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The Coffee Trader: A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle) |
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Amazon Sales Rank: 44866
Publication Date: 2004-02-03
Release Date: 2004-02-03
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0375760903
Type: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 432
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Amsterdam, 1659: On the world’s first commodities exchange, fortunes are won and lost in an instant. Miguel Lienzo, a sharp-witted trader in the city’s close-knit community of Portuguese Jews, knows this only too well. Once among the city’s most envied merchants, Miguel has suddenly lost everything. Now, impoverished and humiliated, living in his younger brother’s canal-flooded basement, Miguel must find a way to restore his wealth and reputation.
Miguel enters into a partnership with a seductive Dutchwoman who offers him one last chance at success—a daring plot to corner the market of an astonishing new commodity called “coffee.” To succeed, Miguel must risk everything he values and face a powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to see him ruined. Miguel will learn that among Amsterdam’s ruthless businessmen, betrayal lurks everywhere, and even friends hide secret agendas.
Average Rating: 
Review: 2009-10-25
17th Century Intrigue Brewed Right
If you're somebody who prays to the gods of java every day, that fact alone would make you want to read this, Liss sets his book in 17th century Amsterdam where a shrewd Jewish trader who's desperately down on his luck, is drawn into a money making scheme that involves a new berry called the coffee bean that supposedly produces near miraculous results in those who ingest it. But there's plenty of things standing in his way. There's a dangerous and mentally unstable client who blames Miguel for his current poverty, there's his brother who is colluding with one of the most powerful men in the city who wants nothing more to see him fail, and his brothers' attractive and unhappy wife, who seems eager to trade her husbands bed for Miguels.
Review: 2009-10-25
Some Strengths, But He Has Much Better
This book has some of the trademark strengths of David Liss' books. There is an interesting historical setting very well depicted. And there is financial shenanigans that at least seems to be a real kind of semi-fraud that would have occurred at the time. In short, an economic historical thriller; an excellent and unusual category that Liss leads. Unlike some of this other books, however, such as the excellent, Whiskey Rebels, this story is not particularly well told. For most of the book, one merely marks time as the hero digs himself a deeper and deeper hole and more and more points are set up for the grand finale. It almost reads like a fable in this regard, but is far too long for that sort of thing. This is before Liss had mastered his form.
Review: 2009-10-17
Historical fiction perfection
Very nice, you can feel you are in the historical city of Amsterdam while reading this book - and smell the coffee too. Most of all I liked the description of the people, it all feels true, and is a quite fascinating era. I thought this was even better than Liss' previous book, A Conspiracy of Paper: A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle), which is no small feat.
Review: 2009-07-27
Trouble brews as coffee makes its entrance...
Meet Miguel Lienzo, a Portuguese Jew charmed by a wealthy and mysterious Dutch widow, Geertruid, who offers him a business partnership in the coffee trade. On that occasion, Miguel tastes coffee for the first time, and is hooked. Amsterdam, mid 1600's. Miguel cannot share details of this trade freely, coffee is still an unknown fruit/drink and besides, he has many opponents. Senor Parido, a man scorned as Miguel's involvement with his daughter didn't do well. Miguel's brother Daniel, an insipid man married to the beautiful Hannah, a subservient woman with an unsuspected mind of her own. Annetje, her maid, always spying on her. And many other characters, including the villain Joachim; because of a business deal gone sour, he bears endless resentment and keeps threatening Miguel. The Amsterdam Trade Exchange is an integral part of this book. Some passages in this connection are a bit hard to keep up with, at least to me, however the gist of the matter is never lost. Transactions might be though! What an exciting place, full of promises and deceitfulness! Will Miguel succeed in the coffee trade?
An entertaining book with careful research into the historical details. Interesting in its genre. However it does drag on a bit, especially in connection with the various deals/trades in the Exchange. I thought some more space should have been given to other characters, there is so much about Miguel, whereas some others (the widow, her protector Hendrick, Hannah, to name a few) could have added some sparkle to the reading had they been more developed. Still, a good read. My true vote: 3 ½ stars.
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Amazon List Price: $15.00
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