“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ― C.S. Lewis
Tea is one of my greatest comforts in life – and books are my greatest friend – for me the two go together absolutely perfectly. Whenever I sit for a prolonged period with a book I generally have a mug of tea at my side – and similarly when updating this blog I’m usually sipping away.
I generally drink a good quality English breakfast – Assam is another favourite, and I do have several other varieties which I enjoy. There is a shelf in my kitchen larder cupboard dedicated to tea. I recently discovered a lovely independent tea seller where I can buy all manner of different teas, and tea making accessories. I can confess to two visits in the last three weeks or so both resulting in purchases. On my first visit – along with some tea of course, I bought a rather nifty little tea strainer it is like a little pot that is placed in a mug of hot water. Chai Wallah is situated in the Pavilions shopping centre here is Birmingham, unfortunately the Pavilions has suffered somewhat by the opening of the new Bullring a few years ago. It has a rather desolate air these days – although there a few nice shops in there. I suspect the lovely Chai Wallah will be taking me back into the Pavilions more and more. You may like to know that they have an online shop too – just in case you fancied trying some of their interesting looking blends.
The tea I am drinking now is a Darjeeling Himalayan blend – a lovely traditional tea, aromatic with a slightly spicy flavour.
While drinking this lovely tea today, I am reading Mary Hocking’s Indifferent Heroes – the second of the Fairley family trilogy – the first of which Good Daughters I read quite recently and thoroughly enjoyed. Indifferent Heroes is set during the Second World War – I have always rather loved books set during this period – feeling quite peculiarly nostalgic for a time that was long over by the time I came along at the end of the 1960’s. However Mary Hocking is honest about the realities of war, the fear, and the temptations to a young woman whose husband is far from home, the casualties, and the sudden unexpectedness of death. I am enjoying the novel immensely. The lovely thing about a series of novels is that when reading the second book it is just like meeting up with old friends. Mary Hocking’s characters are real people living through extraordinary times – they are sometimes flawed but I like them all.
“In April the Germans invaded Norway. ‘It’s a rugged country,’ Stanley Fairley said to Judith. ‘The Germans won’t be able to fight in that sort of territory.’ In May he was telling her what splendid fighters the Dutch were. Guy had had embarkation leave in March. Louise thought he was probably on the continent.
Whatever the resolution of the Dutch, it was obviously time to take the war seriously. Mr Fairley decided that the loft must be cleared.”
Following my recent book purchases I haven’t bought any more books this week – I don’t intend to buy any more for a while. I did attend our usual bookcrossing meet up – yes I drank tea- it was English Breakfast that afternoon I seem to remember, piles of books and tea cups on the table are a feature of bookcrossing meet ups, but I managed to avoid the lure of free books and didn’t bring any away with me.
Goodness it’s hard to keep up with everyone else’s blogs – but I do try. In the last few days Kaggsy reminded me about a children’s book I read a million years ago when she blogged about a Beverley Nichols, biography, Liz has reviewed several books that I have tbr – making me wish I could read faster and FluerFisher has had me quite literally green with envy over some of the lovely Viragos she has been reading.
So tell me – what are you reading this week? and what tea are you drinking?
This combination of talking tea and books may well be something I return to in later posts – if that isn’t too ridiculously dull?
I’m currently drinking Lady Grey while doing some work (reading some blogs, actually, THEN doing some work); it seems fitted to the Persephone (Susan Glaspell’s “Fidelity”) and Virago (Mary Webb’s “Armour Wherein He Trusted”) books that I’m reading, too. I like an Earl Grey, too, and this year I’ve been drinking Redbush Vanilla a couple of times a day to cut down on caffeine a bit – we call it Custard Tea in this household.
I have particular teas for work, and as I work with words I thought it might be interesting to link to my blog post about that here. http://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/tea-hee/
But in summary, a cup of tea goes with a book, and a book goes with a cup of tea, even if it’s a cup of National Rail tea on a train with a book and a friend!
ha ha – oh yes National Rail tea – is better than one might expect – or maybe that’s just me.
What have you done Ali! I’ve just visited Char Wallah’s website, which was a mistake!
But tea and books are never boring, and I couldn’t agree more with that wonderful CSL quote. And let’s not forget Orwell’s essay on tea making! I generally drink English Breakfast or Whittards Russian Caravan (slightly smoky), but have recently discovered also Marks and Spencers Earl Grey which is lovely with lemon. I thought I was a hardened ‘real’ tea drinker till I discovered Clipper’s green tea with mint a few years back and it’s now a store cupboard essential in my house!
As for reading – I’m well into Elizabeth Bowen’s “The Hotel” which is proving an excellent read so far!
ooh Elizabeth Bowen – I have three or four tbr – although not that one, and am definitely over due to read some more of her. : ) glad it’s not just me that likes discovering new tea.
Books and tea are the perfect combination – nothing better to accompany a good book than a pot of tea! This week I am mainly drinking breakfast tea, and peppermint too. I have a favourite tea shop who do wonderful teas, special bags that they fill with leaves and pop in a teapot. I love going there to read at lunchtime and meeting there for catch-ups with friends. Reading-wise, I am listening to Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, and reading May We Be Forgiven by A.M. Homes. I recently finished Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple so am on something of a Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist binge!
I keep hearing about Where’d you Go Bernadette. I will look out for your review.
I grew up at the foothills of the Himalayas in a family that lives off the tea industry. Through the family lore I’ve heard about tea plantations begun by the British, and I have been witness to the rather recent depressing history of tea trade in India. Naturally this post struck a chord. I drink only Darjeeling however: I prefer leaves and the orthodox variety (hence I’m also partial to Earl Grey).
Reading a favourite book while drinking a perfect cup of tea is bliss. I’m reading Orwell’s poverty-stricken adventures in Paris (‘Down and Out in Paris and London’) while sipping a cup of Darjeeling.
I am sure the realities of the tea industry have become as depressing as so many other industries – a sa sign of the times in which we live.
That Orwell is a book I have on my wishlist – I hope you enjoy it.
I agree tea and books were made for each other 🙂 I’m currently reading The Light Behind the Window by Lucinda Riley which is partly set in France during WWII. I usually drink English Breakfast tea but I’m trying to find a nice naturally decaff tea now. Redbush leaves a bit of an unpleasant after taste. Happy reading and tea drinking 🙂
I often drink de-caff or camomile after 9pm these days.
Sometimes I even try to pair my tea up with my book. Elizabeth and Her German Garden goes so nicely with a nice fruity white tea with dried strawberries in it! Recently I’ve been enjoying a fabulous Russian tea given to my by a friend who went to Russia to research tea there. It’s marvelous and I don’t know how to get more when it’s gone! I’d love it if you’d post more about tea and books. For one thing, I’d love to see these new things you’ve bought!
I believe that Chai Wallah that I was talking about do a Russian Tea – it’s a bnew one and may not be on the website yet.
I’m more of a coffee drinker in the morning, but I transition into green tea at work and drink herbal tea in the evening. I don’t think I could get through the day without my tea (although admittedly, I drink much less in the summer months–then I drink iced tea. 🙂 The French drink lots of “infusions” (herbal teas) and there are some nice ones that come from our local area in the mountains.
I’m currently reading Rose Under Fire, the latest from Elizabeth Wein. I’ve been reading so many books set during WWII lately that I had a dream I was a pilot being chased by the enemy! My brain is full of that time period at the moment.
I drank a lot of coffee when I was younger (teens), but for the last twenty years or so I have been a firm tea-a-holic. If I drink coffee I have one decent quality cup a day – usually about halfway through the morning.
There’s nothing like a mug of tea to have when curled up with a book – unless it’s a steaming mug of hot chocolate on a cold, dark, winter afternoon! I alternate between Twining’s English Breakfast and Traditional Afternoon, but I’m also looking to cut down my evening caffeine, so bought some Lemon & Ginger on special offer the other day.
I’m currently reading ‘The Comedians’ for #greeneforgran.
If you’re big on CSL (and what a lovely quote!), Katherine Langrish (of the Troll trilogy), is giving a talk on CS Lewis at the Adderbury Literary Festival on Friday 22 November at 7.30pm. We’re 3.5 miles from Banbury station, so just along the Chiltern line from Birmingham. Moor Street/Snow Hill, or Cross Country from New Street!
Thanks for letting me know about that talk, I’m not a particular fan of CSL but still he’s an interesting character. I’ll be resding another #greenforgran book when I finish Good daughters later today.
Chai Wallah looks great, must call in next time I am in town! Glad to see they do Rooibos as well as ‘normal’ tea.
Oh yes do Jen, it’s such a lovely shop.
I’m an Earl Grey girl, though I also drink a lot of green tea and a fair bit of coffee. I probably shouldn’t confess what I’m reading at the moment, but it is the latest Dan Brown. The writing is laugh-out-loud dreadful and I’m thoroughly enjoying slumming it!
Earl Grey is not something I like at all I’m afraid – although I know a lot of people love it, an acquired taste maybe.
I’m reading The Children’s Book by A. S. Byatt, which is deliciously long (675 pages!!) and I found a British shop over the weekend on a trip to Houston, where I bought FOUR kinds of tea. I’m addicted. My favorite is Paris blend from Harney and Sons, which is bergamot with hints of vanilla and caramel. I also bought some in decaf, some black currant; some raspberry decaf, and some coconut green tea for my daughter. I’m converting her as well.
I love how many flavoured teas there are now.