The Coffee Trader: A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

by David Liss

Amsterdam, 1659: On the world’s first commodities exchange, fortunes are won and lost in an instant. Miguel Lienzo, a sharp-witted trader in the city’s close-knit community of Portuguese Jews, knows this only too well. Once among the city’s most envied merchants, Miguel has suddenly lost everything. Now, impoverished and humiliated, living in his younger brother’s canal-flooded basement, Miguel must find a way to restore his wealth and reputation.

Miguel enters into a partnership with a seductive Dutchwoman who offers him one last chance at success—a daring plot to corner the market of an astonishing new commodity called “coffee.” To succeed, Miguel must risk everything he values and face a powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to see him ruined. Miguel will learn that among Amsterdam’s ruthless businessmen, betrayal lurks everywhere, and even friends hide secret agendas.

• ISBN10: 0375760903
• ISBN13: 9780375760907
• Publish Date: 3 February 2004 (first published 1 January 2003)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Ballantine Books Inc.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780375760907

Reviews

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

I was so surprised to find that this author also wrote a children's book series that my son likes. This was very well-written and extremely interesting.

[Eve1972]

I enjoyed this book, it is a wonderful portrayal of late 17th Century Amsterdam with lots of great detail and wonderful bits of information that I really enjoy in a good historical fiction. Plenty of twists and turns and great characters, just a very enjoyable read!