Caffeine

How Caffeine Created the Modern World

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Caffeine

Written by: Michael Pollan

Narrated by: Michael Pollan

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About this listen

Michael Pollan, known for his best-selling nonfiction audio, including The Omnivores Dilemma and How to Change Your Mind, conceived and wrote Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World as an Audible Original. In this controversial and exciting listen, Pollan explores caffeine’s power as the most-used drug in the world - and the only one we give to children (in soda pop) as a treat.

Pollan takes us on a journey through the history of the drug, which was first discovered in a small part of East Africa and within a century became an addiction affecting most of the human species. Caffeine, it turns out, has changed the course of human history - won and lost wars, changed politics, dominated economies. What’s more, the author shows that the Industrial Revolution would have been impossible without it. The science of how the drug has evolved to addict us is no less fascinating. And caffeine has done all these things while hiding in plain sight! Percolated with Michael Pollan’s unique ability to entertain, inform, and perform, Caffeine is essential listening in a world where an estimated two billion cups of coffee are consumed every day.

Food & Wine

Social Sciences

Wine & Beverages

Modern Fiction

Most relevant

I was thinking that caffeine being an addictive substance, the author would spend a lot of effort in pointing out the addiction part and the harm that comes from any type of addiction. That was not the case. The book delves into history of coffee trade and how it shaped the modern societies.

Caffeine, once ingested gives a boost of energy that is required to do everyday work. Regular consumption of caffeine made it easy for people to have a fixed schedule for work without solely relying on body's circadian rhythms. This made it possible for modern civilization to run effectively, where millions of people can predictively work around the clock, doing their part to contributing towards the society and making a living. It is a wonder chemical that shaped the way of life for practically every advanced modern civilization.

Caffeine, however addictive it might be, certainly does not have any significant harmful effects unlike cigarette and alcohol, although it may interfere with one's sleep, affecting the quality of deep sleep if there is too much of it in the system. So, if taken in moderation, there is no reason to be afraid of caffeine in spite of being habit forming and addictive in nature. The benefits far more outweigh the limitations.