author
William H. (William Harrison) Ukers
1873–1945
Best known for turning a lifelong fascination with coffee and tea into landmark reference books, he helped shape how English-speaking readers learned about both drinks. His writing combines trade knowledge, history, and a real enthusiast’s curiosity.
2 Audiobooks
All about coffee
by William H. (William Harrison) Ukers
About the author
William H. Ukers was an American writer, editor, and trade journalist whose name is closely tied to the early modern literature of coffee and tea. Born in 1873, he spent much of his career building knowledge around those industries and sharing it with both professionals and general readers.
He founded Tea and Coffee Trade Journal in 1901 and remained deeply connected to it for decades. That long editorial work fed into his best-known books, especially All About Coffee (1922) and the two-volume All About Tea (1935), large-scale works that brought together history, production, commerce, and culture in one place.
What makes Ukers memorable is the sheer scope of his curiosity. Rather than treating coffee or tea as simple beverages, he wrote about them as global stories shaped by agriculture, travel, science, and everyday habits. He died in 1945, but his books are still remembered as classic starting points for readers interested in the history of both drinks.