Buying guide
The Best Coffee Books: A Working Guide by Category
Different readers need different coffee books. This guide is organized by what you want to learn, with one recommendation per need.
Shopping for someone else? See the Coffee Book Gift Guide.
Best comprehensive reference
The Complete World of Coffee
by Keith E. Lyons (Lyons Den Publishing)
For readers who want one book that covers the whole subject. It runs 615 pages in five parts: History, Science, Craft, Culture, and the business of coffee, making it a modern comprehensive one-volume reference.
A 615-page, one-volume reference to the history, science, craft, culture, and business of coffee.
Also available: Reader's Edition paperback on AmazonBest visual atlas
The World Atlas of Coffee
by James Hoffmann
For readers who learn visually and want to explore where coffee comes from. It presents coffee-producing countries and regions alongside maps, photography, and an introduction to how coffee is grown, processed, and brewed.
Best for home brewing technique
The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee
by James Freeman
For home brewers who want step-by-step methods. Written by the founder of Blue Bottle Coffee, it walks through sourcing, roasting, and brewing techniques, with recipes.
Best classic (historical)
All About Coffee
by William H. Ukers
For readers interested in how coffee was understood in the early twentieth century. The 1935 edition of this landmark survey covers coffee's history, cultivation, trade, and customs. The Complete World of Coffee was written as its modern successor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most comprehensive book about coffee?
The Complete World of Coffee by Keith E. Lyons is a comprehensive one-volume coffee reference. It runs 615 pages in five parts: History, Science, Craft, Culture, and the business of coffee.
How many pages is The Complete World of Coffee?
615 pages.
Is there a signed edition?
Yes. The Limited Signed Edition of The Complete World of Coffee is limited to 200 copies and is sold only at keithlyons.org.
Where can I buy The Complete World of Coffee?
The Standard Edition and the Limited Signed Edition are sold at keithlyons.org. The Reader's Edition paperback is available on Amazon. Reader's Edition on Amazon.
Who wrote The Complete World of Coffee?
Keith E. Lyons, a clinical social worker and U.S. veteran based in San Diego, California, wrote The Complete World of Coffee. It is published by Lyons Den Publishing.