Best of
Alcohol

2009

World Whiskey


Charles MacLean - 2009
    Whiskeys Worth the Wait directory spreads make up the body of the book, marrying together distillery history, in-depth tasting notes, and a photograph. Guiding you through every important distilling nation - starting with the rich varieties in Scotland, going on to woody bourbon and rye in the US, and finishing with the range of varieties available in Asia and Australasia - you're sure to find a satisfying dram wherever you are.

New York Times:The Complete Front Pages 1851-2009 Updated Edition


The New York Times - 2009
    One of the most popular gift books of the 2008 holiday season now includes the history-making Obama front pages and so much more. The book and three accompanying DVDs contain new front pages through May 2009. The nearly 55,000 pages in the book and DVDs date back to 1851 and provide the reader an unprecedented opportunity to experience the news as it was being reported. Essays by Jill Abramson, Richard Bernstein, Ethan Bronner, Roger Cohen, Gail Collins, Helene Cooper, Thomas L. Friedman, William Grimes, Caryn James, Gina Kolata, Paul Krugman, David Leonhardt, Steve Lohr, Frank Rich, Carla Anne Robbins, Gene Roberts, William Safire, Serge Schmemann, Sam Tanenhaus, and John Noble Wilford.DVD-ROMs run on a PC (Windows 2000/XP or later) or Mac (OSX 10.4.8 or later) with Adobe 8.0 or later.  Free download available on the DVD-Roms."With the publishing of this stunning volume of the most momentous front pages of the past 150 years, accompanied by DVDs with every single Times front page ever published, a sprawling snapshot of human civilization as Americans saw it—is suddenly at our fingertips." —Ted Anthony, The Associated Press "[A] satisfyingly hefty volume…reminding you of how the experience of reading the newspaper is at once public and intimate, of the enduring, essential, all-important power of the printed word." —Francine Prose, O: The Oprah Magazine "Worth buying a coffee table for." —Dwight Garner, The New York Times

Wildman of Rhythm: The Life and Music of Benny Moré


John Radanovich - 2009
    Helps roll back the curtain that often comes between American audiences and their appreciation of the great musical cultures to the south."--Sam Charters, author of A Language of Song: Journeys into the Musical World of the African Diaspora"An informative and compelling chronicle on the life of Cuba's most dazzling singer, Benny More, tidily strung together as a series of small bright story-jewels."--Ann Louise Bardach, author of Cuba Confidential  Benny Moré was one of the greatest singers to come out of Cuba, and his name evokes overwhelming nostalgia among Cubans and Cuban exiles alike. Known for the power of his expressive boleros, his tributes to beloved guajiro (country) towns, and his exciting, up-tempo songs, Moré was a lightning rod at the center of the golden age of Cuban music. The leader of Banda Gigante, one of the leading Cuban big bands of the 1950s, he was dubbed “El Bárbaro del Ritmo,” the wildman of rhythm. Moré became an icon of Cuban music, but he died tragically at forty-four and in the larger scheme of political difficulties between the U.S. and Cuba, his legacy was nearly forgotten. Music journalist John Radanovich provides the definitive biography for Moré and reinvigorates his memory with information learned from the musicians who knew and performed with the man himself, as well as his family members. Radanovich also examines the milieu of Cuban music in the 1950s, when Havana was the playground of Hollywood stars and the Mafia ran the nightclubs and casinos.

Difford's Encyclopedia of Cocktails: 2,600 Recipes


Simon Difford - 2009
    Each easy-to-follow recipe has a color photograph of the assembled drink in its assigned glass, ingredient measures, directions, garnish, variations, plus fascinating information on the cocktail's origin. Difford even grades each drink from (rarely) "disgusting" to "delicious."The book includes:An A to Z recipe directory Detailed instructions for beginners, including all the basic skills Recommendations for the best equipment A directory of glass types The 14 key alcoholic ingredients, which make a minimum of 450 cocktails The 9 essential juices and mixers The 18 essential refrigerator and cupboard staples An index of ingredients and the cocktails they are used in The top 100 great cocktail bars of the world.