Maggie Glezer, the uniquely qualified, totally obsessed certified bread baker who teaches and writes about bread for both laypeople and professionals, set off across the country in pursuit of the best breads and best bakers in America. And she returned with the goods—impeccable recipes that reproduce the excellence and craft of the best breads being made today, scaled down and written for a home kitchen.

But in addition to the recipes, she offers sumptuous color photography and portraits of the bakers, in words and pictures, that tell the story of America's artisan bread movement, from the wheat breeders in Kansas to a gristmill in Rhode Island, and specialty bakers from Berkeley, California, to Long Island City, New York.

This is a book to bake from, to learn from, to read for the sheer pleasure of realizing the devotion and mastery that go into the making of our best daily bread, whether it be a dark rye, a Neapolitan pizza, a baguette, or a bialy.

Whether your interest is epicurean, avocational, or vocational, you will be guided by step-by-step instructions detailing the best professional methods. Each recipe is categorized by skill level from beginner to advanced, and there are also helpful mail-order sources for ingredients and equipment.

To savor the crust, crumb, and aroma of these breads fresh out of your home oven is to be touched by the soul of the specialty baker and his or her passion for excellence.

If these truly great breads don't lay waste to the old adage that man can't live by bread alone, then nothing will.