The Coffee Trader : A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
5 journalers for this copy...
From Publishers Weekly
Liss's first novel, A Conspiracy of Paper, was sketched on the wide canvas of 18th-century London's multilayered society. This one, in contrast, is set in the confined world of 17th-century Amsterdam's immigrant Jewish community. Liss makes up the difference in scale with ease, establishing suspense early on. Miguel Lienzo escaped the Inquisition in Portugal and lives by his wits trading commodities. He honed his skills in deception during years of hiding his Jewish identity in Portugal, so he finds it easy to engage in the evasions and bluffs necessary for a trader on Amsterdam's stock exchange. While he wants to retain his standing in the Jewish community, he finds it increasingly difficult to abide by the draconian dictates of the Ma'amad, the ruling council. Which is all the more reason not to acknowledge his longing for his brother's wife, with whom he now lives, having lost all his money in the sugar trade. Miguel is delighted when a sexy Dutch widow enlists him as partner in a secret scheme to make a killing on "coffee fruit," an exotic bean little known to Europeans in 1659. But she may not be as altruistic as she seems. Soon Miguel is caught in a web of intricate deals, while simultaneously fending off a madman desperate for money, and an enemy who uses the Ma'amad to make Miguel an outcast. Each player in this complex thriller has a hidden agenda, and the twists and turns accelerate as motives gradually become clear. There's a central question, too: When men manipulate money for a living, are they then inevitably tempted to manipulate truth and morality?
I'm about halfway thru this book as an audiobook, so I thought I'd ring this around to a few relayers to review.
On ring:
1. CheesyGiraffe -Done
2. Hoserlauren- Done
3. Aceofhearts-Done
3. Morsecode-Done
4. back to me-Back home
5. Given to Adasmama <- now reading
Liss's first novel, A Conspiracy of Paper, was sketched on the wide canvas of 18th-century London's multilayered society. This one, in contrast, is set in the confined world of 17th-century Amsterdam's immigrant Jewish community. Liss makes up the difference in scale with ease, establishing suspense early on. Miguel Lienzo escaped the Inquisition in Portugal and lives by his wits trading commodities. He honed his skills in deception during years of hiding his Jewish identity in Portugal, so he finds it easy to engage in the evasions and bluffs necessary for a trader on Amsterdam's stock exchange. While he wants to retain his standing in the Jewish community, he finds it increasingly difficult to abide by the draconian dictates of the Ma'amad, the ruling council. Which is all the more reason not to acknowledge his longing for his brother's wife, with whom he now lives, having lost all his money in the sugar trade. Miguel is delighted when a sexy Dutch widow enlists him as partner in a secret scheme to make a killing on "coffee fruit," an exotic bean little known to Europeans in 1659. But she may not be as altruistic as she seems. Soon Miguel is caught in a web of intricate deals, while simultaneously fending off a madman desperate for money, and an enemy who uses the Ma'amad to make Miguel an outcast. Each player in this complex thriller has a hidden agenda, and the twists and turns accelerate as motives gradually become clear. There's a central question, too: When men manipulate money for a living, are they then inevitably tempted to manipulate truth and morality?
I'm about halfway thru this book as an audiobook, so I thought I'd ring this around to a few relayers to review.
On ring:
1. CheesyGiraffe -Done
2. Hoserlauren- Done
3. Aceofhearts-Done
3. Morsecode-Done
4. back to me-Back home
5. Given to Adasmama <- now reading
Wow! That's fast media mail. 2 days!
I'll read this asap. Thanks Janet.
I'll read this asap. Thanks Janet.
Who was the villain in this story? It seems they all were in their own way. Of course, the obvious one seems to be Parido. Then it comes to light that Alfernado is too. Plus Miguel isn't exactly a hero or anything.
It's funny how they try to use coffee. First, Hannah is eating the coffee beans or berries as she calls them. Then they drink it ground up and mixed with warm wine.
Then there's the dealing themselves. I can't imagine owing all those people's money and sleeping at night.
This is a complicate novel with many layers of friendship, enemies and loves.
It's funny how they try to use coffee. First, Hannah is eating the coffee beans or berries as she calls them. Then they drink it ground up and mixed with warm wine.
Then there's the dealing themselves. I can't imagine owing all those people's money and sleeping at night.
This is a complicate novel with many layers of friendship, enemies and loves.
My mom received this book from cheesy, but I'm going to read it first because I'm almost finished a book so that I can put this one next on the list. I'm not used to historical fiction so this should be interesting for me!
Thanks for sending it along cheesy, and thanks for starting the ring ladyjanet.
Thanks for sending it along cheesy, and thanks for starting the ring ladyjanet.
The start of this book was very slow. Thirty pages in I was ready to cut my losses and give up, however something told me to stick it out and see what would become of the characters Liss had created. Each character is deceiving and even manipulative, but they all get what they deserve in the end. Their stories all intertwine to create a scheme of exchange market dealings in the 1600s. The book was by no means a fast paced book and I found that I could not sit down with it for more than a couple of chapters. However, I was quite interested to watch how Miguel got himself out of his debt and all of his other dealings.
This book was a little too slow for me, but it was an interesting story.
This book was a little too slow for me, but it was an interesting story.
I have it now!!!
The Coffee Trader by David Liss is a different genre of book: a historical mystery bordering on historical thriller. The author has done an enormous amount of research. The bood discusses seventeenth century Amsterdam, Portugese Jews living in Amsterdam,commodity trading and the introduction of a new commodity, coffee. Setting the scene and character development is at first slow as there is so much information to impart. Once the plot is set, the story develops at a much faster page-turning rate.
Liss has written a hero with many flaws. It is refreshing to encounter Miguel Lienzo, a devious commodity trader. He is compassionate,vengeful, fearful of his place in a close-knit religious community yet wily and clever. Miguel is an impoverished man who wishes to restore his fortune. Several characters wish to help him. Who is to be trusted and who is an enemy is the central theme of this plot. The resolution is what makes this book a great mystery.
Liss has written a hero with many flaws. It is refreshing to encounter Miguel Lienzo, a devious commodity trader. He is compassionate,vengeful, fearful of his place in a close-knit religious community yet wily and clever. Miguel is an impoverished man who wishes to restore his fortune. Several characters wish to help him. Who is to be trusted and who is an enemy is the central theme of this plot. The resolution is what makes this book a great mystery.
mailed back to LadyJanet today
Catching "The Coffee Trader" was no problem; I'd seen it on my friend Janet's desk, and asked to read it when she was done with it, so now it's mine to enjoy for a while.
The story, of a mystery sub-genre called the historical financial, begins on May 13, 1659, in Amsterdam, where Miguel Lienzo has almost reached bottom. Formerly a prosperous merchant, he is now deeply in debt, and living in the damp basement of his brother's house. Wondering how he can even begin to pay some of his debts, he is suddenly and unexpectedly offered the opportunity to make a new fortune. The offer comes from Geertruid Damhuis, who is, by the standards of the era, a liberated woman who has no doubt that the hot, dark brown liquid she presents to Miguel will make both of them rich.
Complicating and adding to the story is its background of life among the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam. Miguel grew up as a "Converso" in Lisbon, outwardly practicing Catholocism, but learning Hebrew and reading the Torah in secret. To survive, Miguel and many of his fellows have become adept at pretending to be what they are not. In Amsterday he has escaped the Inquisition only to come within the jurisdiction of the Ma'amad, which governs the lives of the Jewish community. Like any other organization of its kind, its rule is repressive; even being seen with his would-be business partner Geertruid could bring severe penalties,including excommunication, on Miguel, who known only too well how the Ma'amad has treated the heretic Spinoza.
Will Miguel accept the glittering possibility that this new substance, coffee, mostly still unknown in Europe half way through the 17th century, can restore him to wealth and prominence and allow him to marry again? Will he be able to live both openly as a Jew and comfortably within the purview of the Ma'amad? What about the chapters that alternate with the ones about Miguel, which are headed: "The Factual and Revealing Memoirs of Alonzo Alferonda"? For that matter, how is Alonzo connected with Miguel? Can he be the one who sometimes sends unsigned demands for money? Can he or Geertruid, or Miguel's brother and sister-in-law, or anyone else be trusted not to bring total ruin upon him? David Liss has created a great many complex characters, and in this book even the hero, however devout, has anything but pure moral standards. We all know that coffee eventually became a staple in Western Europe, then America, but "The Coffee Trader" generates enough curiosity about how it happened to keep me turning the pages. Enough writing already - I'm getting on with reading the next chapter!
The story, of a mystery sub-genre called the historical financial, begins on May 13, 1659, in Amsterdam, where Miguel Lienzo has almost reached bottom. Formerly a prosperous merchant, he is now deeply in debt, and living in the damp basement of his brother's house. Wondering how he can even begin to pay some of his debts, he is suddenly and unexpectedly offered the opportunity to make a new fortune. The offer comes from Geertruid Damhuis, who is, by the standards of the era, a liberated woman who has no doubt that the hot, dark brown liquid she presents to Miguel will make both of them rich.
Complicating and adding to the story is its background of life among the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam. Miguel grew up as a "Converso" in Lisbon, outwardly practicing Catholocism, but learning Hebrew and reading the Torah in secret. To survive, Miguel and many of his fellows have become adept at pretending to be what they are not. In Amsterday he has escaped the Inquisition only to come within the jurisdiction of the Ma'amad, which governs the lives of the Jewish community. Like any other organization of its kind, its rule is repressive; even being seen with his would-be business partner Geertruid could bring severe penalties,including excommunication, on Miguel, who known only too well how the Ma'amad has treated the heretic Spinoza.
Will Miguel accept the glittering possibility that this new substance, coffee, mostly still unknown in Europe half way through the 17th century, can restore him to wealth and prominence and allow him to marry again? Will he be able to live both openly as a Jew and comfortably within the purview of the Ma'amad? What about the chapters that alternate with the ones about Miguel, which are headed: "The Factual and Revealing Memoirs of Alonzo Alferonda"? For that matter, how is Alonzo connected with Miguel? Can he be the one who sometimes sends unsigned demands for money? Can he or Geertruid, or Miguel's brother and sister-in-law, or anyone else be trusted not to bring total ruin upon him? David Liss has created a great many complex characters, and in this book even the hero, however devout, has anything but pure moral standards. We all know that coffee eventually became a staple in Western Europe, then America, but "The Coffee Trader" generates enough curiosity about how it happened to keep me turning the pages. Enough writing already - I'm getting on with reading the next chapter!
