Books about tea

I adore Okakura Kakuzo’s Book of Tea, which is about the Japanese tea ceremony. Beautifully written (he wrote it in English, not Japanese, so that’s something to think about), it delves into a brief history of tea in China and Japan, Taoist and Zen Buddhist concepts, ikebana, and art – all of which are part of the ceremony.

The two books I have just read that I like are:
The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
and
Tea: History Terroirs Varieties
I like these books because they go into the details about different teas and are very fact based.

Right now I am enjoying John Blofeld’s The Chinese Art of Tea. It is a pretty easy read about historical tea (and spiritual) culture in China and Korea as well as descriptors about various teas, tea poetry, and tea vessels. I found it in a used bookstore I like supporting as well.

My two favorites are The Tea Drinker’s Handbook, by Delmas et al and Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties, by Gascoyne et al. I also enjoyed Michael Harney’s book.

Thanks so much for all these suggestions! I look forward to hunting down these titles when I’m next at Radiance Tea House in midtown, whose tea bookstore probably has all of them. http://radiancetea.com/

I recently stumbled on this old treasure that I had in a box with other tea things etc…Okakura Kakuzo’s Book of Tea and it was a delight to view it once again. I think it is a must have if one collects tea artifice or not.