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Common Knowledge

Other names: James, Iris Stirling Rhodes
MacFarlane, Iris Stirling
Birthdate: 1922-07-22
Date of death: 2007-02-12
Gender: female
Nationality: UK
Birthplace: Quetta, Balochistan, British India
Place of death: Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, UK
Places of residence: Assam, India
Occupations: historian
Relationships: MacFarlane, Alan (son)
MacFarlane, Fiona (daughter)
Short biography: \

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Reviews

The Empire Of Tea by Alan Macfarlane

This is an interesting and readable introduction, but nothing more. Iris, the co-author's, memoirs of growing up in an Indian tea "garden" are more interesting than the rest of the book. I think of books like this as "history lite," interesting anecdotes, major figures, not much analysis of how it fits into larger historical context.

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kaitanya64 | 4 other reviews | Jan 3, 2017 |

The Empire Of Tea by Alan Macfarlane

Barely a 3 ... maybe 2.5 for "ambivalent"? There are bits and pieces of interesting story here, but it is rather dull throughout. Edit this down to what is interesting and it would take 50 pages.

Overall: Dull and not worth much time.

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deldevries | 4 other reviews | Jan 31, 2016 |

Green Gold: The Empire of Tea by Alan Macfarlane

Iris MacFarlane wrote a touching story about her life on the tea garden in India. Then Alan MacFarlane proceeded to write the kind of history that lifts tea up to its rightful place above all other beverages. I like it better than other perspectives on history because its focus is that superiority of tea.

Of particular note was how tea was compared to wine and beer. It was explained how the alcoholic drinks could never conquer the world because they take too many resources of land and labor. They were always meant for the elites in moderation while tea could be enjoyed by the masses--the drink of everyman. This history was the most inspiring when it came time to write my own book.… (more)

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jasonwitt | 4 other reviews | Oct 29, 2009 |

The Empire Of Tea by Alan Macfarlane

Another tea history book. It was okay. I couldn't understand what the writers were getting at. Obviously many have suffered hardships as a result of the tea industry, and it has affected history and health in many ways. That's what they were saying, but it was a bit scattered in making its point.

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PensiveCat | 4 other reviews | Sep 23, 2009 |

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