Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist

"In this gorgeous guide to every cocktail imaginable, Rathbun, a poet and the 'editor for the Kitchens and Housewares store' at Amazon.com, breaks out the 12 chapters not by ingredients but by useful, or at least amusing, categories. These include 'Dinner for Two,' which is a chapter of romantic drinks such as the French Connection (brandy and amaretto) and the Kiss in the Dark (cherry brandy and dry vermouth). A section entitled 'An Obscure Reliquary' features creepy concoctions, like a Brain Hemorrhage and a Corpse Reviver. There's a voluminous chapter on martinis, including a questionable Bacontini, as well as others on shots, frozen drinks, hot drinks and blended drinks. There are 450 recipes in all — and, fortunately, an excellent index. Not only is there a general index to let you know on which page to find a Purple Python, there is also an index of 'Drinks by Primary Liquor,' which lists, for example, all the book's 29 bourbon-based options at a glance. The scores of full-page color photos by the aptly named Melissa Punch, each with dazzling Day-Glo backgrounds, are thirst inducing and add an irresistible retro charm to the proceedings." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Consumers are spending more than $40 billion each year on spirits, and it sometimes seems there are nearly 40 billion drinks to choose from. In Good Spirits, A.J. Rathbun has collected 450 of the best cocktail recipes, featuring an incredible variety of spirits, mixers, and garnishes. The recipes are organized by theme, so it's easy to find the perfect drink for every occasion, and engaging sidebars throughout the book showcase Rathbun's unabashed passion for and knowledge of his subject. With its stunning, full-color photographs and fresh, lively tone, this is the definitive guide to both classic and contemporary drinks for anyone who appreciates the art of the cocktail.

Rathbun collects 450 of the best cocktail recipes, featuring an incredible variety of spirits, mixers, and garnishes. With its stunning, full-color photographs and fresh, lively tone, this is the definitive guide to both classic and contemporary drinks for anyone who appreciates the art of the cocktail.

A. J. Rathbun is a freelance food and entertaining writer and the author of Champagne Cocktails, Wine Cocktails, Dark Spirits, Luscious Liqueurs, Party Drinks!, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals Award-winning Good Spirits. Rathbun earned his MFA in creative writing from Western Michigan University, and has worked variously as a buyer for Amazon.com, an usher at the Art Institute of Chicago, a rock band roadie, an envelope stuffer, a marketing assistant, the director of the Poetry After Hours program at the Seattle Art Museum, an online editor, a waiter, and of course, a bartender. In addition to his cookbooks, Rathbun is the editor of In Their Cups and the author of Want, two poetry collections. Rathbun has been a guest, talking about drinks, food, entertaining, and kitchen products, on numerous radio shows, including Martha Stewart's Everyday Food satellite radio program and USA Radio, has done interviews with a variety of publications, including the Seattle Times, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and the Arizona Republic, and has contributed to the magazines Every Day with Rachael Ray and Wine Enthusiast, among others. He is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Museum of the American Cocktail. He teaches cocktail classes at the cooking school Dish It Up, one of which was recently profiled in the magazine Traditional Homes. Rathbun lives in Seattle, Washington. To learn more about him and his books, and to read his blog, Spiked Punch, and c