The Story of Tea traces the history, myths and rituals of growing and drinking tea from the tea gardens of China to the roadside dhabas of India. Thomas Garraway's first public sale of tea in England in 1657 was of historic importance. For this he published and distributed a poster... "The leaf of such known virtues ... that it is sold for twice its weight in silver. It maketh the body active and lusty. It helpth the headache, giddiness and heaviness and thereof. It is very good against stone and gravel, cleaning the kidneys and ureter. It is good against crudities, strengthening the weakness of the Ventricle or Stomack, causing good appetite and Deigestion and particularly for men of a corpulent body and such as are great eaters of flesh... It prevents and cures ague, surefeits...and fevers, by infusing a fit quantity of the leaf, thereby provoking a most gentle vomit...It drives away all pains in the Collick proceeding from wind and purgeth safety the Gall..." So said Thomas Garraway and indeed, many belived him!

E. Jaiwant Paul is a man of varied interests, having authored eight other books, including Rani of Jhansi, Baji Rao, The Unforgettable Maharajas, Har Dayal: The Great Revolutionary (co-author Mrs Shubh Paul), Arms and Armour: Traditional Weapons of India, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, and The Greased Cartridge. He is on the expert panel on weapons for several museums of Rajasthan. A hardcore corporate, he initially worked for Hindustan Unilever and was later Director of Brooke Bond, India. Thereafter he headed the National Mineral Water Company in Muscat, Oman. A keen cricketer and tennis player, he now lives in Delhi and serves as director of a few companies.