The meaning of tea A tea inspired journey

American tea importer David Lee Hoffman believes the best teas in the world come from China; he tries to find a way to convince the Chinese government to let him buy that tea in the captivating, leisurely paced All in This Tea. The award-winning documentary isn't just about the exporting of tea but also the historical and social role of tea in Chinese life and the ongoing conflict between modern tea production and processing and the traditional, organic method of tea farming that is fast disappearing in the East. In The Meaning of Tea, director Hoyt takes a broader view of the drink, traveling the globe from America to Asia in search of tea's role in today's world. The production values in both films are excellent, and both offer an entertaining and informative overview of the past, present, and future of this fascinating beverage as well as some thoughtful philosophical discussions on the value tea has in our frantic, fast-paced lives. The Meaning of Tea offers a good, basic introduction to the subject for general viewers. While All in This Tea focuses on Chinese tea, it is an enlightening treat, whose only real stumbling block is its cost, which puts it, like many of the exquisite teas Hoffman imports, out of the reach of many libraries.-John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.