“Starbucked” creates buzz about coffee

It’s the quintessential drink for those who need a jolt before a meeting, a way to wake up in the morning, and the college student’s ultimate weapon to stay up until 2:00 a.m. working on a paper: coffee. This otherwise simple drink has moved from a basic pick-me-up to a complex concoction. And, as Taylor Clark shows in “Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture,” the main catalyst in this coffee revolution has been the ever ubiquitous coffeehouse, Starbucks.

The book explores Starbuck’s rise from a tiny Seattle café to a one-on-every corner powerhouse of caffeine. Clark shows how coffee moved from a basic brew mainly consumed in Europe to a bitter drink of America’s working class and beyond, turning it into almost an art form in itself.

By Vanessa Kolberg

Arts & Entertainment Editor

It’s the quintessential drink for those who need a jolt before a meeting, a way to wake up in the morning, and the college student’s ultimate weapon to stay up until 2:00 a.m. working on a paper: coffee. This otherwise simple drink has moved from a basic pick-me-up to a complex concoction. And, as Taylor Clark shows in “Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture,” the main catalyst in this coffee revolution has been the ever ubiquitous coffeehouse, Starbucks.

The book explores Starbuck’s rise from a tiny Seattle café to a one-on-every corner powerhouse of caffeine. Clark shows how coffee moved from a basic brew mainly consumed in Europe to a bitter drink of America’s working class and beyond, turning it into almost an art form in itself.

While Starbucks can’t take all the credit for reinventing the coffee bean, it can claim the creation of the double-shot venti half-caf latte, extra hot with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup. In fact, there are over 19,000 ways to order a Starbucks coffee.

While the book is exceptionally informative, it isn’t a textbook on Starbucks by any means. Although the book is centrally focused on the coffee conglomerate, he does explore how smaller cafes have continued to make a living in a post-Starbucks society (amazingly, they have), how coffee is produced (cheaply), and just how much Starbucks has become a symbol in society as well as an over-priced beverage (there’s a Starbucks at the Great Wall of China- think about it). “Starbucked” is a quick read- almost as if the pages themselves were injected with caffeine, which is surprising considering it’s a 300 page book on coffee.

Plus, since it is crammed with random Starbucks facts and information, you can “impress” your friends with your newfound Starbucks knowledge each time you order a grande mocha cappuccino. Do you know what Starbucks is named after? Bet your friends don’t either. (Hint: think “Moby Dick”)