The best books about tomatoes

Who picked these books? Meet our 7 experts.

7 authors created a book list connected to tomatoes, and here are their favorite tomato books.
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Words in Time

By Geoffrey Hughes,

Book cover of Words in Time: A Social History of English Vocabulary

David Crystal Author Of The Story of English in 100 Words

From the list on words and their history.

Who am I?

I grew up in a bilingual environment (Welsh and English) and have been fascinated by languages ever since, and the way they reflect thought, culture, and history. An English degree course at University College London gave me an academic grounding in language and literature, and I've been exploring and writing on those subjects ever since, eventually as a professor of linguistics, and these days as an independent scholar. My website provides a complete list of my publications, along with links to other materials. And the most fascinating thing about language? Its diversity and change. Whatever a language was like yesterday, it's different today, and will be different again tomorrow.

David's book list on words and their history

Discover why each book is one of David's favorite books.

Why did David love this book?

The important word in the title is "social." The author brings together words that belong to a particular theme, such as journalism, economics, and politics. An example? A 'historical menu' from Anglo-Saxon times (bread, butter, cucumber) through Shakespearean times (tomato, potato, banana) to the present-day (pizza, tacos, hamburger). And not forgetting drinks, from beer to Coca-Cola. It's a fascinating exercise in the linguistic archaeology of social transformation.

Words in Time

By Geoffrey Hughes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Words in Time as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The word "blurb" derives from a "pulchritudinous young lady" of that fictional name who appeared on a book-cover at the turn of the century. Quarrying the "Oxford English Dictionary" for its evidence, this book traces the extraordinary way in which English words have changed their meanings over the past millennium. These shifts both reflect Britain's rich history and reveal the social determinants of the language. In English vocabulary is stored the "archaeological" evidence of such great social transformations as the Norman Conquest, the growth of capitalism, the coming of the Reformation and the evolution of feudal hierarchy into democracy. The…


Heirloom Vegetable Gardening

By William Woys Weaver,

Book cover of Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History

Lynn Coulter Author Of Gardening with Heirloom Seeds: Tried-and-True Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables for a New Generation

From the list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas.

Who am I?

I’ve loved gardening ever since I was five years old, when I followed my grandmother around her yard as she watered her dinner plate-sized dahlias. As a college student, I rode a bus to school each day and read every gardening book and magazine I could get my hands on. After I graduated with a degree in Journalism, I realized I wanted to write about flowers and veggies and show other people how beautiful and bountiful a garden could be. My first book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds, led to a wonderful speaking experience in Orlando at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, and to contracts for two more books in the spiritual living genre.

Lynn's book list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas

Discover why each book is one of Lynn's favorite books.

Why did Lynn love this book?

Have you ever wished you could grow those nutritious, meaty peas and beans your granddaddy used to grow? Some had cool names, like Rattlesnake Beans, Big Red Ripper, or Blue Podded Shelling. They were probably heirloom varieties, plants that have been around for 50 years or more. While heirlooms are harder to find than they used to be, and nurseries and garden centers don’t often sell them as young plants, you can still grow these varieties from seeds (tip: look for them online or search for “seed swaps” in your area). Weaver is an organic gardener and food historian who discusses the old-timey veggies our forebears ate and where their seeds came from. You’ll want to plant your own kitchen garden with many of the varieties he covers.

Heirloom Vegetable Gardening

By William Woys Weaver,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Heirloom Vegetable Gardening as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"This book is sure to be a modern classic and is one of the most important books on gardening in the current century."
—Jere Gettle, founder, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Heirloom Vegetable Gardening has always been a book for gardeners and cooks interested in unique flavors, colors, and history in their produce. This updated edition has been improved throughout with growing zones, advice, and new plant entries. Line art has been replaced with lush, full-color photography. Yet at the core, this book delivers on the same promise it made two decades ago: It’s a comprehensive guide based on meticulous first-person…


Book cover of The Heirloom Gardener: Traditional Plants and Skills for the Modern World

Lynn Coulter Author Of Gardening with Heirloom Seeds: Tried-and-True Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables for a New Generation

From the list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas.

Who am I?

I’ve loved gardening ever since I was five years old, when I followed my grandmother around her yard as she watered her dinner plate-sized dahlias. As a college student, I rode a bus to school each day and read every gardening book and magazine I could get my hands on. After I graduated with a degree in Journalism, I realized I wanted to write about flowers and veggies and show other people how beautiful and bountiful a garden could be. My first book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds, led to a wonderful speaking experience in Orlando at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, and to contracts for two more books in the spiritual living genre.

Lynn's book list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas

Discover why each book is one of Lynn's favorite books.

Why did Lynn love this book?

Author John Forti’s book combines personal essays and gardening info on traditional/ heirloom plants. He encourages readers to slow down and reconnect with the land (he’s one of the founders of the Slow Food movement) and learn or re-learn sustainable, traditional gardening skills. He describes herbs like angelica, pre-industrial agricultural practices (I wish I had goats, so they could eat all the poison ivy around my house), and much more. I enjoyed the beautiful woodblock print images throughout the book. They help remind me that I don’t have to depend on all the modern “stuff,” like technology, chemicals, and modern hybrids, to have a successful and satisfying garden.

The Heirloom Gardener

By John Forti,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Heirloom Gardener as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An A-to-Z compilation of traditional gardening skills and heirloom plants, nostalgically illustrated with wood block art. Modern life is a cornucopia of technological wonders. But when we spend so much time glued to our phones and computer screens, something precious is lost: a sense of connection to the generations that have preceded us. John Forti is acutely aware of this loss, and his mission is to heal it. In The Heirloom Gardener, he celebrates and shares the lore and traditional practices that link us with the natural world and with each other. Arranged alphabetically, entries include heirloom flowers like beebalm,…


Book cover of Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook

Cassandra Reeder Author Of The Geeky Chef Cookbook: Real-Life Recipes for Fantasy Foods

From the list on cookbooks written by storytellers.

Who am I?

I am a food blogger and cookbook author who has been making up recipes for fictional foods from fantasy and science fiction since I was old enough to walk and talk. I love building a bridge between stories, imagination, fandom and food. For over a decade, with a lot of research and some really bad puns, I have been helping other geeks and nerds all over the world make their fictional food fantasies come true.

Cassandra's book list on cookbooks written by storytellers

Discover why each book is one of Cassandra's favorite books.

Why did Cassandra love this book?

It was impossible to not salivate while reading Fannie Flagg lovingly describe the delicious southern dishes in her iconic novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. This book is the companion cookbook to the novel and it has recipes for deep-fried chicken, bourbon-chocolate pecan pie, pork chops with apples and sweet potatoes and, of course, fried green tomatoes. I realize that I hardly need to say more, but… that’s not even the best part. Fannie’s signature sense of humor shines throughout this beautiful book. (Don’t worry, the pulled pork is made with actual pork!)

Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook

By Fannie Flagg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"IT'LL MAKE FOR SOME MIGHTY FINE EATING."
--Fort Worth Star Telegram
After the tremendous success of her novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, and the beloved movie that followed, author Fannie Flagg received thousands of requests from all over the world asking for recipes from the little cafe of her Alabama childhood that was the model for the cafe in her novel. Now, she joyfully shares those recipes, in what may well be the first cookbook ever written by a satisfied customer rather than a cook! Inside you'll find wonderful recipes for:
* Skinless Fried Chicken *…


The Edible Landscape

By Emily Tepe,

Book cover of The Edible Landscape: Creating a Beautiful and Bountiful Garden with Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers

Kari Cornell Author Of Dig In! 12 Easy Gardening Projects Using Kitchen Scraps

From the list on gardening for inspiration.

Who am I?

I’m not an expert gardener, but I’ve been gardening for half my life. Each spring I can’t wait to start all over again. I love deciding what vegetables to plant in our community garden and tucking flowers into the flower boxes. The perfect Saturday? Lingering at my local gardening center and perusing the seedlings at the farmer’s market—the possibilities are endless! As temperatures warm, I begin daily tours of my garden, looking for signs of life, pulling weeds, and tidying up. I marvel as the tulips bloom, scatter zinnia seeds, plant dahlia tubers, water, and wait. Gardening is perfectly predictable, yet I’m captivated by it every year.

Kari's book list on gardening for inspiration

Discover why each book is one of Kari's favorite books.

Why did Kari love this book?

I have a small, mostly shady city yard, but I still haven’t given up hope of growing food outside my back door.

That’s where Emily Tepe’s book The Edible Landscape comes in. With lovely photographs of real gardens and step-by-step instruction, Tepe walks me through how to successfully grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers side-by-side to create a garden that is both beautiful and productive.

The best part of the book is Emily’s 10 favorite lists, featuring plants she loves and recommends.

The Edible Landscape

By Emily Tepe,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Edible Landscape as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

 

As the fresh food revolution sweeps the nation, more and more people are seeking out delicious offerings from local growers. We have had our fill of tasteless, woody tomatoes from the far reaches of the globe and have begun tasting again—thanks to farmers’ markets and co-ops—the real flavors we remember from childhood. Inspired by these events, people have started growing food in the most unlikely places, including rooftops, abandoned parking lots, and tiny balconies and backyards on average city streets. Individuals and families are taking up the trowel and discovering that gardening can be fun, fulfilling, and, ultimately, delicious. Far…


Tomatoes for Neela

By Padma Lakshmi, Juana Martinez-Neal (illustrator),

Book cover of Tomatoes for Neela

Charlotte Offsay Author Of A Grandma's Magic

From the list on picture books to gift for Mother's Day.

Who am I?

I'm a picture book author living in Los Angeles with my husband and two children. I love seeing the world through my children’s eyes and began writing stories for and inspired by them after they were born. Watching their relationships flourish with their grandparents and the grown-ups in their lives inspired me to write books that celebrate family and foster connection. My grandmas both live overseas and I treasure the time I spend with them. Just like my own children, the simplest moments together are the ones I hold onto and carry with me the most. I love books that celebrate these magical relationships and hope these books encourage readers to celebrate their own relationships.  

Charlotte's book list on picture books to gift for Mother's Day

Discover why each book is one of Charlotte's favorite books.

Why did Charlotte love this book?

Many of my family gatherings tend to revolve around food and some of my fondest memories are of cooking with my loved ones and of laughter shared around the table. Tomatoes for Neela is an ode to food, culture, and family. It features Neela who loves cooking her family recipes with her amma (mom) – it makes her feel close to her paati (grandma) who lives far away in India. A lovely book to celebrate Mom and Grandma this Mother’s Day that even includes Paati’s Tomato Sauce and Neela’s Tomato Chutney recipes in the back.

Tomatoes for Neela

By Padma Lakshmi, Juana Martinez-Neal (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tomatoes for Neela as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Padma Lakshmi, bestselling author and host of Bravo's Top Chef and Hulu's Taste the Nation, and Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal team up in this celebration of food and family.
 
“Some of my fondest memories from childhood are of cooking with the women in my family. It is the foundation for all I have spent my life working on.” –Padma Lakshmi

Neela loves cooking with her amma and writing down the recipes in her notebook. It makes her feel closer to her paati who lives far away in India. On Saturdays, Neela and Amma go to the green market and…


Epic Tomatoes

By Craig LeHoullier,

Book cover of Epic Tomatoes: How to Select and Grow the Best Varieties of All Time

Lynn Coulter Author Of Gardening with Heirloom Seeds: Tried-and-True Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables for a New Generation

From the list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas.

Who am I?

I’ve loved gardening ever since I was five years old, when I followed my grandmother around her yard as she watered her dinner plate-sized dahlias. As a college student, I rode a bus to school each day and read every gardening book and magazine I could get my hands on. After I graduated with a degree in Journalism, I realized I wanted to write about flowers and veggies and show other people how beautiful and bountiful a garden could be. My first book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds, led to a wonderful speaking experience in Orlando at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, and to contracts for two more books in the spiritual living genre.

Lynn's book list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas

Discover why each book is one of Lynn's favorite books.

Why did Lynn love this book?

There’s one thing most gardeners agree on: you simply can’t beat the taste of a homegrown tomato. Supermarket tomatoes have been bred to withstand shipping and stacking, so they look like perfect, red globes, but unfortunately, many have lost their old-fashioned flavor along the way. Author Craig LeHoullier is a tomato connoisseur who tells you how to grow over 200 varieties, from planting to harvesting and saving their seeds for another season. The photos in this beautifully illustrated book will make your mouth water—just like the tomatoes he recommends.

Epic Tomatoes

By Craig LeHoullier,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Epic Tomatoes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book contains everything a tomato-growing enthusiast needs to know about growing over 200 varieties of tomatoes - how to sow seeds, plant, cultivate, and collect seeds. It also offers a comprehensive guide to pests and diseases of tomatoes. No other book offers such a detailed look at the specifics of growing tomatoes, from the point of view of a true expert, with beautiful photographs and tomato profiles throughout.


Passalong Plants

By Steve Bender, Felder Rushing,

Book cover of Passalong Plants

Lynn Coulter Author Of Gardening with Heirloom Seeds: Tried-and-True Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables for a New Generation

From the list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas.

Who am I?

I’ve loved gardening ever since I was five years old, when I followed my grandmother around her yard as she watered her dinner plate-sized dahlias. As a college student, I rode a bus to school each day and read every gardening book and magazine I could get my hands on. After I graduated with a degree in Journalism, I realized I wanted to write about flowers and veggies and show other people how beautiful and bountiful a garden could be. My first book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds, led to a wonderful speaking experience in Orlando at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, and to contracts for two more books in the spiritual living genre.

Lynn's book list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas

Discover why each book is one of Lynn's favorite books.

Why did Lynn love this book?

As a Southern gardener, I’ve learned a lot from Passalong Plants by co-authors Steve Bender, the self-described “grumpy gardener” columnist for Southern Living magazine, and Felder Rushing, from Mississippi, who is an eleventh-generation gardener, writer, author, and broadcaster on MPB Think Radio. As the title suggests, their book is about plants that have been passed along from one gardener to another, sometimes over a neighboring fence. Many are now living heirlooms you can’t find at retail. Instead of focusing only on seeds, Bender and Rushing discuss plant swaps, dividing and sharing perennials, and growing more plants from cuttings. Their style is chatty and informal but also informative.

Passalong Plants

By Steve Bender, Felder Rushing,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Passalong Plants as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Passalongs are plants that have survived in gardens for decades by being handed from one person to another. These botanical heirlooms, such as flowering almond, blackberry lily, and night-blooming cereus, usually can't be found in neighborhood garden centers; about the only way to obtain a passalong plant is to beg a cutting from the fortunate gardener who has one. In this lively and sometimes irreverent book (don't miss the chapter on yard art), Steve Bender and Felder Rushing describe 117 such plants, giving particulars on hardiness, size, uses in the garden, and horticultural requirements. They present this information in the…


Seed to Seed

By Suzanne Ashworth, David Cavagnaro (photographer),

Book cover of Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners

Lynn Coulter Author Of Gardening with Heirloom Seeds: Tried-and-True Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables for a New Generation

From the list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas.

Who am I?

I’ve loved gardening ever since I was five years old, when I followed my grandmother around her yard as she watered her dinner plate-sized dahlias. As a college student, I rode a bus to school each day and read every gardening book and magazine I could get my hands on. After I graduated with a degree in Journalism, I realized I wanted to write about flowers and veggies and show other people how beautiful and bountiful a garden could be. My first book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds, led to a wonderful speaking experience in Orlando at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, and to contracts for two more books in the spiritual living genre.

Lynn's book list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas

Discover why each book is one of Lynn's favorite books.

Why did Lynn love this book?

This is a guide to saving and growing 160 different vegetables, and you must know how to harvest, save, and store their seeds if you want to plant some of the harder-to-find varieties. Co-author Kent Whealy was one of the founders of Iowa-based Seed Savers Exchange, a nonprofit organization and seed bank that has a collection of over 20,000 varieties of heirloom flower, vegetable, fruit, berry, grain, and herb seeds. He and his former wife, Diane Ott Whealy, are credited with sparking the heirloom seed movement in the 1970s. 

Seed to Seed

By Suzanne Ashworth, David Cavagnaro (photographer),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Seed to Seed as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Seed to Seed is a complete seed-saving guide that describes specific techniques for saving the seeds of 160 different vegetables. This book contains detailed information about each vegetable, including its botanical classification, flower structure and means of pollination, required population size, isolation distance, techniques for caging or hand-pollination, and also the proper methods for harvesting, drying, cleaning, and storing the seeds.Seed to Seed is widely acknowledged as the best guide available for home gardeners to learn effective ways to produce and store seeds on a small scale. The author has grown seed crops of every vegetable featured in the book,…


What to Do When You Worry Too Much

By Dawn Huebner, Bonnie Matthews (illustrator),

Book cover of What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety

Brenda Ponnay Author Of It's Not About You, Little Hoo!

From the list on for littles with anxiety.

Who am I?

I'm not really an expert on anxiety other than being an adult who suffers from it. I thought I was normal and everyone felt the way I did until I started looking for books to help my daughter with her panic attacks and I realized I have it too! I've since been diagnosed and lead a pretty great life with the help of therapy and medication. What parents share with their children during nightly story reading or on the couch to read a few books is very bonding and intimate. I think that's the best time for kids to ask their parents questions and share their emotions. My goal is to help those conversations happen.

Brenda's book list on for littles with anxiety

Discover why each book is one of Brenda's favorite books.

Why did Brenda love this book?

This workbook has a wealth of helpful tips on how to deal with overwhelming anxiety. It’s written simply with great illustrations that really help littles figure out the scary world that surrounds them. I love the example of worries growing like tomato plants. If we want the worries to stop growing, we stop watering them! At the time my daughter was four and we had a huge over-producing tomato garden so this was a perfect illustration for both of us. We set up a time to talk about worries and we kept to that time limit. It helped both of us go through the anxiety instead of getting overwhelmed by it. There is no cure for anxiety and medication is not really an option for small children so dealing with it head-on was the only way that worked for us. This book really gave us both tools. It’s practical and…

What to Do When You Worry Too Much

By Dawn Huebner, Bonnie Matthews (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked What to Do When You Worry Too Much as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What to Do When You Worry Too Much is an interactive self-help book designed to guide 6-12 year olds and their parents through the cognitive-behavioral techniques most often used in the treatment of generalised anxiety. Engaging, encouraging, and easy to follow, this book educates, motivates, and empowers children to work towards change.

It includes a note to parents by psychologist and author Dawn Huebner, PhD.