Anticipating Wine Books
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Every now and then I like to look and see what's coming down the pike where wine-related books are concerned. There are always lots of How-To's and "What-to-Drink" books. Every year we get new books on touring wine country and big shiny atlases of various regions.
Below is a list of the more interesting and intriguing wine-related books that will be published this year.
Sex and Spirits: Alcohol, Gender, and Technology in the Colonial Chesapeake
By Sarah Hand Meacham (Nov 09)
It's on my list because I MUST know what this book is about.
by Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl (Oct 2009)
Every year the same books promising to make wine simple is released. In fact, it's usually released by in three or four different versions by 3 or 4 different publishers. This one, however, has the benefit of being demanding! The Jewish Wine Trade And The Origin Of Jewish Moneylending: Principles And Pressures
By Haym Soloveitchik (Oct 2009)
I love long academic sounding book titles. I imagine that after years of researching the currency exchanges and rates of exchange in Les Pays-Bas and their impact on Jewish merchants trading in imported wine there just wasn't any energy left to come up with a snappy title.
Gallo Be Thy Name: The Inside Story of How a Secretive but Well-Connected Family Rose to Dominate the U.S. Wine Market
By Jerome Tuccille (Sept 09)
This will be interesting, no doubt about it. The Gallo's remain the dominant force in the American wine industry. This will get a lot of attention when it hits.
Spectacular Wineries of Sonoma Valley: A Captivating Tour of
Established, Estate and Boutique Wineries (Spectacular Wineries series)
By LLC Panache Partners (Aug 09)
Now we're talking. My own home town getting some publishing love. It must be true that Sonoma Valley is the second best know and second most visited wine region in the U.S. Yet, it hasn't gotten nearly the attention that Napa gets. I'm looking forward to seeing this one.
By Michael Steinberger (June 09)
Someone make the argument this won't be good! Poor France is in the midst of a cultural revolution driven by economics and demographics. Cafe Culture is waning. I'm betting Steinberger gets it all down.
The Bryant Family Vineyard Cookbook: Recipes from Great Chefs and Friends
By Barbara Bryant and Betsy Fentress (June 09)
Why not!
When the Rivers Ran Red: An Amazing Story of Courage and Triumph in America's wine country
By Vivienne Sosnowski (June 09)
This looks absolutely fascinating. I can't wait to read it. Has anyone ever considered what the American wine industry would look like today had there been no Prohibition? I'd love to hear speculation on that question. Whether it is in this book or not, I suspect this will be a pretty good read.
By Liz Thach, Ph.D., Brian D'Emilio, and Doug Pike (March 09)
I regularly get emails and call from folks who want to know how to get into the wine business. I always take the calls and correspond with the people who contact me because I did the same thing 20 years ago and it helped me. But at least now I'll also be able to refer them to something tangible. Big Bad-Ass Drinking Game
By Jordana Tusman (March 09)
How tough can it be these days to sell a book concept?
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Big Bad-Ass Drinking Game
By Jordana Tusman (March 09)
How tough can it be these days to sell a book concept?
Ha!
Tom, let me tell you how it works. You submit an idea to your agent; your agent likes it, then tries to get it published. But all the publishers tell the agent that there are too many wine books flooding the market, so they pass on yours.
Then, you look at the coming list of books and in it are numerous wine books, and one of them is titled like the one above.
Then you are left to wonder not how tough it is, but who you have to know to get a wine book published these days…
Big Bad-Ass Drinking Game
By Jordana Tusman (March 09)
How tough can it be these days to sell a book concept?
Ha. Here’s how it works, Tom.
You submit an idea to your agent; the agent likes it and submit to some publishers; the publishers tell the agent too many wine and spirit books flood the market and so they pass on your wonderful idea.
Then you see a list like the one above and you wonder not how touch it is to sell a concept, but who you need to know to sell a concept.
Incidentally, unless one’s name is King it’s the publisher’s sales staff that often runs the titling department, and poorly.
Make that “tough” instead of “touch.”
And the first one didn’t go through–at first. Sheesh, this is complicated…
I’m looking forward to a new edition of “How to Win Lawsuits and Influence People” co-written by Jess Jackson and Fred Furth.
I’m waiting for the wine book about the family who makes excellent wine despite the fact that all family members love and get along with each other and all business conflicts are sorted out over a dinner table and a game of Trivial Pursuit.
The wine career one is especially intriguing to me. Tom, are you familiar with any of the authors?
Doug,
Yes, They are connected to the Wine Business program at Sonoma State University. Liz is particularly brilliant.
Awesome list Tom. I was hooked on the Sex and Spirits title until I read that it covered colonial Chesapeake!
And yes, it will be nice to have a book recommendation for all those people interested in joining the wine trade.
Amy,
You know what they say about those Chesapeakean Colonials…Hubba hubba! Don’t write it off.
Wow, I thought these titles were all spoofs! Sorry, but the whole lot bore me. I think Ron Washam could have handled this post more, um, interestingly. 🙂
Another lovely book – “Bottlenotes Guide to Wine: Around the World in 80 Sipsâ„¢” by Alyssa Rapp.Check out http://www.amazon.com/Bottlenotes-Guide-Wine-Around-World/dp/1598697870/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1233827472&sr=8-1
If you are interested in getting into the wine trade, this might help:
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Starting-Running-Winery/dp/1592578187/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221330388&sr=1-1
Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the Death of France. I’m interested in learning more about this, I think the shift in attitude for the younger demographic is one worth understanding, especially for the future of the US wine market.
Actually, Big Bad-Ass Drinking Games is not a wine book. It’s best played with beer! It’s a kit sold in the Gift section at all major stores. Comes with 48 drinking games printed on cards, a shot glass, a set of dice, and a set of “dirty” dice. And RP has a series called “Big Bad-Ass”, hence “the publisher’s sales staff that often runs the titling department, and poorly”, Thomas. You guys crack me up. Check out the kit!
Yeh, it’s really nice club for me, I think more information should be provided in the blog!!
These are all excellent posts. thanks for the links. You seem to be reading day and night looking for good stuff to post lol.