Rating: 
Summary: Compelling tale of financial intrigue
Review: The Coffee Trader, set in 17th Century Amsterdam, is a fascinating account of financial wheeling and dealing amongst the Portugese Jewish community. David Liss obviously did a lot of research and this novel is filled with tidbits about coffee, the financial markets of that time as well as Dutch and Jewish ways of life. It is an extremely readable novel, with many twists and turns, some unexpected. It focuses on Miguel Lienzo, a wily trader who is desperately looking for a way to reverse his run of bad luck. When an equally conniving woman named Geertruid suggests that he gets involved in a new commodity --coffee-- he gradually becomes immersed in an increasingly complex and dangerous plan to become wealthy. The Coffee Trader is filled with deception; Miguel does not know who he can trust, including his own brother Daniel. He has a powerful enemy named Parido, who is part of the Ma'amad, which supervises the Portugese Jewish community and has the power to excommunicate anyone who violates its very strict rules of conduct. This novel will appeal to anyone interested in how financial markets work. Commodoties or futures trading apparently began with the Dutch, and this book describes some very complex trading maneuvers, many of which, I must confess, were beyond my ability to comprehend. This did not, however, prevent me from enjoying the fast pace of the book and the many plot twists. It could be argued that this novel has an excess of lying and backstabbing; it seems that no one can be trusted. In this way, it's almost like those evening soap operas like Dallas, where everyone is scheming against everyone else. Still, I found the tale entertaining enough, as well as an insightful exploration of a very interesting place and time, to recommend it. Despite the apparent excesses, the myriad schemes do resolve themselves by the conclusion in a mostly satisfactory way. It was especially interesting to learn more about the history of coffee, an item that only seems to grow more popular with the passing of time.
Rating: 
Summary: A quick and easy read
Review: From each country I visit, I buy a book as a souvenir. While on interrail this summer, I picked up The Coffee Trader in Budapest. I had never heard of David Liss, or read his previous award-winning book A Conspiracy of Paper, but the English section in the bookstore was rather limited and this book had a nice cover and a catchy summary on the back. The story takes us back to the 17th century and Amsterdam. The storys protagonist, Miguel Lienzo, a Portuguese Jew, is a sharp trader on the worlds first commodities exchange. He lost his fortune when the price of sugar dropped, and is now living with his brother and his pregnant wife. Miguel is desperate to find a way to restore hit wealth as well as his reputation as an excellent trader. Teaming up with a sexy Dutch widow, he is gambling on the volatile and speculative coffee market to do so. The Coffee Trader was a quick and easy read. I liked Liss' writing style, but the story never really grabbed my full attention. It was entertaining enough, but not a page-turner. A quick and entertaining read.
Rating:
Summary: Trading practices of the Jewish community, 17C Amsterdam
Review: During the production of the film "The Hidden Fortress," the famed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa had been quoted to have gone through the following iteration: a seemingly insoluble situation would be crafted, and only after a concerted deliberation by the production team would the protagonist be given a way out, and the film proceed to the next scene. The reader need only be reminded of this anecdote to grasp the nature of this novel. Where no friends remain friends or enemies remain enemies, the protagonist Miguel Lienzo, a Jew migrated from Portugal to Amsterdam, hurdles through the ever-changing vistas of deception and schemes to obtain a monopoly on coffee, then (17C) an unbeknownst commodity to Europe. Tension is maintained throughout the novel by the sequential release of information. In place of the usual weapons, violence, and death, the sources of tension here are money (debt, credit, proceedings of deals from the Exchange) and the Ma'amad (the Jewish congregation), whose strict ruling proves a constant obstacle to liberal trading practices. Each piece of new information overturns what the reader had been made to believe till then, and Lienzo is forced to adjust his strategies accordingly. The book is written in a third person voice, except for the brief chapters written by Alonzo Alferonda, an expelled Jew and coconspirator of Lienzo's coffee trade. Alferonda's words not only add a personal tone to the book but also loom over the entire novel, portending that there are always additional dimensions to the unraveling schemes. Liss' depiction of the stock exchange (options and futures were known to be traded back then) and the Jewish trading community in Amsterdam alone to me made up for an intriguing read. The masterful sustenance of suspension was a delightful plus. It was indeed difficult to put down the book after starting reading.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining tale of coffee before Starbucks!
Review: An intriguing tale that winds through the financial center of old Amsterdam. Miguel Lienzo, a Portuguese Jew escaping persecution from the Inquisition of 1660, finds himself embarrassed for funds owing to a swindle that wiped out his fortune. He joins forces with a trading partner, and together they plot to corner the market on coffee, a beverage largely unknown and ignored at the time. Lienzo's story is occasionally interrupted with passages from Alonzo Alferonda diary. Alferondo, a cunning trader of some wealth and power, has his own designs which unfold as the book progresses. What's good: The story of coffee's emergence as the drink of high finance is marvelous and well-told. Liss also has a strong sense of setting, and it's easy to imagine old Amsterdam's streets, shops, and trading center. And there's no lack of intrigue here. Lots of twists. What's bad: Too many twists. Hardly anybody is exactly who he claims to be. That might be fun in smaller doses, but it left me scratching my head as I tried to follow the ever-twisting plot. Yes, The Coffee Trader is worth reading, but I wasn't fully engaged because I had to keep stopping to figure out the latest intrigue.
Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2 Stars...A Heady Brew!
Review: Set in 17th century Amsterdam, "The Coffee Trader" is a delicious historical novel. Liss takes us on a romp through the alleyways and taverns of the renowned city, divvying out details without becoming burdensome. Having lived in Amsterdam myself, I loved every nuance of the city and its history. What a heady brew! The story follows Miguel Lienzo, a Portuguese Jew, who has aspirations of making his fortune in the exciting new business of stocks and futures. With recent setbacks still weighing on his mind, he knows he must come up with something financially worthwhile. Soon, he is enticed into a risky scheme by a Dutch woman named Geertruide. She introduces him to the seductive taste and aroma of coffee. Together, they plan to monopolize this commodity and make a fortune. All is not as it seems, however, and betrayal lurks around every corner. As Miguel finds himself increasingly entwined with the fortunes and misfortunes of others, he realizes that one false move could bring his schemes down upon his own head. Two other narrators add depth to this seemingly simple storyline. First, Miguel's sister-in-law stumbles upon his new commodity, providing some humorous insights into the effects of coffee. She also shows us the oppression of the time-period, and a believable uprising against her husband and his culture. Troubles increase when she finds herself attracted to Miguel. Second, a shady character named Alferonda offers us journal excerpts to expose the full scope of the schemers at work. This plot device works, but seems disjointed at times. By the novel's end, Miguel reaps his just rewards and punishments, and the author keeps a few surprises up his sleeve. Although a former era is depicted, I kept thinking how relevant the story is to the greed and manipulation of today's business world. Not to mention the corruptions of the human heart. I applaud Liss in his ability to dovetail these themes under the guise of entertaining fiction. Well done!
Rating:
Summary: Good Read, but Does Not Resonate
Review: I really enjoyed reading "The Coffee Trader" as a nice little story of duplicity and intrigue in the business capital of 17th century Europe -- Amsterdam. But the story is populated by so many con artists, dissemblers, thieves, and out-right liars that I could not shake the notion that I was going to have the rug jerked out from under me at the end, and this kept me from becoming too invested in the evident storyline (knowing that it was going to change shortly). "Coffee Trader" has several strong points. Liss provides a clear, if not exactly exciting, picture of 17th century Amsterdam, and he really sinks his teeth into describing the complex life of the protagonist, Miguel Lienzo, as a Jew who has learned to lie by hiding his religion from the Inquisition and must also walk the delicate line of doing business with the Dutch (a must in Amsterdam) yet remaining within the bounds of his Jewish faith -- as laid down by the local ruling council, the Ma'amad. While not up to the standards of other historical fiction (see Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series), Liss does a very good job painting a picture of daily life in Amsterdam -- right down to the rampant odor of beer and herring. Lienzo, a once successful trader, has lost his fortune as the sugar market collapsed. One step ahead of bankruptcy, he is presented with an opportunity -- to restore his fortune by cornering the market on a strange new plant, coffee. Liss has some fun with his characters' first encounters with coffee, as he knows his readers are likely well-acquainted with its powers. But soon intrigue is piling on intrigue. Lienzo, living in his despicable brother's cellar, is secretly in love with his sister-in-law, Hannah (who is, unfortunately, one of the weaker characters in the story and Lienzo's infatuation really seems misplaced). Lienzo is also running afoul his creditors, who are clamoring for payment, and he doesn't even have his own funds to pull off his coffee scheme. And Lienzo, by failing to keep his pants on, has alienated one of the most powerful Jews in the Amsterdam community -- and who may be working to ensure Lienzo's downfall despite offers of reconciliation. And there are even more intrigues . . . Through it all, Liss scatters passages from the Factual and Revealing Memoirs of Alonzo Alferonda, an outcast Jew who has developed a reputation as one of Amsterdam's most feared usurers. Moving in a parallel universe to Lienzo, Alferonda appears to be working behind the scenes to help Lienzo to repay an old debt. But, like everything else in this story, Alferonda's motives and ultimate goals are unknown until the very end. Perhaps I am being unfair by criticizing the amount of subplots and intrigue, but the sheer weight of it all kept me from getting too engaged in the plot or the characters. Usually, when this kind of topsy-turvy plot is involved, life and death are at stake. Lienzo, however, is merely concerned with his ruin as a trader in Amsterdam -- Lienzo admits that he could find another trade, but it would not be so lucrative. Lienzo's goal is to become a rich benefactor . . . not only to do the good works, but to gain the prestige associated with that status. While this may be an honest representation of the goals of many traders at the time, it does not necessarily make for a gripping tale. All in all, an entertaining read, but a light one. I look forward to reading Liss's honored "A Conspiracy of Paper," to see if that book had more heft.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, though not as good as his first one
Review: Fans of Conspiracy of Paper, the first book by David Liss, will find much the same intrigue and imagination in this, his second book. It's worth reading, though it's not quite as intelligent, intricate, or suspenseful as his debut novel. I'm not sure if he dumbed this one down slightly on purpose, or if the bar was just set extremely high by his impressive showing with the previous book. Either way, this book was certainly enjoyable, though probably not a book I will remember years from now. One thing Liss has going for him is that he seems to have cornered the market on an intriguing literary niche - the European historical/financial mystery. If there's anyone out there writing in this same sub-genre, they certainly aren't doing it as well as him. While there is nothing particularly profound about his writing, he does have a talent for capturing a period in a way that feels authentic. With a slightly more simplistic plot, I think his novels would adapt nicely into movies. There is so much flavor to them, the reader can easily visualize the sets and the costumes that would be used. There's also something very readable about his prose style. It has a European whimsical feel to it that makes his writing very pleasant to absorb. The plot here has just enough characters and twists to keep it interesting, though not so complicated that you'll have to jot down key facts to remember what is going on. It borders on bubblegum fiction, but Liss is intelligent enough to keep it elevated just a notch above that level.
Rating:
Summary: great read for us coffee junkies
Review: liss does a masterful job of transporting the reader to a time and place that are so distant (yet not so...) from our modern world. the plot itself is fascinating, especially for those with a passing interest in wall street or commerce, but at the end of the day, this is just a wonderful suspense novel. i couldn't put it down, and more than once came to the conclusion that it would make a terrific movie (if executed well). liss clearly did his homework, and his depiction of 17th century Amsterdam (replete with its questionable characters) is a treat to read.
Rating:
Summary: A page-turner
Review: I have to be honest, I dont read for leisure as much as I would like to. As a college student, if I can find time for fiction, I should be using that time to read textbooks. I bought this book in the RDU Airport (solely on the cover, and the fact that I was going to amsterdam in a few weeks, which is where this novel takes place) and couldn't put it down. I finished this book in about 3 sittings; the characters were incredibly intruiging, with one plot twist after another. Deception and trickery is an all-too-common theme in this book, and the ending is fantastic. I had never read a historical, economic mystery before but I would wager that Liss is one of the best authors for the genre. He describes 17th century amsterdam beautifully and the beauty of that description is only surpassed by the development of the characters. I would highly recommend picking this book up the next time you have a chance.
Rating:
Summary: Good mix of history and fiction
Review: I can't comment on the accuracy of the historic data about either the city of Amsterdam or the stock market, but as one who has had some personal experience, if very limited, with both in modern times, I found all Liss's observations quite interesting. I felt this background (the Dutch national character, their attitude toward and interactions with foreigners, the Jewish communities and their attitudes toward each other and toward their Dutch hosts, etc.) added a lot to an already interesting story of intrigue. I have only a basic understanding of futures (as I understand it, 'puts' and 'calls' are, respectively, options to buy or sell a stock you won't actually ever hold at a pre-determined price within a time frame decided upon at the time the put or call is purchased, and that 'options' and 'futures' are just alternative terms for the same thing, the original purpose of such being to iron out wrinkles in the commodities markets which cause hardship on the farmer or other small-scale producer of these goods). I had no idea they were already so well entrenched in the financial markets way back in the 1600s. Even though I have very little interest in business as a way to pursue a living, I find the mechanics of rising and falling prices and how people decide what to buy and what to sell and how this affects the market as a whole to be quite interesting phenomena. This book gave me an interesting look at how this may have worked in earlier times, and it makes me want to learn more about how markets work today. As a novel, the book was also quite successful. I liked how Liss included an occasional chapter from the perspective of a second character. This character's personality and motivations remain somewhat murky until the end, making for an effective way to draw out the intrigue. The only thing I really didn't like about the book was that, in the end, I didn't feel like there had really been any good guys aside from a couple of minor characters. Maybe that's just the way the world was then. God knows most people in our own age have plenty of ulterior motives for most of what they do, but one likes to think (at least I like to think) that most people (including all or most protagonists of novels) have a basic sense of fairness and justice that defines their interactions with other human beings. But maybe that's just a pipe dream.
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