<p><i>Beautifully illustrated... this definitive guide will appeal to die-hard tea enthusiasts.</i></br> -- Library Journal </p><p> <i>The reference work we've been waiting for has arrived: a comprehensive but not-too-weighty, one-volume coverage of the world's teas, abundantly and beautifully illustrated with photos of exceptional quality.</i></br> -- TeaTime </p><p> This second edition has improved and refined tasting notes with updated content about non-herbal tea, the plant <i>Camellia sinensis</i>. The book's elegant design is a complete guide to the world's second most popular beverage -- only water exceeds tea consumption. </p><p> This book is now clearly the best book on this topic, concise and authoritative with dozens of photographs and images of the teas themselves, revealing the surprising variety of color and opacity of each variety. </p><p> The book is an escorted tour of the world's tea-growing countries -- China, Japan, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam and East Africa. Readers discover how like a fine wine, it is "terroir", e.g., soil and climate, that gives a tea its unique characteristics. </p><p> The book includes varieties of black, green, white, yellow, oolong, pu'er, perfumed, aromatic and smoked teas. Other topics include: <ul> <li>An overview of the history of tea </li> <li>Tea families, varieties, cultivars and grades </li> <li>How tea is grown, harvested and processed </li> <li>The tea trade worldwide </li> <li>Timeline of the world history of tea cultivation </li> <li> Profile interviews with tea industry personalities. </li></ul> </p><p> The special features legions of tea drinkers will especially enjoy are: <ul> <li>Local tastes and methods of preparing tea (e.g. macha) </li> <li>Tea ceremonies </li> <li>Tasting notes and infusion accessories </li> <li>Teapot recommendations </li> <li>Caffeine, antioxidant and biochemical properties of 35 teas </li> <li>15 gourmet recipes using teas </li> <li>A directory of 42 select teas. </li></ul> </p>