CONNECTICUT LIBRARIES
October 2005, Vol. 47, No. 9
"The coffee's scent began to make him light-headed with something like desire. No, not desire. Greed."
With library budgets shrinking, among those titles that often go unpurchased are obscure dissertations, works whose focus is just too narrow-even for academic libraries that aspire to support the curriculum of a wide array of courses. Award-winning novelist David Liss may have had an inkling of the selection process that librarians go through when he tossed aside his unfinished doctoral dissertation on the subjects of monopoly and finance and, instead, applied his talent and scholarly research skills to writing readable and highly successful historical thrillers such as The Coffee Trader.
Currently in its paperback edition, Coffee Trader is based on the wheeling and dealing that took place in the seventeenth century Dutch stock market. There, traders tried to manipulate stock prices and make a "killing" at any expense. Originally published in 2003, ironically in the midst of the accounting scandals that were buzzing in the news, Coffee Trader is included in the 2003 New York Public Library's 25 Best Books to Remember. By managing to weave together wit, history and a good mystery, Liss' novel has earned a place in the unusual literary category called "historical noir".
The unconventional setting of the story is Amsterdam in 1659, a haven for many immigrants, including Portuguese-Jewish merchants fleeing the Inquisition. Amsterdam was the birthplace of the first stock exchange to trade internationally. This was a place and a time when wealth could be obtained in a matter of hours. Coffee Trader focuses on Europe's growing interest in coffee, a commodity that had, until then, been undiscovered. Now, it is secretly savored for its "sharp odor of earth and rank leaves" and its energizing effect. What was initially described as "the devil's piss" quickly became the hottest commodity in trading circles. Liss' background in financial history is evident throughout. He helps us follow the ruined victims of the emerging exchange, traders reduced to paupers because of their own poor trading decisions. We watch as these impoverished dealers plot their strategies to regain wealth and status. Also noteworthy is the author's knowledge of the city's layout and architecture, as described in numerous scenes in dark alleys and seedy taverns, ideal settings for spreading rumors and forming partnerships.
Protagonist Miguel Lienzo has outwitted the Inquisition, living the life of a secret Jew. Now, he is scheming with scoundrels in old Amsterdam to manipulate the price of coffee and establish a monopoly. As is common in Liss' writing, you encounter the theme of Judaism. His characters often struggle with the burden of religious mandates that segregated them from Christian society and imposed restrictions upon their personal and financial lives. Lienzo is frequently found dodging not only creditors, but also spies of the Ma'amad, the regulatory council that oversees Jews and forbids interaction with Gentiles. A prominent leader of this council is Salomon Parido. Parido cunningly uses the threat of excommunication to probe Lienzo about his financial ventures in order to ensure that he maintains his upper hand in trading schemes. For Portuguese Jews who were forced to worship in secret during the Inquisition, the threat of not being able to practice rituals openly within a community was a powerful weapon. Clearly, ostracism was a deterrent that kept many folks from lying, cheating, and plotting to destroy each other.
Among the slew of flawed characters are the three seductive figures that have romantic designs on Lienzo. There is Gertruid Damhuis, the pipe-smoking widow who secretly finances his ventures. Hannah, his sister-in-law, had her Jewish identity kept secret from her until she was married off at age sixteen to a harsh, observant Jew. She now yearns not only for Lienzo's advances, but also for the familiarity of a Catholic mass. Annetje, Hannah's wanton servant, appears to be entangled in Lienzo's sheets, as well as in the intricate web of spies that are keeping tabs on Lienzo's whereabouts.
As far as the library selection process goes, there is obviously enough in this novel to qualify it as a valuable resource for both academic and general readers. Among Liss' other works are A Conspiracy of Paper (winner of the 2000 Edgar Award for Best First Novel) and its successor, A Spectacle of Corruption. Both novels are set in eighteenth century London and follow the financial schemes of main character Benjamin Weaver. Miguel Lienzo appears in the first novel and is considered one of Weaver's ancestors. Through his historical expertise and knack for suspense, Liss may very well be on his way to creating a multi-volume fictional series based on the development of the world of finance in Europe during the exciting period of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Shelley Roseman is a Reference Librarian at the
Jeremy Richard Library on the University of Connecticut's Stamford Campus.
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