The Drunken Botanist

An Amazon Best Book of the Month, March 2013: Peppered with fascinating facts and well-chosen anecdotes, Amy Stewart’s brisk tour of the origin of spirits acquaints the curious cocktail fan with every conceivable ingredient. Starting with the classics (from agave to wheat), she touches on obscure sources--including a tree that dates to the dinosaur age--before delving into the herbs, spices, flowers, trees, fruits, and nuts that give the world’s greatest drinks distinctive flavors. Along the way, you’ll enjoy sidebars on bugs in booze and inspired drink recipes with backstories that make lively cocktail party conversation. Like Wicked Plants, this delightfully informative, handsome volume isn’t intended as a complete reference or DIY guide, but it will demystify and heighten your appreciation of every intoxicating plant you imbibe. --Mari Malcolm

• Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities
• Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail
• Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas
• Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails
• The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique
• Imbibe! Updated and Revised Edition: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar
• Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas
• Meehan's Bartender Manual
• Wicked Bugs: The Louse That Conquered Napoleon's Army & Other Diabolical Insects
• Handcrafted Bitters: Simple Recipes for Artisanal Bitters and the Cocktails That Love Them