WHAT: "Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbecue Joint," by Chris Lilly (Clarkson Potter, $24.99).

Lilly is a world-champion pit master and vice president, executive chef and partner of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Alabama. He is married to the great-granddaughter of barbecue legend Big Bob Gibson.

TURN THE PAGE: The book combines stories and instructions for cooking foods on an outdoor grill or smoker. You'll learn how Bob Gibson started out cooking barbecue in 1925, and there are plenty of recipes for the adventuresome who want to master true "Q" learning techniques from Lilly.

WE LOVED THIS: Lilly offers pit master tips and detailed explanations of how to choose wood, seasonings and rubs. There are more than a dozen recipes for traditional sauces, glazes and mops, most of them vinegar-based.

YOU'LL WANT TO TRY: Brined Chicken With White Sauce. The mayonnaise-and-vinegar-based sauce gets its kick from ground black and cayenne pepper.

ALSO WORTHY: "America's Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America's Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses and Restaurants," by Ardie A. Davis and Chef Paul Kirk (Andrews McMeel, $19.99).

This is a fun read, with background stories on some legendary barbecue joints - a nice gift for barbecue aficionados. *