[Chimp]

I assume you're a bit of a novice? If so, here are some good books:

Emerils new new orleans: I know he's a caricature. But this is a great book for rookies/intermediates. Delicious food, simple recipes.

Julia and jacques cooking at home. Not as many or as varied recipes, but great explanations and techniques to learn from.

Splendid table: excellent northern italian cookbook. A bit more advanced than the other two, but italian food is generally simple to make so this is still ok for beginners. No pictures though, which may be impediment to someone w/o much experience.