by William I. Lengeman III

Herbal Teas for Health and Healing by Jessica Houdret

There are a number of books on the market devoted solely to herbal teas, also known as infusions or tisanes, and here’s another one to add to the list. Houdret’s book is a slim volume that will aid you in making, as the wordy subtitle notes, “your own natural drinks to improve zest and vitality, and to help relieve common ailments, with 50 herb recipes shown in 100 beautiful photographs.”

The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea by Michael Harney

As one of the sons in the respected tea firm Harney & Sons, Michael Harney brings twenty-some years of experience in the tea industry to bear in this primer about all things tea. As the publisher notes, the book “is an illuminating resource for tea drinkers interested in developing and refining their palate as well as their understanding of the complex agricultural, historical, and cultural significance of tea.”

A Necessary Luxury: Tea in Victorian England by Julie E. Fromer

Some might argue the point, but it’s a pretty safe bet that there’s no nation more closely identified with tea than England. All of which makes for prime pickings for those tea historian types, among them Julie Fromer. In A Necessary Luxury, she takes a close look at “tea histories, advertisements, and nine Victorian novels, including Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Wuthering Heights, and Portrait of a Lady” as she examines the importance of tea to the Victorian-era.

The Tea Drinker’s Handbook by Christine Barbaste, Francois-xavier Delmas, Mathias Minet

If your tea bookshelf needs yet another one of those tea primers of the sort that are written by knowledgeable types in the tea industry, give The Tea Drinker’s Handbook a try. It comes to us from the founders of Le Palais des Thés, “a retail chain known for the high quality of its selection of teas.”

Tea Bag Folding by Janet Wilson, Tiny van der Plas

Tea bag folding? Really? If you weren’t aware that there was such a thing, this book is likely to be a revelation. An art that originated in Holland, tea bag folding is as likely nowadays to use decorative paper as tea bag envelopes to create eye-catching projects that many have likened to origami.

Get more great tea-related information on William’s blog, Tea Guy Speaks!