[books] Starbucked

Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture by Taylor Clark

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Fast, funny, reasonably balanced read into the workings of the coffee trade and Starbucs. Fascinating parts include the history of coffee consumption in the US - or large, milky, beverage consumption really. Insights into how Starbucks makes money, where the dollars in your $4 latte go, what Fair Trade coffee means and why it exists and finally, the cultural imperialism that Starbucks leads to. Clark tries to be neutral, but achieves that by stepping too far in one direction (anti- or pro- S'bucks) and then overcorrecting, giving the book a distinct "make up your mind" feel.

Not a book to buy, but a good pickup from the library and a fun read.

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