Having just finished reading the chapters pertaining to bread in Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michel Suas, I have to say that this book has already become my favorite from among all the bread books in my collection. 

While those who bake by 'feel' might not appreciate the detail into which the book delves, I believe those who take a 'scientific' approach to bread baking will find the book invaluable.  The discussion of short, improved and intensive mixing protocols and their relationship to bulk fermentation times and yeast quantities is, in itself, worth the price of the book.  

The book is not so much a collection of recipes (although it does contain a large number of them) as it is a complete education in bread and pastry baking, thus providing a jumping-off point for the baker to create his/her own recipes.  It almost seems as if the book was written to serve as the text for the Bread and Pastry Professional Training Program taught at the SFBI, of which Suas is the founder.  Although the book seems to be written with the professional baker in mind, I think that home bakers, like myself, will find a wealth of information which will serve them well in the family kitchen.

I stumbled upon the following article in the NY Times on a new book called, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

From the looks of it, it seems that the author takes a master recipe in which a wet dough is mixed, but not kneaded, and then popped in the fridge overnight, and then adds a lot of variations to create different breads.

Here are a few books I'd like to recommend.  I'd love to see some of your favorites - or just anything that's a good read.  Browndog and weavershouse, you started this idea, but I hope others can name a few also.

any of Anne McCaffrey's books

The Man Who Used the Universe
  by Alan Dean Foster

The Furies of Calderon (beginning of a series)
  by Jim Butcher

One For the Money (beginning of a series)
  by Janet Evanovich

Amazon just emailed me to say that my copy of Reinhart's whole wheat bread book has been shipped!  Yahoo!  I don't care how hot it is, I'm baking something!  Anyone else salivating out there?

Sue 

I just got this book from the library. Has anyone tried any of the recipes? Any opinions on the book or the techniques she uses?

Hi everyone,

I have been reading alot on sourdoughs and how to make startes lately.

I really really want to get it happening, but I just cant seem to get all this percentage stuff sorted in my head.

I have found (at least with baking bread) I am a kinetic learner-but I know I need to get a firm grasp of what I need to do before I start.