The Book of Coffee: A Philosophy, by Julian Baggini review: 'makes you see coffee in a new light'
Philosopher Julian Baggini has updated the Japanese concept of ‘Teaism’ for the coffee-guzzling generation, writes Roger Cox
Dr Julian Baggini is a philosopher of some renown - a co-founder of The Philosophers’ Magazine, with over 20 books published and over half a million copies sold in the UK alone. So, when he describes something as "the wisest book I have ever read" we should probably all sit up and take notice.
The tome in question is The Book of Tea by Japanese writer Kakuzo Okakura, first published in 1906, which uses Japanese tea culture - "Teaism" - as a lens through which to explore spirituality and aesthetics. On reading Okakura's masterpiece, it dawned on Baggini that, although the tea traditions it describes are now largely extinct, it is still "full of universal wisdom." He also came to the realisation that, in order for this wisdom to make sense to contemporary readers, its essence needed to be "distilled and blended into a different, contemporary concoction."
So, Baggini set out to blend and distil, and the result of this philosophical percolation process is The Book of Coffee, which comes with a foreword and afterword by James Hoffmann, World Barista Champion in 2007 and co-founder of the award-winning Square Mile Coffee Roasters in London.
To those who feel that removing tea from The Book of Tea would mean "ripping out its heart" Baggini has this to say: "The Japanese 'cult of tea' which Okakura called 'Teaism' is simply one manifestation of the Nipponese blend of Taoism and Buddhism... The sublime can be seen as easily in a cup of coffee as in an Alpine view, if you know how to look."
That last sentence is very much the key to The Book of Coffee, because what Baggini is really doing here is teaching us how to look at something apparently very ordinary (a cup of coffee) in a completely different light. In the process of doing so, he also teaches us how to look at all aspects of life a little differently, from the dynamics of cafe culture to the aesthetics of flower arranging.
Okakura described Teaism as a "religion of the art of life" and Baggini's "Coffeeism" is, he says, "another denomination of the same faith... rooted in reverence for the material universe, not some heavenly other." To follow Coffeeism, then, is to learn to appreciate the little things, the here and now, but to do so with a measure of Zen detachment. "Coffeeism revels in the blessings of every day," he writes, "but always accepts them for what they are: fleeting, impermanent, brief."
What does all this mean in practical terms? Well, as someone who imbibes industrial amounts of coffee in a typical day, I can tell you it brings a whole new level of enjoyment to every cup, and that, surely, is worth £15. Any additional enlightenment gleaned is a bonus.
The Book of Coffee: A Philosophy, by Julian Baggini with James Hoffmann, Mitchell Beazley, £14.99. Julian Baggini is appearing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on 30 August
The Scotsman’s arts newsletter is now sent twice a week - subscribe today
Enjoying the Arts & Culture journalism on scotsman.com? Make it easier to find by selecting us as a preferred Google source
Want the latest Scottish headlines sent directly to your phone? Sign up to our new WhatsApp channel here
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.