The Coffee Trader

....by David Liss

Follow the unscrupulous dealings of the merchants and traders of 17th century Amsterdam through the eyes of Miguel Lienzo, a Portuguese Jew who, once wealthy and respected on the exchange, had fallen on hard times with one trade-gone-bad. Like many traders of the time (maybe any time…), Miguel was master of manipulation and deception; a way of life he had become accustomed to in Portugal, where Jews learned to fancy themselves Catholic and despise Jews to avoid The Inquisition. Amsterdam is not without its dangers in this area as well. He discovers a new commodity; a strange fruit called coffee that is nearly unheard of. He quickly becomes seduced by its effects, and plots to regain his fortune with it. From the first page, we are given a sense of Miguel’s desire to redeem himself, and also of his desire to “do the right thing”, that seems to drive his character throughout the novel. Unfortunately, Miguel has a little trouble in that area, too, as he also has a talent for finding trouble, and often convinces himself that the end justifies the means. Like the coffee that would be his salvation or his ruin, Miguel left a thick, bitter taste in my mouth sometimes, but I found myself always wanting a second cup. He is likeable in many ways, in spite of, or maybe because of his wiles, and I quickly found myself intrigued by his ventures. I also learned much about 17th century Amsterdam, the stock exchange of that period, and the life of the segregated Jew in that time and place. In the end, will Miguel’s deception be the ruin of him, or will he come out on top once again? I won’t tell, but will say that I enjoyed pouring a nice hot cup and going along for the ride.