Porter skips through six centuries, nine European countries (plus America) highlighting different cafes that historical significance. She's quick to move from subject to subject. Porter offers the reader a tasting menu of historical backgrounds, tangents and snacks. This book is roughly arranged chronologically and geographical with the 12 cafes ranging from 1686 to the newest cafe established in 1911.

Why I started this book: I loved [book:A History of the World in 6 Glasses|3872] and liked [book:100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife|62918720] and was hoping for something like this... but with a great list of places to visit in Europe.

Why I finished it: This book was good and it was a disappointment to me. Tone and documentation vary so much in professions. This was a little to historic in tone to not have better footnotes and I was frustrated by my high expectations. Having said that, I would love to visit these cafes and then revisit this book, as travel always makes history better. Props to letting the reader know in the blurb that you will include a coffee shop in America for your history of Europe.

Monica Porter’s “A History of Europe in 12 Cafes” invites readers to explore twelve iconic European cafés, each steeped in history and tradition. From the bustling streets of London to the sun-kissed terraces of Rome, we sip espresso alongside philosophers, artists, and revolutionaries. The book’s strength lies in its vivid descriptions of these cultural hubs and the occasional humourous quip thrown in. However, Porter occasionally loses focus. The narrative often veers off into unrelated anecdotes and while these tangents provide glimpses of European life beyond coffee, they disrupt the central theme (ie., the lengthy section on Cassanova).

The book is written in an easy-to-follow journalistic style and is ideal for readers who may not be well-versed in European history or the history of coffee. While I am a fan of micro-histories that look at the past through a specific lens and its title appealed to me, it didn't add depth or layers to what I already knew.

Coffee culture is the set of traditions and social behaviours that surround the consumption of coffee, particularly as a social lubricant.The term also refers to the cultural diffusion and adoption of coffee as a widely consumed stimulant.The culture surrounding coffee and coffeehouses dates back to 16th-century Turkey.Coffeehouses in Western Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean were not only social hubs but also artistic and intellectual centres.In the late 17th and 18th centuries,coffeehouses in London became popular meeting places for artists, writers,and socialites,as well as centres for political and commercial activity. In the 19th century a special coffee house culture developed in Vienna, the Viennese coffee house, which then spread throughout Central Europe.The first coffeehouse in England was opened in St. Michael's Alley in Cornhill, London.The proprietor was Pasqua Rosée, the servant of Daniel Edwards, a trader in Turkish goods.There were attempts to ban coffeehouses due to a fear that they attracted political uprising.Paris was instrumental in the development of "café society" in the first half of the 20th century.People from all walks of life discussed new projects,theories and worldviews.Information was also disseminated in the coffee house, since local and foreign newspapers were freely available to all guests.The cafes that have lasted despite everything are Queen's Lane Coffee House in Oxford,Cafe Procope and Cafe de Flore in Paris,Caffe Florian in Venice,Antico Caffe Greco in Rome, Cafe Central,Cafe Landtmann,Cafe Braunerhof,Cafe Demel,Cafe Griensteidl,Cafe Hawelka,Cafe Museum,Cafe Sacher,Cafe Savoy,Cafe Schwarzenberg,and Cafe Sperl in Vienna,New York Cafe in Budapest,Cafe Odeon in Zurich,Cafe Luitpold in Munich,Gran Cafe de Gijon in Madrid,and Cafe Slavia in Prague.The Green Dragon Tavern in Boston,was a popular meeting place for both the Freemasons and the Sons of Liberty,and it was where The Boston Tea Party was planned.Caffe Reggio is the oldest coffee house still operating in the US.It was founded in 1927 in Manhattan's Greenwich Village.Caffe Lena is the second oldest,est in 1960 at Saratoga Springs,NY.

Another good book of social history as the cafes played a relevant role in the history of Europe in the last three centuries.
Well researched and compelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A gorgeous slice of history, journeying through beautiful European cafés. Having been lucky enough to visit almost a handful of these, I felt even more connected to this book. I particularly enjoyed the fluid focus throughout on cafés being a vessel for connection and feeling present in both the now and then.

In this fascinating history of Europe, Porter explores the history of coffee in Europe and the development of the cafe as a public establishment for the intelligentsia and the everyday person. The book builds from a history of coffee and its presence in Europe to an exploration of twelve cafes from around the continent and from different time periods, tracking the growth of these establishments from their early modern incarnations to the more recent twentieth-century iterations. By tracking histories of many kinds (social, political, cultural, and intellectual) through the same type of building and a shared cafe culture, Porter emphasizes a larger shared history that crosses national borders and centuries in this fantastic read. Porter’s prose is concise and engaging, and she supplements the text with some fantastic images (photos, documents, cartoons, prints, and paintings) of the cafes that she focuses on and their clientele. The organization of this book (chronological, then thematic) provides a natural progression from the colonial and mercantile history of coffee into the history of European cafe culture. A fascinating read for coffee lovers and historians alike, Porter strikes a fantastic balance between the two themes and the larger history in this interesting and insightful book.

I really enjoyed reading through this book with my morning coffee. The historical significance or importance of the cafe had never really occurred to me and I learned a lot of interesting things about my favourite beverage. It occurred to me as well this book along with a bag of coffee beans would be a great Father’s Day gift for my dad (who is impossible to shop for) or any other curious coffee lovers.

The History of Europe in 12 Cafes spotlights coffee houses in the major cities of Europe that have been the center of some historical events. I recommend it for travelers who want to dig deeper into the history of a place. I plan to seek out some of the cafes which are still standing on my next trip. this would make a good gift for anyone interested in European history as well.

An unusual and original trawl through the history of Europe through its iconic cafés, tracing the inception and evolution of coffee houses and coffee culture, and chronicling the importance of such meeting places for writers, artists, politicians and thinkers of all stripes. I found it a wonderfully interesting account, and was thrilled to discover that many of the cafés still exist. Indeed I have visited some of them. The emphasis is on Western Europe, plus one chapter set in the United Sates, at that time still under British rule. Six centuries of coffee and cafés, with a good combination of history and biographies of the cafés’ habitués. The book is what it is, and I feel that reviewers who have castigated the author for her narrow scope are surely missing the point. One book can’t possibly be so comprehensive as to include all cafés in all countries, and I feel that the author’s choice of what to include is perfectly valid. I enjoyed it, anyway, and learnt stuff along the way. Recommended.

There are few things that appeal to a book reader more than cafes. Yes, we all love to go to a cafe, just chill, have a coffe and read a book. The overall vibe of a bustling cafe is beyond compare. So when I came across this book I immediately requested it. I was completely correct in assuming that the book was amazing. It had so much history abount cafes I hadn't read about before, even though I love reading history books. There were so many quirky cafes like one in which one could only speak in Latin. Imagine just being able to speak one particular language in cafe. It's so great to learn that European cafes have so much culture and many great minds attached to it. Although cafes now are becoming much less so. As the author points out, cafe in the present day have fewer chances of becoming places where great revolutions began, as they get corporatized and money becomes the driving cause. Fewer cafes are likely to be the hang out of the famous "broke genuises" or aspiring thinkers. Truly recommend this book especially to cafe lovers.

My grandma used to take me out to cafés wherever we were from a very early age and it always made me feel very special. To me, a café is never just the sum of goodies on offer (although it helps ☺️), it does have that uplifting atmosphere that is remniscent of all those freethinkers, authors, revolutionists, artists and ladies in flowing dresses. How many art styles, how many philosophic theories, how many plots to overthrow were conceived at those marble-topped tables?

The list of café afficionados is a grand one: Goethe, Rousseau, Napoleon, Benjamin Franklin, Casanova, Thomas Mann, Hogarth, Byron, Shelley, Keats, Gogol, Freud, Trotzky, Stalin, Tito, Hitler, Hemingway, Camus, Sartre, Beauvoir, Einstein, Lenin, Joyce, Havel to name but a few.
This book lets you tap into that atmosphere, marvel at the cafés’ interior design and imagine the famous faces slurping their mocha in them.

This book is also an ode to coffee, as Balzac famously enthused: “The coffee falls into your stomach and straightaway there is a commotion. Ideas begin to move like the battalions of the Grande Armée on the battlefield, and the battle begins. Memories arrive at full gallop, flags flying. The light cavalry of comparisons deliver a magnificent charge, the artillery of logic rushes in with its wagons and ammunition, the shafts of wit appear like sharpshooters.”

Thankfully, a number of those history-laden temples have survived into the present day. However: In 1683 there were more than 2,000 coffee houses in London. What on earth happened? Why replace them with bland, identikit coffee hellhole chains?

There is a wide scope here for a Cafés Volume 2 and more: La fleur en papier doré in Brussels, Tomaselli in Salzburg, Baratti e Milano in Turin, Quadri in Venice, Imperial in Prague, Gambrinus in Naples…
*packing my travelling bags*

Monica Porter, A History of Europe in 12 Cafes, Pen & Sword Pen & Sword History, April 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pen & Sword for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

I found Monica Porter’s A History of Europe in 12 Cafes an enthralling read. With its wealth of historical information covering visual art, writing, biographical material, politics and war through the beautifully described cafes, European and American, conveyed through accessible language that almost belied the density of the content, this book is a treasure trove. A treasure for the coffee aficionado who would like to visit these cafes; for the history lover whose appetite will be slaked by the detailed accounts of political intrigue, war time measures and attendant developments; and those whose access to the culture associated with the cafes will be at once be both satisfied and keen also keen to read the material and visit the galleries that house the art described. So, upon finishing the book one is at once replete, and fighting an appetite that can only be assuaged by rereading, delving into the bibliography or visiting the sites – no mean feat as they include ten different countries, twelve coffee houses, and galleries.

The twelve coffee houses are listed at the end of the book, complete with addresses. Visiting them will take the reader to Oxford, Paris (two cafes), Venice, Rome, Vienna (two cafes), Budapest, Zurich, Munich, Madrid and Prague. While the American coffee houses of the revolution differed from the European examples in their lack of artistic patrons, they certainly fulfilled the political environment familiar in the first fourteen chapters of this book. Chapter fifteen, which covers the American experience is an informative political read. However, The Merchants Coffee House, on Wall Street New York was destroyed by fire in 1804; the Old London coffee house did not survive its owner’s unrealistic expectations of patrons’ behaviour and, after various businesses used it, the building it fell into disrepair and was demolished; the Green Dragon in Boston was demolished with little recognition of its past which was left to later activists to recall with a commemorative plaque.

The artistic and political figures who feature are too numerous to list. However, the title of the book tells us that it is within the cafes that the history will be found and that it is expanded is to Porter’s credit. It is worth looking inside to make some random choices to see who frequented the cafes. Writers such as James Baldwin, Simone de Beauvoir, Samuel Beckett, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Lord Byron, Albert Camus, Fydor Dostoevsky; and artists, Dali, Paul Klee and Gustav Klimt are only a few of those who met at the cafes.

Political events, of which the Boston Tea Party, the Spanish-American War and the War of American Independence, World Wars 1 and 11 are a few examples. There are intriguing entries about absinthe (referred to over two pages and in another instance) and reflections on beer and wine; architectural styles; artistic styles; cafes used for film locations; resistance members and spies. Political figures and movements, Napoleon, Hitler, Lenin, Bolshevism, Feminism, Existentialism are but a few of the figures and movements covered.

The index is in itself a wealth of information with the plethora of material related to events, locations, titles of paintings and written material, adding to the enthusiasm with which I read Monica Porter’s book. Her ability to weave stories and facts around locations as fascinating as these coffee houses makes not only a stimulating read but one which is informative.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Pen & Sword, and Monica Porter for this ARC! I enjoyed A History of Europe in 12 Cafés a lot! This was a fun concept for a history book, and I think Monica Porter did a great job with it! I think using cafés and coffee as the focus by which to move through European history was a novel choice and a good way to get people to look into the subject! After all, people love cafés & their ambiance, and people love coffee!

This book is well-written and well-researched. As I read, I definitely felt that this was history the author cared a lot about, and I think that passion comes across in a way that made each chapter engaging. I was excited to learn more! It is not the most in depth European history book, but I found it a good read to also serve as a starting point for me to do more research on the information I learned that really interested me.

As the title suggests, this book has chosen a select number of cafés and points in European history to discuss. These cafés are mostly located in Western Europe with a few exceptions. Obviously, if you're expecting a café from every country this won't deliver that. But I was really pleased with the cafés that were chosen to take readers on this interesting journey through Europe's history. One of the chapters does stray outside of Europe (you'll know what I mean if you read the description), which is certainly an interesting choice. Though I will say its inclusion is connected to European loss of power, a part of European history, and the title does say A History of Europe in 12 Cafés, not 12 European Cafés. So while not exactly what one might have expected, I feel it does work within the context of the book!

Overall definitely an enjoyable, engaging, and easy to read history book that I'd recommend giving a try!

A History of Europe in 12 Cafés was a book with an interesting idea; however, I don't feel it quite delivered overall. The balance of countries was a little off, with some over-represented and others ignored. I also wondered at the need to include a chapter on the US when the book says in its title it's about Europe. The information presented began with a history of coffee and coffee houses before zeroing in on particular establishments. There was nothing wrong with the information presented, but it was all very basic and the same facts could easily be found with a few quick online searches. A little deeper research and scholarly analysis would have taken the book to a higher level. However, if you are coming to the topic with no prior knowledge, this would make a good introductory text as it covers all the basics and is easy reading. I am therefore giving it three stars.

his pop history book about the role cafés played in the development of pivotal historic events in some European countries would've been much better if it had improved on these three aspects: writing and length of chapters, geographical scope to include non-Western European cpuntires too, and limiting itself to Europe without a detour to the US given title and aim of the book.

A History of Europe in 12 Cafes by Monica Porter is exceptional, gorgeous and so beautifully written. Tea is my main food group, but I absolutely devoured this delectable story of the evolution of the European Coffee House

Porter takes us on a journey through time and place, exploring the development of the imbibemet of coffee (it used to be considered an "enfeebling liquor" and the establishments to be "hotbeds of dissent and intrigue". Well, in respect of the former, contemporary coffee lovers would consider their drink of choice to prevent or restore the self from an "enfeebled" state and as for the latter, many a coffee house has sent forth the creators, the great minds and the world-changers of history

This is the beauty of this book. Beyond the history of coffee drinking and coffee houses, it chronicles notable people through history and poignant events that shaped our world as it is today. A wonderful read for lovers of history, culture, global studies, and of course, coffee.

This book is absolutely fascinating, the writing is incredibly engaging and the illustrations are perfection .

Thank you very, very much to Netgalley, Pen & Sword, Pen & Sword History and the exceptional author, Monica Porter for this very kindly gifted ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

After being granted a special advance read on this book, I am sorry to say it was not what I expected. I did re-read the description to see if I totally misread that, but found the book not totally matching it. I expected this book to tell the history of the cafes themselves up to the present, with historical points in which they found themselves. I found that the book does tell some about the cafes, but the cafe gets lost within the history of the country and the people. To me, there was just a lot more history about the country the cafe was in and the history of the people living there. Sometimes I would forget about the cafe all together. I thank NetGalley and I thank Pen & Sword for the advance read.