Caffeine by Michael Pollan - Notes & Highlights

Caffeine by Michael Pollan - Notes & Highlights

Book

Caffeine, society's most widely used psychoactive substance, subtly manipulates our behavior and moods. Its magic stems from its ability to blend into everyday life, concealing its influence behind our routines.


Table of contents

🚀 The Book in 3 Sentences

  1. This book takes you on a journey of how caffeine took over the western world by storm.
  2. It explores the history and economics of caffeine and its role in our world.
  3. And it delves into the science behind caffeine, explaining what happens inside our bodies when we consume it.

🎨 Impressions

Michael Pollan's books are incredible, and this one was a pleasant read for me. As someone who consumes caffeine, I found it interesting to learn about its impact on our lives. After reading Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep," I stopped consuming caffeine, but I still wanted to know more about it.

The history and economics of caffeine were surprising to me, but I enjoyed learning about them. The book is very short and can be finished in a day.

How I Discovered It

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Michael Pollan had written a book about caffeine while searching for more knowledge on the topic. Having already read his book "How to Change Your Mind," this was an instant buy for me.

Who Should Read It?

Everyone who consumes caffeine should read this book. It only takes 2 hours, and it can help you become more aware of what you put in your body and how it affects you.

☘️ How the Book Changed Me

💡 This section is about how the book impacted my life, behavior, thoughts, and ideas.

After reading the book, I became a bit more relaxed about consuming caffeine. Matthew Walker had painted a more doom-and-gloom scenario, which is logical from a sleep researcher's point of view. Although I'm not currently consuming any caffeine, I might find it helpful for very important tasks.

✍️ My Top Quotes

  • "Caffeine boosts spotlight focus while non-caffeine boosts lateral focus."
  • "How can coffee give energy without taking in any calories?"