The Book of Coffee: A philosophy

'What is so appealing about the ideas in this book is that we could pivot coffee from being the driving force behind excessive hours and a poor work-life balance into being a drink that lets us contemplate meaning and purpose in a different way.' James Hoffmann, author of the Sunday Times bestseller, How to Make the Best Coffee at Home.

Philosopher Julian Baggini and coffee expert James Hoffmann team up In this beguiling deep dive into what the world's favourite hot drink can teach us about the art of living.

Julian Baggini has long been fascinated by the philosophical underpinnings of how we eat and drink, and the chance discovery in Tokyo of a copy of The Book of Tea by Kakuza Okakura (published in 1906) led him on a journey to explore our relationship with coffee. Coffee is the ritual that begins and gets us through the day, it not only fuels us but has shaped the very fabric of modern life. Our cup of coffee allows for a moment of deeper connection, both with oneself and others, through attentive preparation and consumption. A moment to embrace life's absurdity with joy and alertness.

This little book on coffee is something ultimately enriching and life affirming, an elevation of the everyday and a pleasure to read - a treatise on how we can infuse the seemingly mundane with moments of mindful attention and meaning. It will appeal not only to coffee lovers but to anyone intrigued by the intersections of culture, philosophy, and everyday life. In tracing the deep roots of coffee in our imagination, The Book of Coffee reveals why this humble drink remains a profound and lasting symbol of life itself.

About the Author

Dr Julian Baggini is a philosopher, writer and journalist who has written over 20 books on a wide variety of topics, which have sold over half a million copies in the UK alone. He has served as Academic Director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy and was also the co-founder and editor of The Philosophers' Magazine. Julian's books have seen great international success; his titles have sold in 24 territories (excluding the UK and North America) and have been translated into 23 languages. His bestselling titles include How The World Thinks and The Pig That Wants To Be Eaten, the latter of which was recently released with a new edition by Granta. His most recent work, How The World Eats, was published in 2024.

James Hoffmann is the co-founder of Square Mile Coffee Roasters, a multi-award-winning coffee roasting company based in East London. He is also the World Barista Champion 2007, having won the UK Barista competition in both 2006 and 2007. He has a YouTube channel with more than 2.3 million subscribers, where he makes videos about anything and everything to do with coffee and an instagram following of more than 760k. He is the author of The World Atlas of Coffee (first edition 2014, second edition 2018, third edition 2025) and the Sunday Times bestseller How to Make the Best Coffee at Home (2022).