Tea Blog

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
― C.S. Lewis

The great works of literature are the ones that withstand the test of time. They have probably done so for a reason, but that doesn’t mean that they couldn’t stand some improvement – if I dare say so. Such as adding more tea. While tea is a topic the crops up now and then in great literary works, it’s rarely the focus of the story. If you’ve ever found yourself wishing such works were more tea-centric, here are a few suggestions.

A Christmas Carol
On Christmas Eve, four ghosts teach Scrooge, an elderly miser and tea merchant, who actually doesn’t like tea, that love and friendship are much more important than amassing a fortune. The ghosts reveal to Scrooge scenes from his past, present and future. After witnessing these scenes, Scrooge is a changed man and celebrates with an elaborate Christmas tea for each and every one.

Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad’s famous story concerns the journey of the narrator up the Congo River on behalf of a Belgian trading company. Far upriver, he encounters the mysterious Kurtz, a tea trader who exercises an almost godlike sway over the inhabitants of the region. Both repelled and fascinated by the man, Marlow is brought face to face with the corruption and despair that Conrad saw at the heart of human existence. In the end, however, Kurtz turns to be a very nice fellow and the latter part of the book chronicles the fascinating chats the pair have over many excellent cups of tea.

On The Road
A fictional telling of Jack Kerouac’s years traveling the North American continent with his friend Neal Cassady. As Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty, the two roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge and experience and most importantly – the perfect cup of tea.

Ulysses
James Joyce’s also fictional chronicle of a day in the life of Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom, as they criss-cross Dublin on June 4, 1904, in search of…what else – the perfect cup of tea.

The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
Perhaps the most tragic tale in all of literature, Daniel DeFoe’s novel chronicles the adventures of the title character, who is shipwrecked on an island with no tea in sight. Read it if you dare.

Dracula
“I never drink…tea.”

Gone With the Wind
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn about anything but a good cup of tea.”

Moby Dick
“Call me Ishmael. If you want. Just don’t forget to call me when the tea is ready.”

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles here.

© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.