A simple cup of coffee: Millions of people greet the morning, take a break, or end a meal with this dark brew. In these brief moments, coffee's rich flavor and deep aroma are simple pleasures unquestioningly accepted, although few of us ever consider the origins of this evermore popular beverage. The Birth of Coffee is a multiplatform, media project consisting of a book, (published by Random House) an international photographic exhibition tour (23 U.S. cities and 1 million visitors) and a complementary web site. The goal of the project is to extend the individual's personal coffee experiences, providing them with an understanding of the many people, places and processes involved in bringing coffee to the table.


To complete this project, the author and photographer traveled a quarter of a million miles to five continents and eight countries documenting and recording the world's coffee cultures. They followed the coffee cycle from a single seed at planting, to harvest, processing, shipping and the final cup.

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