If you are a coffee lover and want to learn more about the magic beans there are some great books you should read.

Since its discovery in an Ethiopian rainforest centuries ago, coffee has brewed up a rich and troubled history, according to Uncommon Grounds, a sweeping book by business writer Mark Pendergrast. Over the years, the beverage has fomented revolution, spurred deforestation, enriched a few while impoverishing the many, and addicted millions with its psychoactive caffeine. Coffee is now the world's second most valuable legal commodity, behind oil, according to Pendergrast, who is also author of the interesting book "For God, Country, and Coca-Cola". A good cup of coffee can turn the worst day tolerable, can provide an all important moment of contemplation, can rekindle a romance," he writes. "And yet, poetic as its taste may be, coffee's history is rife with controversy and politics." For example, coffee bankrolled Idi Amin's genocidal regime in Uganda and the Sandinistas' revolution in Nicaragua. Uncommon Grounds provides some fascinating tidbits.

Italian Espresso Caffè is a small cup of very strong coffee that Italians not only sip from tiny cups, it is also brewed in a special machine that forces boiling water through the dark roasted, finely ground coffee beans. A 'cup' is usually understood to contain 150 ml (5 oz in the United States) but an Espresso Caffè may be as small as 40 ml. Espresso Caffè is also used as the basis for other drinks like: caffè late, cappuccino, caffè macchiato, Espresso con Panna and many more. If you want to learn more about expresso, find and buy a well writen book "Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques" by David C. Schomer, an excellent guide to espresso. This book has been called the 'Barista's Bible,' and for good reason.

Cappuccino Cocktails: Specialty Coffee Recipes and 'A-Whole-Latte' more! by S. M. Zimmer is a great gourmet coffee book that even illustrates "How to Make a Cappuccino WITHOUT a Machine!" This inventive and witty book is brimful and ready to serve you with fascinating coffee tips, unique techniques and trivia from "Beans and Machines" to "Cream of the Cup"; from "Coffee-o-logy" to "Coffee and Your Health" and much, much more! A perfect year-round gift for all coffee lovers!

Perfect Cup: A Coffee Lover's Guide to Buying, Brewing and Tasting by coffee expert Timothy James Castle is a great book that chronicles the coffee revolution in America and offers information on everything from the bean itself to brewing and appreciating the perfect cup.

Find Recipes for Beverages...