Book excerpt: "John Shelton Reed compiles reviews, essays, magazine articles, op-eds, and book extracts from his more than twenty-year obsession with the history and culture of barbecue. Together these pieces constitute a broad look at the cultural, culinary, historical, and social aspects of an American institution. A lover of tradition whose study of regional distinctions has made him prize and defend them, Reed writes with conviction on what "real" barbecue looks, smells, and tastes like. He delves into the history of barbecue and even the origins of the word barbecue itself. Other topics include contemporary trends in barbecue, Carolina 'cue and other regional varieties, and a pair of recipes daring readers to master their own backyard pits"--