[.ca] Smokestack Lightning (ISBN 1580086608)

From Amazon.com:
Through vivid descriptions of restaurants and barbecue joints around the country, stirred together with legends and bits and pieces of barbecue history, Lolis Eric Elie profiles the largely American pastime of barbecuing. Traveling from Texas to the Carolinas, the author chronicles the lore and traditions of the barbecue belt and collects recipes, descriptions and photographs of everything from barbecued cows' faces to pigs' snouts, on his quest to determine barbecue's role in American culture.

Waste:
I was excited to buy this book but very let down when I got it. Don't waste you money.

Good read....if you ignore the opinionated tone....:
Mr. Elie has written a book that cuts a wide swathe through the regional barbecue landscape. While some of the information is good, and the book does provide a curious read, the regional nature of barbecue lends to the book's inadequacy. What any student of regional foodways should understand is that food traditions cannot be subject to a single standard. Especially a standard levied by an outsider. Unfortunately, Elie proceeds to "damn" local barbecue joints for their poor food, despite the high regard the restaurant holds in the local community. Mr. Elie's culinary arrogance extends not only to judgments on food, but he extends a patronizing attitude towards many of the people he meets, including a truly offensive treatment of the speech patterns of the Gullah in the SC lowcountry. While a moderately curious read, it will not remain on my shelf.

Buy it now:
Great book, not for recipies but for a trip through real barbque country. The book is part travel literature, part regional cooking essay and part American social essay by two guys who show a love for the history and lore of barbque. If you consider yourself a lover of Barbque, not grilling mind you, you will love reading this book.

A trip through barbeque country:
This is one great book. I love it so much, I bought another copy "just in case". The writing is superb, the photography is amazing, and from a Q-fanatic with literally hundreds of barbeque books, this one is my very favorite.