Caffeinated World: Coca-Cola and Coffee in History, Culture

"The Caffeinated World: Coca-Cola and Coffee in History, Culture, Politics, and Your Life,"

with Mark Pendergrast

at the New School on June 19, 6-7 pm.

Location: Theresa Lang Community and Student Center
Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, 2nd floor, New School, New York, NY

There is no admission fee.

Description: Coffee grows wild on the mountainsides of Ethiopia and its seeds have been roasted, brewed, and drunk by humans for at least 500 years. Making up for a history rife with controversy, slavery, and the exploitation of the developing world, coffee has become a major focus for Fair Trade. Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 as a cocaine-and-caffeine-laced nerve tonic and soda fountain beverage, is a much younger drink, but in its short history it has become as ubiquitous and controversial. At the moment, soft drinks are widely vilified as a major culprit in the obesity epidemic. Mark Pendergrast will explore this caffeinated history in an informative, entertaining, and challenging presentation. He is the author of For God, Country and Coca-Cola: The Definitive History of the Great American Soft Drink and the Company That Makes It and Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World. Moderated by New School faculty member, Andrew F. Smith.