Book cover of The Martini: An Illustrated History of an American Classic

Book description

A chilled, crystal glass; the purest gin; a touch of dry vermouth--vigorously shaken, not stirred--and a plump, green olive. The martini was and still is more than just a cocktail. Originally mixed in the nineteenth century, it became an American icon in the twentieth, and the favorite drink of such…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Martini as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

While most of my professional drinking involves bourbon, my favorite change-of-pace cocktail is the martini. Lavishly illustrated, the book caught my eye when it was first published more than a quarter-century ago. Also, I had to own a book whose author had the splendidly Wodehousian name, Barnaby Conrad, III. Herein you’ll find photos and quotations of famous martini drinkers, both real and fictional, from Franklin Roosevelt and Dorothy Parker to James Bond and Nick and Nora Charles. Alas, it was published too soon to cite the wonderful scene in the film “Carol” when Cate Blanchett orders “a dry martini with…

If you love The Martini...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Want books like The Martini?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 59 books like The Martini.

Browse books like The Martini

Book cover of The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks
Book cover of Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar
Book cover of Bourbon is My Comfort Food: The Bourbon Women Guide to Fantastic Cocktails at Home

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,366

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Martini, you might also like...

Book cover of The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea

The Go-Giver by John David Mann,

The Go-Giver tells the story of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success. Joe is a true go-getter, though sometimes he feels as if the harder and faster he works, the further away his goals seem to be.

Desperate to land a key sale at the end…

Book cover of The Last Whaler

The Last Whaler by Cynthia Reeves,

This book is an elegiac meditation on the will to survive. Tor, a beluga whaler, and his wife, Astrid, a botanist specializing in Arctic flora, are stranded during the dark season of 1937-38 at his remote whaling station in the Svalbard archipelago when they misjudge ice conditions and fail to…

5 book lists we think you will like!