Cookbooks

2022 Barnes and Noble Book of the Year Event

Barnes & Noble booksellers nominated 11 titles for its 2022 Book of the Year, in this fourth annual event. These are books they felt confident the readers would enjoy. The winner, chosen from this list by the B&N editors, was announced online on November 12th, indicated in red.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff, by Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus
Turkey and the Wolf, by Mason Hereford
What Moves the Dead, by T. Kingfisher
Babel, by R.F. Kuang
The Marriage Portrait, by Maggie O’Farrell
Apollo, Remastered, by Andy Saunders
Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, by A.F. Steadman
Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History, by Vikki Tobak
An Immense World, by Ed Yong
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin

Congratulations to all!

 

 

2021 Barnes and Noble Book of the Year

In its third annual “Best of…” event, Barnes and Noble did a survey of booksellers at its brick and mortar stores, asking which books they enjoyed selling the most during the year. Here’s the list of the eight top nominees that moved the booksellers and/or pointed to pivotal moments in 2021 for them. The booksellers chose among the finalists for the B&N Book of the Year (indicated in red).

Click on the titles to learn more about the books.

 

Cloud Cuckoo Land”  by Anthony Doerr

“The Sentence”  by Louise Erdrich

“Pizza Czar: Recipes and Know-How from a World-Traveling Pizza Chef”
by Anthony Falco

The 1619 Project: Born on the Water”  by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, Nikkolas Smith (Illustrator)

“Together”   by Luke Adam Hawker

“Under the Whispering Door”  by TJ Klune

“The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present (Two-Volume Set)”  by
Paul McCartney, Paul Muldoon (Editor)

“Crying in H Mart”  by Michelle Zauner

Have you read any of the finalists? Please let us know in the comments below.

 

 

2021 Barnes & Noble Best Genre Books of the Year

I’ve been told that the B&N editorial staff reads a lot of books during the year in various genres, then chooses from among those books to select their favorites of the year. The official quote from Barnes & Noble defines the ‘best books’ lists as stories that stay with us long after we finish them, and the ones we re-read again and again and pass on to friends. I would definitely agree with that definition. See if you agree with their choices in a range of genres and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Happy Reading!

 

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

“Child of Light” by Terry Brooks

“Leviathan Falls” by James S.A. Corey

“Under the Whispering Door” by T.J. Klune

“A Marvelous Light” by Freya Marske

“The Last Graduate” by Naomi Novik

“ExtraOrdinary” by V.E. Schwab

“Lore Olympus: Volume One”  by Rachel Smythe

“Lesser Evil – Star Wars Thrawn Ascendancy” by Timothy Zahn

 

Mystery/Thrillers

“While Justice Sleeps” by Stacey Abrams

“The Heron’s Cry” by Ann Cleeves

“Mrs. March” by Virginia Feito

“Clark and Division” by Naomi Hirahara

“The Guilt Trip” by Sandie Jones

“Silverview” by John Le Carre

“The Maidens” by Alex Michaelides

“The Man Who Died Twice” by Richard Osman

“The Madness of Crowds” by Louise Penny

“False Witness” by Karin Slaughter

 

Best YA

“Ace of Spades” by Faridah Abike-lyimide

“Realm Breaker” by Victoria Aveyard

“Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley

“Lore” by Alexandra Bracken

“Blackout” by Dhonielle Clayton

“Small Favors” by Erin A. Craig

“Once Upon A Broken Heart” by Stephanie Garber

“Defy the Night” by Brigid Kemmerer

“The Lake” by Natasha Preston

“Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World” by Benjamin Alire Saenz

 

 Best Fiction

“Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr

“The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich

“The Paper Palace” by Miranda Cowley Heller

“Greek Myths: A New Retelling” by Charlotte Higgins

“Fault Lines” by Emily Itami

“The Lost Apothecary” by Sarah Penner

“Bewilderment” by Richard Powers

“Beautiful World, Where Are You?” by Sally Rooney

“The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles

“Harlem Shuffle” by Colson Whitehead

 

Best Romance

“While We Were Dating” by Jasmine Guillory

“People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry

“Fifty Shades Freed” by E. L. James

“The Soulmate Equation” by Christina Lauren

“It’s Better This Way” by Debbie Macomber

“One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston

“The Lady Has A Past” by Amanda Quick

“Neon Gods” by Katee Robert

“Legacy” by Nora Roberts

“Lover Unveiled” by J.R. Ward

 

Best Cookbooks

“Death & Co: Welcome Home” by Alex Day

“Pizza Czar” by Anthony Falco

“Nadiya Bakes” by Nadiya Hussain

“Mother Grains” by Roxana Jullapat

“Maman: the Cookbook” by Elisa Marshall

“Burnt Toast and Other Disasters” by Cal Peternell

“Vegetable Simple” by Eric Ripert

“Rodney’s World of BBQ” by Rodney Scott

“Cook Real Hawai’I” by Sheldon Simeon

“The Japanese Art of the Cocktail” by Masahiro Urushido

 

2020 Barnes and Noble Book of the Year

In its second annual “Best of…” event, Barnes and Noble did a survey of booksellers at its brick and mortar stores, asking which books they enjoyed selling the most during the year. Here’s the list of the eight top nominees. The booksellers chose among the finalists for the B&N Book of the Year (indicated in red).

Click on the titles to learn more about the books.

 

“Leave the World Behind”  by Rumaan Alam

 

The Vanishing Half”  by Brit Bennett

 

Untamed”  by Glennon Doyle

 

Pieometry: Modern Tart Art and Pie Design”  by Lauren Ko

 

Accidentally Wes Anderson”  by Wally Koval

 

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times”  by Katherine May

 

World of Wonders”  by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

 

Stamped”  by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi

 

Have you read any of the finalists in this year’s celebration of the booksellers’ faves? Let us know in the comments below.

 

 

 

Cookbooks by Famous Authors – 2017

 

Book Cover - The Cozy Cookbook

What great cook can resist a great new cookbook?

Even better, what foodie/avid reader can resist a cookbook created by his/her favorite author?

 

The following fifteen cookbooks have been recommended by the readers of Nightstand Book Reviews as part of their literary and/or cookbook collections. The cookbooks would definitely make a fun gift to a fan of any of the authors. There are some pretty famous writers in the mix and many of the cookbooks have been nominated for awards.   🙂   If you have tried any of the recipes, please let us know in the comments.

 

Click on the book title to learn more about the featured recipes and where to buy the books.

 

 

"Brunetti's Cookbook" – Roberta Pianaro, Donna Leon

 

 

Cooking with Jane Austen”   – Kirstin Olsen

 

 

"Food to Die For"  – Patricia Cornwell, Marlene Brown

 

 

"Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook"  – Diane Mott Davidson

 

 

"Have Faith In Your Kitchen" – Katherine Hall Page

 

 

Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader” – Jan Karon

 


“KP Authors Cook Their Books” – 11 Kindle Press Authors

 

 

Mma Ramotswe's Cookbook” – Stuart Brown, forward by Alexander McCall Smith

 

 

"Mystery Writers of America Cookbook" – Kate White, editor; famous mystery writer contributors

 

 

The Cat Who Cookbook” – Lilian Jackson Braun

 

 

"The Cozy Cookbook"  – Laura Childs & other bestselling cozy writers

 

 

"The Hemingway Cookbook" – Craig Boreth

 

 

"The Outlander Kitchen: The Official Outlander Companion Cookbook" – Theresa Carle-Sanders

 

 

Yashim Cooks Istanbul: Culinary Adventures in the Ottoman Kitchen – Jason Goodwin

 

 

"Winnie the Pooh’s Teatime Cookbook" – A.A. Milne

 

 

Happy holiday cooking with these cookbooks by famous authors!  🙂

 

 

                      

Literary Cookbooks

 

 

bookcover-outlander-kitchen-cookbook

 

What cook can resist a great new cookbook?

Even better, what foodie/avid reader can resist a cookbook created by his/her favorite author?

 

The following twelve cookbooks have been recommended by the readers of Nightstand Book Reviews as part of their literary and/or cookbook collections. The cookbooks would definitely make a fun gift to a fan of any of the authors. There are some pretty famous writers in the mix and many of the cookbooks have been nominated for awards.  🙂  If you have tried any of the recipes, please let us know in the comments.

 

Click on the book title to learn more about the featured recipes.

 

"Cooking with Jane Austen" – Kirstin Olsen

 

"Food to Die For" – Patricia Cornwell, Marlene Brown

 

"Goldy’s Kitchen Cookbook" – Diane Mott Davidson


"Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader" – Jan Karon

 

"KP Authors Cook Their Books" – 11 Kindle Press authors

 

"Mystery Writers of America Cookbook" – Kate White, editor; famous mystery writer contributors

 

"The Cat Who Cookbook" – Lilian Jackson Braun

 

"The Cozy Cookbook" – Laura Childs & other bestselling cozy writers

 

"The Hemingway Cookbook" – Craig Boreth

 

"The Outlander Kitchen: The Official Outlander Companion Cookbook" – Theresa Carle-Sanders

 

"Yashim Cooks Istanbul: Culinary Adventures in the Ottoman Kitchen" – Jason Goodwin

 

"Winnie the Pooh’s Teatime Cookbook" – A.A. Milne
 

 

Happy cooking!  🙂

 


 

Favorite Cookbooks for Gift Giving

 

Book Cover - Baking

I am happy to say that I know quite a few really good cooks and bakers. They use fresh ingredients, cook/bake from scratch and (deservedly so) take pride in the results. These gals and guys know their way around a saucepan and have discovered go-to cookbooks to use as reliable references when checking on a new technique or when working with an unfamiliar food. Sometimes, they use the cookbooks to expand their repertoire of tasty entrees and/or desserts.

 

The Nightstand Book Reviews subscribers were invited to contribute their choices for favorite cookbooks (suitable for holiday gift-giving). Take a look at the list and their comments.

 

Pat Bee uses:

The New Doubleday Cookbook! My husband found this cookbook years ago and it is a great one! Lots of information regarding cooking – not just recipes.

My other favorite is Baking by Dorie Greenspan. Haven’t had a failure with any of the recipes and the final product is delicious, especially the biscotti. (Note from Patti: I’ve had the biscotti. Yummy!)

 

Rony G Cambell suggests:

My son found a cookbook The Country Farmhouse Cookbook by Sarah Banbery. I’ve never come across a cookbook with so much love, detail and absolutely outstanding recipes, all with brilliant photography to accompany them.

It covers everything from growing, to final preparation. Soups, snacks, egg & cheese dishes, fish & shellfish – the list goes on until the final Homemade Drinks & Sweets.

It gets used at least once a week in our house.

 

Toni DeLuca praises:

My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz.  It made a famous world-wide list for top cookbooks.  It includes recipes as well as stories of Paris. 

Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Fast. There are over 900 pages but it really is a helpful book.  He is very health conscious and gives clear directions. He writes for the NYTimes and is on PBS.

From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart:

Meatless: Vegetarian recipes.  Not complicated and even meat eaters would enjoy the recipes.  I made several of the recipes – Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Gratin & Roasted Tomato Tabbouleh are two. 

One Pot: 120+ Easy Meals From Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot and More. 

 

Edith Maxwell has contributed to:

Cozy Food: 128 Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes! Nancy Lynn Jarvis compiled this. It includes many delicious recipes from many well-known (and some not so well-known) mystery authors. I have recipes in there for Baba Ganoush, and Tomato-Bean Salad with Eggs. 

Check out www.edithmaxwell.com for links/info about Edith’s books, featuring amateur sleuths that are also talented cooks.

 

Liz Mugavero loves:

Crazy Sexy Kitchen by Kris Carr and Chad Samo. Kris is a wellness advocate who has been living with cancer for eleven years and has improved her health and lifestyle with her food choices. The recipes in this book are vegan and many have gluten free options. All are plant based. It's definitely my go-to cookbook!

Check out www.lizmugavero.com for links/info about Liz’s fun, pet friendly murder mysteries that include recipes for pet treats.

 

Brian Stewart suggests:

For curry fans (like me) you can’t look past Atul Kochhar’s Atul’s Curries of the World. Tried many of them, and all are fantastic (top favourite is the prawn and mango one!!)

 

Lynn C. Willis recommends:

My favorite cookbook is my Hershey's Recipes. Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate! It's only 30 pages but every page is filled with some kind of goodie made with Hershey chocolate. Chocolate Raspberry Dessert is nearly truly zen-worthy. I found this book in the dollar bin at Target and consider it the best dollar I've ever spent. (Note from Patti: Hershey now has multiple titles for chocolate recipe cookbooks. The link takes you to one of the many.)

My second favorite cookbook is The Chandler Family Recipes – a book my cousin put together a few years ago and distributed at our family reunion. She spent years gathering the recipes of our grandmothers, mothers, great aunts, aunts and fellow cousins and compiled them in spiral-bound books she photocopied herself. I gave one to my own daughter and one to my daughter-in-law as something to pass on to their own daughters. (Note from Patti: You can’t purchase the Chandler collection of recipes, but isn’t it a great idea for a future gift?)

Check out www.lynnchandlerwillis.com for info/links to Lynn’s award-winning mysteries.

 

I have some of the above titles on my shelf, but have asked Santa to bring me the ones I’m missing.  J

Happy shopping everyone!

 

P.S. If you are subscriber to Nightstand Book Reviews and would like to add a cookbook title to the list, please email me with your suggestion. 

 

 

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