Journal Entry 1 by Seferim from Columbia, Maryland USA on Monday, June 02, 2003

Here is a synopsis from Publishers Weekly

This one, in contrast, is set in the confined world of 17th-century Amsterdam's immigrant Jewish community. Liss makes up the difference in scale with ease, establishing suspense early on. Miguel Lienzo escaped the Inquisition in Portugal and lives by his wits trading commodities. He honed his skills in deception during years of hiding his Jewish identity in Portugal, so he finds it easy to engage in the evasions and bluffs necessary for a trader on Amsterdam's stock exchange. While he wants to retain his standing in the Jewish community, he finds it increasingly difficult to abide by the draconian dictates of the Ma'amad, the ruling council. Which is all the more reason not to acknowledge his longing for his brother's wife, with whom he now lives, having lost all his money in the sugar trade. Miguel is delighted when a sexy Dutch widow enlists him as partner in a secret scheme to make a killing on "coffee fruit," an exotic bean little known to Europeans in 1659. But she may not be as altruistic as she seems. Soon Miguel is caught in a web of intricate deals, while simultaneously fending off a madman desperate for money, and an enemy who uses the Ma'amad to make Miguel an outcast. Each player in this complex thriller has a hidden agenda, and the twists and turns accelerate as motives gradually become clear. There's a central question, too: When men manipulate money for a living, are they then inevitably tempted to manipulate truth and morality? 

Journal Entry 2 by Seferim from Columbia, Maryland USA on Sunday, July 13, 2003

BOOKRING TIME!!

Please let me know if you are interested! It is an international ring, so please include your shipping preferences.

Participants:
Wandeca (ON, CAN)
minerswifebb (BC, CAN)
Zyana (Portugal)
beckys (Italy)
Erbie (Netherlands)
Maupi (Netherlands)**Current Reader**
tutmarie (Denmark)
LeighBCD (UK)
Kernow8 (UK)
Geologygirl (NC, US)
caligula03 (CA, US)
Tamster33 (CA, US)
JDT (CA, US)
Jenvince (CA, US)
savannahblue (OR, US)
kslittle575 (NE, US)
Scramble (IL, US)
JesseBC (IL, US)
Amusedbythis (IL, US)
LesliePB (OH, US)
HikingReader (WI, US)
RlyLv2Rd (MN, US)
MMZ18407 (MD, US)
...
Seferim (MD, US)
 

Journal Entry 3 by Wandeca from Kitchener, Ontario Canada on Thursday, August 07, 2003

Just got the book...I'm planning on starting this weekend.  

Journal Entry 4 by Wandeca from Kitchener, Ontario Canada on Saturday, August 16, 2003

My first book by David Liss, and I was wonderfully surprised, he had me hooked from the first paragraph.
It was a wonderful novel full of suspense, intrigue and a little romance, plus my favorite coffee………

 

Journal Entry 5 by Wandeca from Kitchener, Ontario Canada on Monday, August 25, 2003

The book continues its journey....mailed it to minerswifebb on Saturday. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 6 by minerswifebb from Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan Canada on Tuesday, September 02, 2003

Received this book today...thanks Leya, but ouch that postage!!$8.75...I wonder what it will cost me to mail it to the UK? It looks like a good read though and I will read it now as nothing on Mount TBR strikes my fancy at the moment! 

Journal Entry 7 by minerswifebb from Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan Canada on Sunday, September 14, 2003

Wow, what a book! Very interesting glimpse into the world of commerce in Holland during the 1600's. I was under the weather while I read it and for some strange reason I was unable to drink coffee while I was ill. So I rode out the horrible caffeine withdrawal headaches and after 5 days was cured! I have been a hard core coffee drinker for more than 30 years and I consider this nothing less than a miracle, especially considering I never wanted to quit!
Loved the book and the irony of the circumstances while I read it.
I have emailed LeighBCD for her address, but think she might still be in the US on holiday.  

Journal Entry 8 by minerswifebb at Mailed to Rua de Cedofeita in Porto - City, Porto Portugal on Tuesday, September 23, 2003

Release planned for Wednesday, September 24, 2003 at Mailed to Rua de Cedofeita in Porto, Porto Portugal.

Mailing to Zyana, next on the list after LeighBCD who asked that she be skipped but left on the list, as she is still vacationing ! 

Journal Entry 9 by minerswifebb from Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan Canada on Thursday, November 20, 2003

email this morning...Nov.20...
Hello minerswifebb,

I'm a BookCrosser, too (screen name "Zyana"), and I writting to let you
know the books you sent me: "The Coffee Trader" and "The House on Mango
Street" did arrive in Portugal but I could not pick them up from the
post-office because they didn't fit into my mailbox and they now have a
new
rule that you have to have an ID with the same name as the one written
on
the package, which in the present case is Zyana. Obviously that's not
my
real name but when I tried to explain it at the post-office they
wouldn't
bulge and although I argued and argued that Zyana is just a nickname,
that
that person doesn't exist, in teh sense that there isn't an id out
there
with that name, let alone just one name... but the woman was stubborn
and
absolutely stupid and just repeated over and over again that I had to
be
Zyana to pick up the package...It's totally insane! I asked her what
would
happen to the package if it wasn't picked up and she said it would be
returned to the sender...so basically because of a bureocratic glitch
the
package is on it's way to your house after the longest trip to
Portugal.
I'm trully sorry about this situation but the matter of the fact is, I
had
received several packages from BC with the Zyana name and never, ever
had
any problem picking them up before today...I'm upset as hell...and
there
isn't really anything I can do


Sincerely, zyana


So it isn't lost just on an extended world tour! Of course I will remail it when it returns here...but a big raspberry to the postal clerk from hell!
Jill 

Journal Entry 10 by minerswifebb from Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan Canada on Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Well here it is January 14th and this package has yet to be returned to me. I hope it is just a case of slow mail! I will journal again as soon as i get it.(and re mail it) 

Journal Entry 11 by minerswifebb from Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan Canada on Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Happy to report that this has arrived back from Portugal this morning. I will re-address and re mail today or tomorrow!
A big fat raspberry to the postmistress! 

Journal Entry 12 by minerswifebb from Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan Canada on Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Just checking in here....still no word on The Coffee Trader's arrival...hope it is just stuck on a slow boat somewhere. Two months each trip seems a bit much doesn't it? 

Journal Entry 13 by Zyana from Porto - City, Porto Portugal on Tuesday, April 06, 2004

At long last!!!

"The Coffee Trader" has finaly arrived safely after a rather turbulent 4 cross-atlantic voyages!
I will make this one a priority read and will get on it as soon as I finish the book I'm currently reading.

Thank you so much minerswifebb for bearing with me and the enfuriating portuguese postal service! 

Journal Entry 14 by Zyana from Porto - City, Porto Portugal on Monday, July 12, 2004

I finally got around to finishing this savory novel yesterday. It was a slow start but the last third of the book was very enticing and made up for the sluggish beginning. Liss managed to paint the period in very vivid colors and smells and it's not hard to find oneself transported back in time to those Amsterdam alleys. Thank you for bearing with me and once again I'm so sorry for the long delay in this ring ... I'll have it in the post first thing tomorrow morning and send it on it's way to Italy. 

Journal Entry 15 by beckys on Sunday, July 18, 2004

It arrived a couple of days ago... looks amazing! I'm already reading another book, so be patient. :) 

Journal Entry 16 by Erbie from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, September 30, 2004

Receiced this book a little while ago, and I appear to have forgotten to journal it!

I was reading 2 other ring books, so this one had to wait a bit, but I've started it, and am loving it. The describtions of old Amsterdam as well as the background of the jewish community make it an interesting read. 

Journal Entry 17 by Erbie from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Monday, October 25, 2004

Absolutely fantastic book.
Reading about the city that I live in, in the 17th century was a treat. Getting a bit of the feeling of days long ago....

I now walk though the city, picturing the scenes from the book... At the Nieuwmarkt: 'This is where she saw the widow talking to the men!' and such.

The story itself I found wonderfully intriguing. It's a book I probably wouldn't have found or read if it weren't for bookcrossing! Thank you so much, Seferim for sharing this book.

The book is sent with the paper cover still on the bound cover. Whilst I was reading it, I kept the cover off, however when the book arrived, bith the bound and the paper cover were already showing signs of wear. I guess the trips cross atlantic didn't help...

I will send the book on next weekend, when I'm back home. 

Journal Entry 18 by Erbie from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Sent the book onwards to maupi 2 days ago!
Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have. 

Journal Entry 19 by maupi on Sunday, November 14, 2004

Got it! Looking forward to reading this one.
Thanks Seferim, thanks Erbie (great postcard).

 

Journal Entry 20 by maupi on Tuesday, December 07, 2004

This is a hugely enjoyable story. I did feel a kind of tension throughout the book, because Miguel always has to be on the lookout for this and that and yet another person or thing. An uneasy life. And what a trick is played on him and thus also on the reader. Poor Miguel, might he in any way feel like I did when I had read the last sentence? Somewhat disappointed in the mediocrity of mediocre man's life?
I agree with Erbie, it is great fun imagining Amsterdam in the 17th century. Where does Miguel walk? Where does Hannah run? What did the city look like then? How did it smell? I have pictures of 17th century Amsterdam maps and will add some copies for future readers.
The book travels on to Denmark, soon as I have time to go to the post office.
Thanks all for ringing and forwarding. 

Journal Entry 21 by tutmarie from Roskilde, Roskilde Amt Denmark on Sunday, January 02, 2005

Received on the last day of 2004, thank you. Will start reading as soon as I finish the book I'm currently reading. 

Journal Entry 22 by tutmarie from Roskilde, Roskilde Amt Denmark on Monday, January 31, 2005

I finished reading the book last week while on holiday here: http://ogk.webdoc.nu/Resa_eng.asp.

I quite enjoyed the book although it wasn't as much of a pageturner as I had expected. Can you believe they used to drink coffee based on wine instead of water? No wonder the drink got so popular - it must have been a real boost.

Will contact the next reader and send on the book as soon as possible.

Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 23 by tutmarie from Roskilde, Roskilde Amt Denmark on Thursday, February 10, 2005

Got no reply from LeighBCD so will try the next on the list. 

Journal Entry 24 by tutmarie from Roskilde, Roskilde Amt Denmark on Thursday, February 17, 2005

Will send the book off to Kernow8 in England on Friday or Saturday. Enjoy the book! 

Journal Entry 25 by Kernow8 from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Friday, February 25, 2005

Has arrived in England - thanks!

Update 18th April - I meant to journal this before caligula03 received it, but the post was too damn quick! Anyway, I very much enjoyed the read - thanks for starting the bookring Seferim. 

Journal Entry 26 by caligula03 from Hayward, California USA on Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Book has arrived. Thank you. 

Journal Entry 27 by caligula03 from Hayward, California USA on Monday, April 25, 2005

I'm having trouble reading this book. I'm just not clicking with the characters and the plot is taking so long to get started. I'm halfway through and I don't feel as if the story has gone anywhere yet. I'm still reading the book but I have asked for the next person's address. I'm still debating whether or not to finish the book. 

Journal Entry 28 by caligula03 at on Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Released 7 yrs ago (5/13/2005 UTC) at

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

I just couldn't get into this book. I'm mailing it to Tamster33 to get the ring moving again.