The Aristocrats meets Vanity Fair in this stunning celebration of the world's most famous chefs.

Before The Joy of Cooking, there was The Boston Cooking School Cookbook. Written by Fannie Farmer, principal of the school, and published in 1896, it was the bestselling cookbook of its age. 400,000 copies were sold by Farmer's death in 1915 — and more than 4 million were sold by the 1960s. It perfectly encapsulates the late Victorian era, but it's also surprisingly modern; in short, it's ripe for reevaluation. And who better to conduct such an experiment than Chris Kimball, founder of Cook's Illustrated and host of PBS's America's Test Kitchen? Fannie's Last Supper is the result. In it, Kimball assembles an extravagant 12-course Christmas dinner from Farmer's cookbook and serves it in an 1859 Boston townhouse, complete with an authentic Victorian home kitchen, uniformed maids, and a distinguished guest list. The menu includes Roast Goose with Potato Stuffing, Canton Punch, Three Moulded Victorian Jellies, and Mandarin Cake. But Kimball includes more than just the dinner party's dishes — Fannie's Last Supper is a working cookbook with tested, rewritten, updated recipes drawn from Farmer's opus. It's a culinary thriller of sorts, travelling back in time to reexamine something most of us take for granted: the North American table.

In her first book, My Last Supper, Melanie Dunea transformed a pastime that has animated restaurants after hours for decades into a sumptuous photographic journey that provided a glimpse into the rarified world of top chefs. The book garnered national media and critical acclaim for the chic and beautiful package and the totally unique concept. In My Last Supper: The NextCourse, Dunea expands her circle from the highest echelons of chefs to include the best-loved food personalities such as Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray, Joël Robuchon, Tom Colicchio, and Bobby Flay to ask them the question that drove the first volume: "What would you eat for your last meal on earth?" A perfect gift for anyone who loves food, beautifully produced with gorgeous photography, My Last Supper: The Next Course is so much more than a coffee table book—it's a fascinating glimpse into the world of people who eat, breathe, and sleep food. As the number of people who consider themselves foodies has exploded, this book is sure to capture the audience who loved the first one and captivate those who are new to the scene.

Milan, 1496 and forty-four-year-old Leonardo da Vinci has a reputation for taking on commissions and failing to complete them. He is in a state of professional uncertainty and financial difficulty. For eighteen months he has been painting murals in both the Sforza Castle in Milan and the refectory of the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The latter project will become the Last Supper, a complex mural that took a full three years to complete on a surface fifteen feet high by twenty feet wide. Not only had he never attempted a painting of such size, but he had no experience whatsoever in painting in the physically demanding medium of fresco.For more than five centuries the Last Supper has been an artistic, religious and cultural icon. The art historian Kenneth Clark has called it 'the keystone of European art', and for a century after its creation it was regarded as nothing less than a miraculous image. Even today, according to Clark, we regard the painting as 'more a work of nature than a work of man'. And yet there is a very human story behind this artistic 'miracle', which was created against the backdrop of momentous events both in Milan and in the life of Leonardo himself.In Leonardo and the Last Supper, Ross King tells the complete story of this creation of this mural: the adversities suffered by the artist during its execution; the experimental techniques he employed; the models for Christ and the Apostles that he used; and the numerous personalities involved - everyone from the Leonardo's young assistants to Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan who commissioned the work. Ross King's new book is both a record of Leonardo da Vinci's last five years in Milan and a 'biography' of one of the most famous works of art ever painted.

You're about to die. What would your final meal be? This question has long troubled Jay Rayner. As a man more obsessed with his lunch than is strictly necessary, the idea of a showpiece last supper is a tantalising prospect. But wouldn't knowledge of your imminent demise ruin your appetite? So, Jay decided to cheat death. The plan was simple: he would embark on a journey through his life in food in pursuit of the meal to end all meals. It's a quest that takes him from necking oysters on the Louisiana shoreline to forking away the finest French pastries in Tokyo, and from his earliest memories of snails in garlic butter, through multiple pig-based banquets, to the unforgettable final meal itself. My Last Supper is both a hugely entertaining account of a life built around mealtimes and a fascinating global exploration of our relationship with what we eat. It is the story of one hungry man, in eight courses.

A journey through over 2000 years of culinary history and the final repasts of famous figures—with recipes included. Part historical narrative and part grilling guide and cookbook, Andrew Caldwell’s Their Last Suppers guides history buffs and gourmands alike through gastronomically inspired biographical accounts of more than twenty legendary personalities. Recipes are included (though the author has decided to skip the pork blood beverages drunk by the Spartans). Unearthing recipes as far back as 323 B.C., Caldwell, aka the History Chef, provides insight into two thousand years of culinary lore. Each historical figure’s profile includes a brief description of pursuits and accomplishments as well as little-known anecdotes, popular foods of his or her time period, recipes for the figure’s actual last meal, and cooking tips. Because the kitchens of Montezuma, Caesar, and other notables profiled within the book were often very basic, Caldwell brings their fare into modern kitchens, although he strongly believes that, whenever possible, grills and open fires should be used for most dishes and therefore provides specific preparation tips throughout. From the Titanic’s twelve-course tasting menu to personal recipes for Princess Diana’s Favorite Watercress Soup, Elvis Presley’s Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich, Julius Caesar’s Ambrosia, Cleopatra’s Hummus, and Stone Crab a la Kennedy, historians and foodies alike will relish the trivia and tastings paired within this unique and entertaining book.

Now in paperback, a volume of stunning photographs of 50 country music icons and intimate accounts of their thoughts on God, America, and their favorite songs. Award-winning photographer and author of My Last Supper, Melanie Dunea traces the throughlines from country music's gritty roots to the chart-topping chanteuses of today, presenting beautiful, imaginative, and revealing photographs of icons ranging from Taylor Swift to Wynnona Judd to Little Jimmy Dickens and conducting interviews that ask stars to discuss their musical roots and inspirations, their defining moments, and what makes country music the heart and soul of America. As the music industry fractures and suffers from flagging sales, country music has enjoyed explosive growth and unprecedented popularity. This totally unique book will be a must-own (and a perfect gift) for fans of the old time country twang and the millions who love the glitz and glamour of today's country-pop. My Country is a music-lovers dream, and in this more inexpensive, accessible market the book is sure to find its core audience amongst country music's legions of fans.