Monthly Group Reads: MARCH 2013 (Group Read 2): The Coffee Trader by David Liss

[Laura]

I love his writing style. I find I re-read passages just because they are really well-written. I'm up to Chapter 4 right now (but this is my third time through.)

[Monica]

Ani, I can see your point, but I'm okay with the way the author is handling the personal aspect of the characters...the aloofness adds to the mystique and I stay focused on the actions of the characters. I am a bit curious to know more about Hendrick.

I've gotten through 12 chapters, and if you haven't read chapter 8, please don't look at the spoiler. But I was wondering if any of you (view spoiler)[ actually ate/chewed a whole coffee bean (berry fruit) after reading Hannah's experience. And, I'm not talking about those yummy chocolate-covered espresso beans! I did not...only because I didn't have any whole beans in the house. But I probably would have tried one if any were around ;-) (hide spoiler)]

[Linda]

Monica, you are full of surprises! THE COFFEE TRADER has given me some understanding of markets. The problem is that my ability to understand is low.
I had complained somewhere that the first chapters were interesting but a little slow. Now I am within the last hundred pages, and the book is picking up, dramatically. How the Jews, Catholics and Dutch Reformers interacted is interesting to me. The influence of the English crown is something I have to study a bit.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I have added a video on Amsterdam port to the groups Videos. Just over a minute long I HIGHLY recommend viewing it!! It is fantastic. It is 3D images of Amsterdam and the port during the 16th century (a little earlier than the book setting but you can still get a feel of the port layout)

http://www.goodreads.com/videos/39163...

[Mark]

great video Terri, thank you.

[Dawn]

I agree, very good video. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

They did such a good job on it. Really helps to visualise the layout of the Port in the 16th century.

[Mark]

hopefully it will come tomorrow.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

And I am hoping it will come into my library by tomorrow.

[Monica]

Thanks for posting the video, Terri! Very nice.

[Linda]

I finished THE COFFEE TRADER earlier today. I will rate and review when everybody has finished reading the book.

[Janet]

Got started yesterday - just a few chapters in. I was a little scared from the reviews I read but, as of now, I am pleasantly surprised. Decent writing - feeling of mystery in the air - interesting characters. So far I am not intimidated by financial terms or concepts that I am definitely weak on. So far, so good!

[Mark]

Just come in the post. :)

[Monica]

Linda, wow, finished...great. To your earlier point, I agree that the story does seem to pick up the pace as it gets further along. I'm about to begin chapter 23.

Ani, more about the characters..this is why the author's method (intentional or not) works for me. (view spoiler)[ As written, I do not "like" any of the characters, nor have great compassion for their plights. All have their dark secrets, and each seems to be playing a supporting role to coffee as the star. But because I have no emotional attachment to the people I am not rooting for one's success over another. I'm intrigued to read who is the most successful at "playing the game". (hide spoiler)]

[Monica]

Exellent, Mark! You'll soon be joining in the discussion

C'mon, Terri! ;-)

[Mark]

Started it, got my slice of coffee cake and a cup of tea. :)

[Josie]

I'm a little behind. I only got the book from the library yesterday and finished the first chapter. But I did drink three cups of coffee throughout the day.

[Monica]

LOL, Mark & Josie! I'm taking a break to have my one daily cup of mid-morning coffee. (The rest of the day is tea.) Here's an annoying inconsistency. If you haven't read to chapter 22, don't peek at the spoiler ;-) (view spoiler)[ The author goes to great lengths to keep Geertruid's whereabouts mysterious. Miguel doesn't even know where she lives, but in the second paragraph of chapter 22: He sent a note to Geertruid, telling her he wished to meet the next afternoon...Geertruid wrote back...Miguel sent an agreement. That's 3 exchanges in a few hours time. Where did he send these notes, and how? That's some terrific messenger/postal service he has!! (hide spoiler)]

[Mark]

i will peek if i want, lols.

its well written as others have said the research is good.

[Monica]

Mark wrote: "i will peek if i want, lols."


LOL, Mark! Such boldness!! Is that the coffee talking?

[Mark]

its a very strong coffee cake.;0 and i have had 2 slices.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I am drinking a morning cup of Coffee with Hazelnut. And I still don't have the book.
I am going to contact the library today to see what the heck is going on.

It is showing as returned, but it has been a week now where it has not come to me. I am thinking maybe it is in for repair?? I don't know, but I will be trying to find out.

[Monica]

Terri wrote: It is showing as returned, but it ha..."

Terri, you can download a "sample" from Amazon and at least read the first part of the book. Or maybe another source has an ebook sample that works better for your reader? B&N?

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Oh no, not ebook. I cannot read digital, I tried, no good, it would turn me off the book. I find it very hard to get into a book in digital format. I need paper. :[

(NB I have thought in extreme cases I might be able to start a book on the sample and then go to the paper when i get it, but I don't think I will ever end up finding a case extreme enough)

[Anne]

Got it today.

[Monica]

Finished...I thoroughly enjoyed that! Good choice, Terri!! Will be checking back to read what others think about it.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Anne wrote: "Got it today."

Hope you like it Anne!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Monica wrote: "Finished...I thoroughly enjoyed that! Good choice, Terri!! Will be checking back to read what others think about it."


Great news. So glad you liked it!! Of course, as our regulars know, it is perfectly okay to hate or dislike a group read book. Negative comments are welcome as well as positive, but still...very happy to see group members enjoy it.

[Laura]

I really like the characters, especially Miguel. It'll be interesting to see what Mark says. (A man's point of view.) When you guys get a bit farther, I can tell you what I found confusing, even after a second read.

Thanks for the video, Terri. If you fly over Amsterdam today, you can still see that horseshoe shape of the old town. (I'm going at the end of March, a 21 hour layover on my way home, and I have booked an overnight so we can go to the Maritime Museeum.)

David Liss has included a bibliography and one book I would recommend for Amsterdam History is the one from

[Darcy]

I've only read the first chapter but I could visualise where they were from my travels there. He's done well in that respect.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Laura wrote: "I really like the characters, especially Miguel. It'll be interesting to see what Mark says. (A man's point of view.) When you guys get a bit farther, I can tell you what I found confusing, even af..."

That is fascinating Laura. (That you can still see the horseshoe shape).
Would love to see some pics of the maritime museum when you get back if you want to post some in the group feel free. :)

[Lia]

Finished... 4 stars from me. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Good. :)

I got busy yesterday and did not get to contact my library about the book.
I am about to check up on it now and if it is still sitting as 'allocated' then I will email them and ask 'what the heck??'

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Darn! Would you believe I may not get the book until the end of the month!
Somehow, someone got the book before me when it came back to the library. That between someone returning it and it being put away for me, someone else grabbed it and it must not have been noticed by the library.

So there is every chance I won't even get it until the 23rd march!! I am in pain! I have waited so long to read this book and when it got voted in as our group read I was really excited.

Oh well. I won't get to it immediately (unless that other person reads it quick and returns it swiftly), but i will start it this month, it just will not be until the end of the month. :(

[Laura]

Terri wrote: "Laura wrote: "I really like the characters, especially Miguel. It'll be interesting to see what Mark says. (A man's point of view.) When you guys get a bit farther, I can tell you what I found conf..."

I'd been to AMS twice and the museeum was being renovated both times. I'll get some pictures. Have you seen the website? http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/th...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

That ship is gorgeous.


I am guessing that is the Christiaan Brunings that they say still goes to sea sometimes? That would be fun.

[Mark]

It's finished, I have to say it was different. Have to admire the reseach the author did and his writing skill.

But I felt that some thing was missing from the book what I don't know.

[Laura]

Terri, it's the replica of an old VOC ship called, appropriately, Amsterdam, and was built in the 80's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterda... I was on there already.

[Monica]

Terri wrote: "Darn! Would you believe I may not get the book until the end of the month!"

Oh, that's a let down for you! I'm returning mine to the library today. We can all discuss it more once you've finished reading. I'm hoping that Imperium will be waiting for me to pick up.

[Monica]

Mark wrote:But I felt that some thing was missing from the book what I don't know."

Ummm, a recipe for coffee cake perhaps? ;-)

[Mark]

Could be, Lols.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Laura wrote: "Terri, it's the replica of an old VOC ship called, appropriately, Amsterdam, and was built in the 80's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterda... I was on there already."

Ah, I see this is the one they call the Christiaan Brunings.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Monica wrote: "Terri wrote: "Darn! Would you believe I may not get the book until the end of the month!"

Oh, that's a let down for you! I'm returning mine to the library today. We can all discuss it more once yo..."

having Coffee Trader late to come in, means I will be reading Imperium earlier this month. After I finish my current read.

[Monica]

Terri wrote: having Coffee Trader late to come in, means I will be reading Imperium earlier this month. After I finish my current read..."

Terrific! I just picked up my copy of Imperium from the library. We can talk about it the "losers" thread.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Yep. Let's go over there, loser. :)

[Monica]

Terri wrote: "Yep. Let's go over there, loser. :)"
LOL...okay, but let's take some other "losers" with us!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Fellow losers, if you want to read Imperium with us this month, check out the 'Are you Reading a Poll Loser' thread. It is where the losers go. :)
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

[Monica]

A final thought on The Coffee Trader. You might want to finish the book before viewing the spoiler. (view spoiler)[ I wonder what the Author's point was by having Alferondo sabotage Geertruid. Did she cross him at some earlier point? Steal from him or con him? Why financially destroy her when she borrowed a sizeable sum from him? There was no real backstory to this, unless I missed something. Seemed a bit "off" to me. (hide spoiler)]

[Patrick]

Read the first chapter last night, hopefully work it through over the next week. So far so good.

And I don't drink coffee. Disagrees with me. :)

@Lia: Commodities have been manipulated since the dawn of trading. Thales of Miletus (~600BC) is said to have predicted a bumper crop of olives and reserved all the olive presses beforehand at a marginal rate, allowing him to set the rent and make his fortune.

[Josie]

I'm at chapter 5. So far, I feel sorry for Hannah and am wondering if and when Geertruid will show up again. Liss is introducing quite a lot of characters, I think.