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Change a tire. Tie a tie. Conduct brain surgery. There are certain things every man just needs to know how to do. (Kidding about the brain surgery; leave that to the pros.) When it comes to cooking, every guy should know how to grill. The Great American Grilling Book has just enough information to turn a grilling neophyte into a charcoal champ, without overloading the circuits so much you just throw the book on the fire and burn rubber to the nearest steakhouse.

Co-authors John Harrison and Judith Choate start with the basics. The Great American Grilling Book goes over the essential implements to get you up and running, from tongs to chimney starters (key to starting the inferno without lighter fluid, thus sparing your spare ribs from that nasty chemical taste). Tips on how to store, thaw and safely cook meat, poultry and seafood keep you and your guests from becoming CDC statistics.

Time is of the essence when grilling: Leave a steak on the flame a few minutes too long and you can resole your Cole Haans with it. Beginning grillers should invest in a meat thermometer, which takes the guesswork out of cook time on roasts and whole birds. A series of charts indicates ballpark grilling time for each state of "done-ness" for everything from rib-eye to filet mignon to pork chops to grilling vegetables like asparagus.

But The Great American Grill Book doesn't belabor the rules and regs of the barbie. The bulk is devoted to more than 100 recipes covering rubs and marinades, starters, meat and game, poultry, seafoods, sides, even desserts. With a range of complexity, the choices suit a laid-back dinner with a beer and a ballgame or a full-on Fourth of July get-together. The burgers section alone is worth the price of admission. Its gourmet blueprints for Texas barbecue bacon burgers, firecracker burgers with lime mayo, Maytag blue cheese burgers and a host of other options will have your guests hailing you as the Michael Jordan of the hamburger patty. Fire away.