
The story takes place in a traditional tea farming village. The main character defies her family and tradition by giving birth to a child out of wedlock. That child is given up for adoption but even living in California, she’s still connected to the art of making tea.
Use this link to discover a further selection of fiction books compiled by Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/tea-fiction
