The book “The Coffee Trader” mainly focuses on business aspects which involves exchange of commodities from one place to another. The mainly scene of the book takes place in Amsterdam in the year 1659 (Liss 52). The author of the book, Liss David describes how the city was filled with a variety of people from diverse destinations from all over the world. David Liss who compiled the book illustrate the manner in which Amsterdam as a port was vital in the exchange of the goods. Since it comprised of people from all over the world, it was very simple for business to take place.
The author, Liss David tries to use different themes to ensure that the book is fascinating and interesting to the reader. Since the story line of the book mainly rotates around Miguel Lienzo and his endogenous in the business fraternity, I tend to think that the author, Liss David key intention in writing the book was for the reader to understand the difficult felt by businessmen especially in the seventeen century. Liss David uses various crucial scenes to ensure that the reader is capable acquiring knowledge of the real situation in 1659, Amsterdam (Liss 118).
I agree with Liss David when he illustrates that it was very simple for fortunes to be lost in the port of Amsterdam. The factors that determined the manner in which fortune was lost encompassed of the attack from the pirates, bad weather and conspiracy from other business persons in the town (Liss 94). In any given busy marketing centre, it is extremely easy for a businessman to lose his merchandise if not well stored in a safe place. Even in the current markets or business centers, there are numerous thieves and smugglers whose key intention is to steal. Therefore, clients, customers or even the businessmen are advised to take good care of their commodities to prevent theft cases.
After keenly reading and analyzing the content in the book, I agree with the author Liss David concerning the aspect of prejudice in carrying out business. In different markets all over the world, there are limits that restrict the business persons from freely undertaking their business transactions. Key aspects such as tribalism, nepotism and racism are usually implemented to reduce free business transactions. For instance, in the book, “The Coffee Trader”, we are informed that Miguel Lienzo fears to reveal that he is making business transactions with a gentile. “During the hard times and the verge of the Miguel Lienzo’s, he is enticed by Geertruid who is a Dutch widow to participate in coffee business” (Liss 123). It was restricted in Amsterdam for Jewis and Dutch to freely make partnership and undertake business together. This is also commonly seen in the current markets where partnership in some states is not allowed between some distinct races.
Therefore, through reading carefully through the book, “The Coffee Trader” written by the author, Liss David it is vivid that business ethics is one of the key themes that the story line of the book is written about. I thought about business ethics because Liss David identifies the difficulties and prejudice that the businessmen underwent through in the 17th century (Liss 111). This is important since it reveals the actual picture of the challenged faced in undertaking business transactions in Amsterdam in 1659.
Works Cited
Liss David. The Coffee Trader. New York: Random House Publishing Group, 2004. Print.
