I am slightly in love with the Little Black Classics format - both the opportunity to try out new-to-me authors and the physical size of the books. I'm not even sure why, but the smaller profile is incredibly appealing!

The Book of Tea is one of two books included in the 'Tea for Two' NovelTea Book Club Classic parcel from February 2020. Written by Kakuzo Okakura, it is a long essay, addressed to a Western audience, exploring 'teaism' and its links to philosophical, aesthetic and cultural aspects of Japanese life. It was originally written in English, and published in 1906. While the book has chapters, the prose wanders through history, culture and East/West comparisons. The writing is beautiful and the ideas are interesting.

While I have enjoyed some self-created rituals around tea-drinking, I am relatively ignorant of the intricacies of 'teaism' and the culture and ritual that surrounds tea in Japan and wider Asian cultures. It was fascinating to read The Book of Tea and to learn a little about it all. Given that this essay was written over a century ago, it was also fascinating to consider what has changed in East/West relations and Japanese culture since 1906.

This essay is perfect to read while lingering over a pot of perfectly brewed tea. I suspect it might be the kind of book that I come back to whenever I'm in the mood for beautiful words and wandering ideas.

If you’re quick, there are probably still a couple of leftover ‘Tea for Two’ parcels in the shop, so you can check out The Book of Tea for yourself!