by Dave Eggers
“Can we get up onto the roof?” he asked.
She didn’t ask why. She just handed him the key.
We rode up to the forty-second floor, took the stairs to the roof, and the view was clear for fifty miles in every direction. We could see the Luciana turning into the Port of Oakland. And below, we could see the courtyard, all of it, and the monk, holding the cup to the sky.
EPILOGUE
ON JUNE 9, 2016, Port of Mokha coffee was made available for the first time at Blue Bottle coffee shops around the United States. It was the most expensive coffee Blue Bottle had ever sold. Complete with a cardamom cookie made from Mokhtar’s mother’s recipe, it cost $16 a cup.
Willem and Jodi and Marlee—everyone at Boot—celebrated. Tadesse Meskela texted his congratulations from Addis Ababa. Mokhtar heard from Camilo Sánchez in New York, from Graciano Cruz in Panama. He heard from his farmers in Yemen. Wherever you go, we go with you, they said. Mokhtar had by then paid for weddings, for funerals, medical procedures and college tuitions.
Word of Mokhtar’s work had already spread throughout Yemen. Farmers across the country were bringing their coffee to Port of Mokha in Sana’a, hoping to engage in direct trade and raise prices for their crop. As of spring of 2017, farmers in Haymah had replaced seventeen thousand qat plants with coffee trees.
By July 2017, Port of Mokha coffee was available (at more affordable price levels, too) all over North America, Japan, Paris and Brazil. Across four continents, the coffee in the first container sold out in forty-five days. Port of Mokha’s second shipment, airlifted from Yemen to Jordan to San Francisco, arrived on January 5, 2017. It sold out in thirty-two days.
In February 2017, the Coffee Review awarded Port of Mokha’s Haymah microlot a 97 rating, the highest score issued in the publication’s twenty-year history.
Andrew Nicholson returned to Yemen on a cattle boat one month after the Seattle coffee conference. Eventually he brought his family back to the U.S., but continued to travel to Yemen to operate Rayyan until he was kidnapped in Sana’a by a rebel group. He was held for one month, unhurt, and upon release rejoined his family in the U.S. The Rayyan mill is still operating and exporting coffee all over the world.
Mokhtar moved out of the Infinity in 2016. His apartment was too lofty and too lonely. He’d only wanted to be there to watch his coffee come into Oakland. That’s where he moved when he left the Infinity, to Oakland, not far from the Fruitvale BART station. This is where Port of Mokha has its coffee lab and where his varietals are stored, cupped and roasted.
Given the troubles in Yemen, Mokhtar’s grandfather Hamood had returned to the United States, staying with relatives in California’s Central Valley. Mokhtar went to visit him one day. As he approached the house, he saw his grandfather sitting outside alone, his head resting on his cane. Mokhtar approached him, kissed his knees and hands and forehead. It was Eid, and as was customary, Mokhtar had brought Hamood a gift. It was an envelope filled with hundred-dollar bills.
“Where’d you get this?” Hamood asked.
“This is from the boy worth less than a donkey,” Mokhtar said, and smiled.
Mokhtar had never seen his grandfather cry. He sat next to him and held him.
He stayed the rest of the day with his family, and drove back to Oakland that night. He had a few hours to sleep before Yemen would be calling.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book benefited from the generosity of countless people who shared their memories and expertise and in the process made this book as accurate and thorough as possible. Thank you to: Miriam Zouzounis, Jeremy Stern, Giuliano Sarinelli, Benish Sarinelli, Justin Chen, Ibrahim Abram Ibrahim, Andrew Nicholson, Ghassan Toukan, Summer Nasser, Willem Boot, Catherine Cadloni, Jodi Wieser, Marlee Benefield, Stephen Ezell, James Freeman, Wallead Alkhanshali, Faisal Alkhanshali, and Bushra Alkhanshali, Nasrina Bargzaie, Zahra Billoo, Temesgen Woldezion, Shaimaa al-Mukhtar, Maytha Alhassan, Marwa Helal and Aben Ezer. Daniel Gumbiner was indispensable in bringing this book to fruition; his close readings and tireless dedication to accuracy were invaluable. Em-J Staples provided stalwart support, research and encouraging words over twenty-eight months. Profound gratitude is owed to Peter Salisbury, scholar of Yemen, and to Meghan O’Sullivan, formerly of the U.S. State Department, who sat down with me in 2015 to talk about the situation in Yemen vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia, Iran and the interests of the United States and its allies. Fatima Abo Alasrar, a keen-eyed Yemeni American journalist, provided acute analysis and background, as did the poet-scholar Steven C. Caton, professor at Harvard. Thank you to the Asian Law Caucus of San Francisco. Thank you to the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Thank you to our friends and guides in Yemen, Djibouti and Ethiopia. Thank you to Jay and Kristen Ruskey. For their close readings of the book and various other forms of assistance, thank you Tish Scola, Paul Scola, Amanda Uhle, Inder Comar, Ebby Amir, Becky Wilson and Kevin Feeney. Tom Jenks did a wonderful job getting the book down to fighting weight; thank you, sir. Jennifer Jackson has been my editor at Knopf for almost sixteen years now, and my gratitude for our long and happy relationship cannot be overstated; to be bathed in the light of her enthusiasm over so many years makes a human feel blessed and strong. Sonny Mehta has supported the work Jenny and I have done all this time and his benevolence has made all things possible. Thank you to all at Knopf, especially Andy, Paul, and Zakiya. Andrew Wylie has been a constant friend and champion for almost twenty years; I feel fortunate to be his client and to benefit from his, and his staff’s, unwavering care and curation.
The following extraordinary books were crucial in understanding the history of coffee and the business of coffee: Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World, by Mark Pendergrast; The Joy of Coffee, by Corby Kummer; Coffee: A Dark History, by Antony Wild; Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee, by Dean Cycon; From These Hands: A Journey Along the Coffee Trail, by Steve McCurry; The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee, by Stewart Lee Allen. Willem Boot and Camilo Sánchez wrote an essential overview of the coffee trade of Yemen in their paper Rediscovering Coffee in Yemen: Updating the Coffee Value Chain and a Marketing Strategy to Re-Position Yemen in the International Coffee Markets. The following books about Yemen were enormously helpful: Yemen Chronicle: An Anthropology of War and Mediation, by Steven C. Caton; The Merchant Houses of Mocha: Trade and Architecture in an Indian Ocean Port, by Nancy Um; Tribes and Politics in Yemen: A History of the Houthi Conflict, by Marieke Brandt; Yemen: The Unknown Arabia, by Tim Mackintosh-Smith; The Last Refuge: Yemen, al-Qaeda, and America’s War in Arabia, by Gregory D. Johnsen. For an excellent primer on the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, please find The Tenderloin, by Randy Shaw. A compelling and concise survey of the coffee trade is presented in a documentary called Black Gold: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee, directed by Marc Francis and Nick Francis. The Fight for Yemen, a documentary produced by PBS and Frontline and directed by Safa Al Ahmad, is a cogent and perceptive overview of the rise of the Houthis.
For a more detailed bibliography and list of sources, please see www.daveeggers.net/monkofmokha.
This book would not have been possible without the vision and enthusiasm of Wajahat Ali. Thank you, my friend.
This book would not have been possible without the boundless honesty and courage of Mokhtar Alkhanshali. Thank you, my brother.
Nothing would be possible without VV. Thank you, my love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Eggers is the author of eleven books, including The Circle; Heroes of the Frontier, long-listed for the Dublin International Literary Award; A Hologram for the King, a finalist for the National Book Award; and What Is the What, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and winner of France’s Prix Médicis Etranger. His nonfiction and journalism have appeared in The Guardian, The New Yorker, the Best American Travel Writing and the Best American Essays. He is the founder of McSweeney’s, which publishes original fiction and nonf
iction and distributes Voice of Witness, a book series that uses oral history to illuminate human rights crises around the world. He is the cofounder of 826 National, a network of youth writing and tutoring centers with locations around the country, and of ScholarMatch, which connects donors with students to make college accessible. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and his work has been translated into forty-two languages. He lives in Northern California with his family.
www.826national.org
www.scholarmatch.org
www.voiceofwitness.org
www.valentinoachakdeng.org
www.mcsweeneys.net
www.daveeggers.net
THE MOKHA FOUNDATION
The author and Mokhtar Alkhanshali have set aside proceeds from this book to establish the Mokha Foundation, which directly invests in improving the quality of life in Yemen in a variety of ways that include supporting farmers and their families, preserving natural resources, and disrupting the refugee crisis at the front line. To join in this effort, visit www.themokhafoundation.com.
826 VALENCIA IN THE TENDERLOIN
826 Valencia, a writing and tutoring center based in San Francisco, opened a second location at the corner of Golden Gate and Leavenworth, in the heart of the Tenderloin district. Fronted by a retail shop, King Carl’s Emporium, which sells sea-exploration gear for humans and fish, 826’s Tenderloin center offers free writing workshops and an array of other services to young people in the neighborhood and throughout the city. It is a safe and welcoming place. For more information, see www.826valencia.org.
The Monk of Mokha
Dave Eggers
The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading group’s conversation about The Monk of Mokha, best-selling author Dave Eggers’s gripping narrative that weaves together the history of the coffee industry, the civil war in Yemen, and the immigrant experience in America, all told through the experiences of a young Yemeni American entrepreneur.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Discuss the Saul Bellow epigraph that opens The Monk of Mokha. How does this paragraph set the tone for Mokhtar’s story?
2. Mokhtar grows up in the Tenderloin, one of the most notoriously crime-ridden neighborhoods of San Francisco. How does he navigate that world as a young man? How does the neighborhood color his perspective on the world? His understanding of himself? Of poverty? Once he leaves the neighborhood, how do the lessons of the Tenderloin stick with him?
3. On this page, the reader learns that despite his general apathy toward school, Mokhtar loves books. Describe how Mokhtar’s “library” acts as a means of escape for him. How do books open up his worldview? How does his love of learning follow him throughout his life and shape his career?
4. In Book 1, the reader is introduced to the scenario wherein Mokhtar loses the satchel containing thousands of dollars and his brand-new laptop. Describe Mokhtar’s reaction to his folly. What fears does this stoke? How does this incident motivate him?
5. San Francisco is an economically divided city, where stratification of wealth is readily apparent. At what point in Mokhtar’s life does he begin to understand this economic divide? How do his first jobs—at Banana Republic, at the Honda dealership, and later at the Infinity—provide him with a lens to understand wealth and power in the United States? How does his exposure to wealth change his worldview or shift his understanding of his own economic possibilities?
6. Discuss the role of family in Mokhtar’s personal and professional life. What expectations are laid upon him as the son of Yemeni immigrants? What values do Mokhtar’s parents instill in him? How does his family aid him in his journey to create his business?
7. After landing his job at Banana Republic, Mokhtar begins to dress in what he and his friends call his “Rupert” look, and Eggers notes that “the effect of his appearance on the world was profound” (this page). Discuss this transition. How did this change in appearance affect his self-esteem? How others in the world treated him? Relate this emphasis on physical appearance to how he presents himself as he is growing his business. How does a polished physical presentation help him to gain confidence in his business interactions? What identity is he trying to signal to the world?
8. Throughout The Monk of Mokha, the concept of code-switching is discussed, particularly in relation to Mokhtar’s status as both an American citizen and that of a Yemeni American. Discuss situations wherein he is deemed “not American enough” or “not Yemeni enough.” How is he forced to adapt his behavior based on his social setting? How does he contend with situations of injustice?
9. Discuss the development of Mokhtar’s business plan, from ideation to execution. What principles undergird his business? What business models does he admire? Who or what is most influential in helping to develop his business acumen? How does his understanding of the coffee industry evolve over the course of the narrative?
10. On this page, Mokhtar is asked by Ghassan: “Are you a businessman or are you an activist? For now, at least, you have to pick one.” Does he? How does his interest in social justice affect his plans for business development? Discuss the mission of his business. How does his interest in honoring his Yemeni heritage add an extra pressure for him to succeed?
11. Discuss the colonialist roots of the coffee trade. How was the Yemeni culture robbed of its resource? Were you aware of this background?
12. In The Monk of Mokha, coffee is described as a “recession-proof” commodity, yet the process for entering the trade is one that is very difficult for outsiders. Discuss the challenges that Mokhtar faced as he learned the trade. How does he gain the trust of those in the industry, from the pickers to the distributors? How does his business model interrupt the standard practices within the industry?
13. Discuss the difference in atmosphere between Mokhtar’s first experience living in Yemen as a teenager and his travels there as an adult. How does his understanding of the country change as he matures? Discuss the effect of the civil war on Yemeni culture. How does Mokhtar navigate this environment? What advantages does he have as an American citizen?
14. In the last few chapters of The Monk of Mokha, as Mokhtar tries to escape Yemen, the reader is drawn into a fast-paced, gripping narrative of his escape. What was the most disturbing aspect of his experience? When do you think Mokhtar was most frightened for his well-being? How did he rely on his street smarts to help him to safety?
15. In the final scenes of the book, Eggers reveals himself as a “character” directly in the text. How would you describe Eggers’s narrative style throughout this book? If you have read other works by Eggers, how does this book compare to those books from a stylistic perspective?
16. Discuss the idea of the “American dream” and its cultural import in today’s world. How does Mokhtar’s story adhere to this narrative? How does his experience complicate the idea of what the American success story can look like? Consider the last chapters of the book. What was the defining moment of his success?
READING FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION
What Is the What by Dave Eggers
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World by Mark Pendergrast
The Joy of Coffee by Corby Kummer
Coffee: A Dark History by Antony Wild
Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee by Dean Cycon
From These Hands: A Journey Along the Coffee Trail by Steve McCurry
The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee by Stewart Lee Allen
Yemen Chronicle: An Anthropology of War and Mediation by Steven C. Caton
The Merchant Houses of Mocha: Trade & Architecture in an Indian Ocean Port by Nancy Um
Tribes and Politics in Yemen: A History of the Houthi Conflict by Marieke Brandt
Yemen: The Unknown Arabia by Tim Mackintosh-Smith
The Last Refuge: Yemen, al-Qaeda, and America’s War in Arabia, by Gregory D. Johnsen
What’s next on
your reading list?
Discover your next
great read!
* * *
Get personalized book picks and up-to-date news about this author.
Sign up now.