THE COFFEE HOUSE

The Coffee House



The Coffee House, a Cultural History

Introduction

The history of the coffee bars and its existence are explored by the writer Ellis by extracting from where the roots of coffee drinking originated. Introduced by the German Botanist all across the western European coffee became popular with the time. The book covers the chapters related to the first coffee bar along with the emergence of coffee in England with the help of Republic of Coffee. The book covers the diverse sources of the origination of coffee houses in different localities. In the mid, of 1650's, a rise in the establishment of coffee shops was viewed. There were several radical innovations in the making of the coffee shops. It was then in the 1660's that coffee houses were popular as the place of the young, where people speak out their mind and a place where there was equal treatment among people regardless of gender and the color discrimination.Synopsis of the Writer

Professor Markman Ellis is a PHD from Cambridge; he is a professor of the eighteen century English culture and literature. He has written a lot of books related to the English man cultures and the way of living in the 18th century not only this, a lot of criticism is there in his work. He is one of the profound writers ever known who have work on the English man culture and literature and culture, narrating the facts as well criticizing the faulty points. A lot of work by the author related to the 18th century traditions and customs is popular among the readers.

Discussion about the Book

The author Markman Ellis is one of the significant writers of his era. In his book 'The Coffee-house: A Cultural History' a lot of significance was given to the coffee shop portraying it a place where men of diverse classes come together spontaneously also enjoy and get entertained with the same friendliness and on the same bill. Nearly all the institutions present at that time were segregated on the basis of the period and rank other than the coffee house. The author mentions the coffee house as a source of influence due to the sharper changing the world's life style. Through the writer's viewpoint of the coffee shop, he states the times dating back to the 19th century, when the coffee shop environment was rather polite. The place where people discussed over the matters politely which was open to all the citizens present at the house then. During the 18th century, the coffee houses in St. James closed the doors for public and was open only to the elite. All these houses then became private gentlemen's clubs.Changes after War I

Soon after the world war the prices of coffee went up and soon, coffee was considered as a luxurious commodity for people all across the globe. All across London in the mid 50's chic espresso bars were made. These bars were branded with shiny Formica and chrome floors, along with graceful lines, mere lightening along with slippery ceremonial meals. This environment bars were only affordable by the elite of the societies, and ...