April 2020: The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

Our April 2020 AfterDinner Books selection is The Monk of Mokha. Plan to finish this book by April 14. Update us with any questions or comments as you go along but be careful not to drop any spoilers until after April 14!

[Gail]

Thanks for doing this Frank and thank you Bethlehem Public Library! Now I have an incentive to read the book!

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

Gail wrote: "Thanks for doing this Frank and thank you Bethlehem Public Library! Now I have an incentive to read the book!"

You're welcome Gail! I'm glad you found us online. Looking forward to trying this new discussion venue.

[Luke]

Great Choice, Frank! I love Dave Eggers' earlier books - "You Shall Know Our Velocity" and "Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" were both wonderful. He has done amazing work with children's literacy too. Looking forward to reading this one.

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

Luke wrote: "Great Choice, Frank! I love Dave Eggers' earlier books - "You Shall Know Our Velocity" and "Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" were both wonderful. He has done amazing work with children's li..."

Thanks Luke! I haven't read anything by Eggers yet. Looking forward to the discussion.

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

I'm about 100 pages into the book & so far I've enjoyed the history of coffee & the coffee trade most. I'm not even a coffee drinker. Anyone else start reading this one yet?

[Michelle]

I've finished the book and I agree. The information about the various aspects of coffee is excellent. I love coffee and I never knew the history or how much goes into the final product.

I've read other Eggers books that I didn't enjoy that much and had to force myself to finish or didn't finish. I enjoyed this one and finished it easily.

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

Michelle wrote: "I've finished the book and I agree. The information about the various aspects of coffee is excellent. I love coffee and I never knew the history or how much goes into the final product.

I've read..."

That's good to hear, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Did you decide to read the book because of the library's discussion or was it one you picked up on your own?

[Michelle]

I picked it because of the library discussion. I was interested in trying another Eggers book and hearing others impressions of his work.

I discovered with this book that it must have been the subjects and not his writing style that I didn’t click with in previous books I read.

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

Michelle wrote: "I picked it because of the library discussion. I was interested in trying another Eggers book and hearing others impressions of his work.

I discovered with this book that it must have been the su..."

I'm enjoying his writing style as well. The historical background provided doesn't slow down the story as it has in some other books I've read.

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

So I finally finished the book & right on time as our in library discussion was originally scheduled for tonight!

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Mokhtar's story didn't pull me in as much as the story of coffee did though. I mentioned earlier that I liked the overview of coffee & it's historical development best & that still holds true.

The book ended a little too abruptly for me. I would have liked to learn more about Mokhtar's newly founded business. I did some research online and it seems like it's still going strong. Here's a link to his business webpage if you're interested: Port of Mokha.

I always thought the price of "gourmet" coffee was ridiculously high, but this book changed my mind. The dedication, attention & effort that goes into growing & processing good coffee is astounding. As long as it ensures growers get a fair price for their beans, I'm in.

What do you think?

Did you like Mokhtar's story as much as the story of coffee?

[Gail]

Hi Frank, I started the book and liked it, but there is something about living in the time of virus that has not allowed me to sit and read a book. I read lots of stuff: NYT, Times Union, FB, articles sent to me, etc, but I don't get around to leisure reading. I still hope to read the book because I have enjoyed Dave Eggers books in the past, a lot, but it's going to be a while.

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

Gail wrote: "Hi Frank, I started the book and liked it, but there is something about living in the time of virus that has not allowed me to sit and read a book. I read lots of stuff: NYT, Times Union, FB, artic..."

Totally understandable. Let me know what you think if you finish.

[Andrew]

Hi Frank;
Bit late, but I just finished it this afternoon 4/28. I have read prolific Mr. Eggers before and liked "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" (2000) despite the title, and thought "Zeitoun" (2009) focused New Orlean's Katrina disaster better than "the news". I liked the aridness of "A Hologram for the King" (2012, moviefied with Tom Hanks) and I enjoyed "The Monk of Moka" (2018). He was a guest author at The NYS Writer' s Institute and described his after school writing workshop for inner city kids that included a room with mirror, step stool, and fan. Workshoppers can mirror-view their "look" as pretend Superman as the provided shoulder attached red cape flutters in the artificial breeze. I have since liked the wide eyed child-like quality that somehow infuses his writing. In Moka an inner city child confronts the randomness of place of birth and bumpiness of life-path-finding with the help of community connections from the farming interior of Yemen to CAs Peter Thiel. That's a non-fictional broad geographic and developmental arc involving history I didn't know about a drink many love. There's a happy ending to boot. What's not to like?

Brilliant choice!

[Frank, BPL Librarian]

Andrew wrote: "Hi Frank;
Bit late, but I just finished it this afternoon 4/28. I have read prolific Mr. Eggers before and liked "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" (2000) despite the title, and thought "..."

Hi Andrew - Thank you for your post! This was the first book I read by Eggers. Based on my experience & everyone else's, I'm planning to try one of his older titles. Do any of the older titles stand out as better than the others?