COFFEE BOOKSHELF
the coffee journey of those behind your morning fuel:
Get to know the real coffee world and change the way you see coffee
-CLARA NGUYEN-
16/04/2026
There are mornings when coffee feels automatic. And then there are days when you pause—just for a second—and wonder who made this possible. If you’ve ever had that moment, even briefly, then 101 Coffee Stories feels like a gentle place to begin.
This is not a book about perfect brewing ratios or technical precision. It doesn’t try to teach you how to make better coffee. Instead, it quietly invites you to notice something we often overlook—the people behind the cup.
I'M NOT A BARISTA
The book is part of a global project by I’M NOT A BARISTA, a community dedicated to honoring those who work across the coffee industry. It brings together 101 personal stories from individuals around the world, each accompanied by a portrait and a QR code that allows you to listen to the story in audio form.
It’s a small detail, but it changes the experience in a meaningful way. You’re not just reading—you’re listening, pausing, and, in some quiet way, sitting with someone else’s story.
More importantly, the purpose behind the book extends beyond storytelling. All proceeds are used to support baristas, volunteers, and coffee workers facing hardship through the organization’s charitable initiatives. In that sense, the book becomes more than a collection of stories—it becomes part of the community it represents.
What Stands Out: The People Behind the Cup
As you move through the pages, you begin to notice something subtle. The book doesn’t try to explain coffee—it lets people speak.
You meet farmers from Latin America, Africa, and Asia, sharing what it means to grow coffee under uncertain conditions. You hear from baristas and roasters, talking about long days, failed experiments, and the quiet satisfaction of getting a cup just right. And there are home brewers too—people who treat their morning coffee as a small, personal ritual, something steady they return to each day.
Somewhere along the way, the shift happens gently. Coffee begins to feel less like a product, and more like a shared effort—something shaped by many hands, many lives, most of which we rarely see.
Experience: Design, Atmosphere, and Flow
Visually, the book feels calm and considered. It has the presence of a coffee table book—something you don’t rush through, but come back to when you have a bit of time.
The combination of portraits, short narratives, and audio elements creates a reading experience that feels a little more alive. You can open to any page and stay there for a while, without needing to follow a fixed order.
And in a quiet way, the book becomes a kind of travel—not through places, but through perspectives. Different ways of living with coffee, each one carrying its own rhythm.
This review is based on a synthesis of publicly available information and independent research
Pros & Cons
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its sense of humanity. It gently closes the distance between the person drinking the coffee and the many people behind it. After reading, it’s hard to see your daily cup as just caffeine—it carries a little more weight, a little more presence.
The design also adds to the experience. Thoughtful, tactile, and enhanced by the audio feature, it turns reading into something more immersive than expected.
At the same time, this is not a book for learning technical skills. If you’re looking for precise brewing methods or detailed guidance on espresso or pour-over, you may not find it here. The focus is on connection rather than instruction. And since the book is primarily in English, it may take a bit more time for some readers to fully settle into it.
This book feels right for those who are curious about coffee beyond taste—those who want to understand the people and stories behind it.
It also works well for café owners or teams who want something meaningful to share, something that brings a different kind of conversation into their space. And for anyone drawn to thoughtful, well-made books, it carries both aesthetic and emotional value.
More than anything, it’s for readers who appreciate quiet stories—the kind that don’t try to impress, but stay with you a little longer than expected.
Let the music settle in—and fall into the pages
Notes Café began with a simple and deeply personal curiosity. Rather than merely reviewing cafés or describing flavors in a subjective way, we chose to explore coffee through a wider lens — looking at the culture, the people, and the everyday stories that exist around the coffee bean.
Through carefully selected articles, Notes Café hopes to help readers see coffee from a deeper perspective — not only as a drink to enjoy, but as a reflection of culture, place, and the rhythm of everyday life behind every cup.
The content at Notes Café is shaped by real-life experiences and the ongoing exploration of people who share a passion for coffee.
Notes Café offers a slower, deeper perspective on the world of coffee — where knowledge, stories, and cultural experiences come together around every cup.
Copyright © 2026