American Craft Beer covers the craft beer movement, its news, and its lifestyle. We view the craft beer scene as an entertainment industry that is now very much a part of today’s pop cultural landscape. And it’s probably because of our unique approach to the industry that we’re constantly receiving offers from different media groups asking us to share with our readers everything from new restaurants, cuisine, hangover cures, and beer-related products to new music, movies, and books….which leads us to Good Books – a brand new series dedicated not only to new and noteworthy books on craft beer, but also to anything else that we’re currently reading, enjoying, and recommending.

We’ve been receiving so many books on craft beer of late that we are forced to use our first Good Books to play catch-up. Every book we receive is a labor of love for someone that reflects years of work by the author (and his or her support staff and publishing team). We respect that and hope to get as many Good Books in front of you as we can.

So on to some new books that have been sent our way as well as a thriller from last year that you might be interested in.

The Complete Beer Course: Boot Camp for Beer Geeks: From Novice to Expert in Twelve Tasting Classes by Joshua M. Bernstein is the newest book by one of our favorite craft beer writers who’s also written the very popular Brewed Awakening. We recently did a 5 Stupid Questions with Josh, where he gets into his new book in depth and you should check it out if you’ve not already.

The Audacity of Hops: The History of America’s Craft Beer Revolution by Tom Acitelli was released earlier this year and as Tom told us recently, the paperback is already in its third printing. This is as up-to-date a history of the craft beer industry as you’re going to find out there now. It’s complete, concise, and a total blast to read. Plus, Tom’s a fun guy and you should try to catch him when he does something in your town.

Brewing Arizona: A Century of Beer in the Grand Canyon State by Ed Sipos was a total surprise for us. We were of course familiar with the beauty that is Arizona with its cities and awesome desert canyons – but knew very little of its history, let alone its extensive brewing history. Exhaustively researched and rich with photos from an era long gone, Sipos new book serves up Arizona’s beer history with gusto. This book is an absolute must for any beer lover based in the Grand Canyon State and its environs.

The Pocket Beer Guide: The Essential Handbook to the Very Best Beers in the World by Stephen Beaumont and Tim Webb is an indispensable paperback for that world traveling beer lover of yours. From New Delhi to Portland and San Diego to Singapore, this guide spans six continents and covers more than 3,000 beers as well as cool beer destinations you’ll want to check out. Or, in other words, the ultimate “beercation” without leaving the couch.

Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl shares little with craft beer besides them both being “too much fun.” This bestselling contemporary thriller that came out in 21012 has gone on to become a huge international hit and is now being made into a movie by director David Fincher. Novelist Flynn (who once wrote for Entertainment Weekly) couches the story of Nick and Amy Dunne’s disintegrating marriage that may have led to murder from both of their differing perspectives, so you’re never really sure as to the truth of things until the book’s devastating conclusion. So turn off your phone, open that beer you’ve been looking forward to, and get ready to enjoy one of our favorite recent entertainments because Gone Girl is all that and more.