I'm looking for a really good spice cookbook that also includes some cultural history. Any recommendations would be much appreciated.

In addition to the useful books mentioned so far, Andreas Viestad, Where Flavor Was Born, 2007. subtitle is descriptive - recipes and travels along Indian Ocean spice route.

Here is the Cookbook you are looking for:
The SPICE COOKBOOK - Avanelle Day & Lillie Stuckey, 1964 David White Publishing Co., New York, NY. My father's.. It is the One and Only... You will love every recipe! The Illustrations are wonderful as well! btw: No skimping on the butter, salt or sugar.. go old school and enjoy!- A. White PS: Pumpkin Flan...5 Stars!

I've just finished reading 'Where Flavor was Born' by Andreas Viestad and really enjoyed it. It has chapters on about 14 different spices, all from the Indian Ocean spice route. It covers parts of Africa, South and East Asia. Great info and photographs.

I picked up a great book when Border's closed (ok, I picked up more than one...) "Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume" by Silvena Rowe...Gorgeous recipes with very interesting combinations---I love her sauteed Monkfish with Rose Petal Salt.

Also, Monica Bhide has a lovely book called Modern Spice and for herbs, also check out Jerry Traunfeld's books.

Thanks AntoniaJames!, Ammini's book was the first cookbook I reviewed on my blog & still remains my favorite.

Not sure what a spice cookbook is, but "Cooking at the Casbah" by Kitty Morse is an overnight trip to Morocco. Beautiful photos and personal experiences, too.

Panfusine, I just picked up *Greens, Grains and Grated Coconut* from the library. What an interesting and helpful resource! The recipes seem fantastic, too. Thank you for mentioning it!! ;o)

I'll recommend Clifford Wright's "A Mediterranean Feast" especially for the food history element. It's a pretty hefty tome.

And please, please folks stop linking to Amazon. Amazon is evil. Google's motto is "don't be evil" whereas Amazon's seems to be "be as evil as you can, worse than Darth Vader."

Grains greens and grated coconuts by ammini Ramachandran, Awesome essays about traditional South Indian Life & cuisine. as authentic as it gets to Traditional South Indian Fare!
http://www.amazon.com/Grains-Greens-Grated-Coconuts-Remembrances/dp/160528016X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316174456&sr=1-1

The Spicy Food Lover's Bible! It is one of my favorites. Here's why:

1- interesting encylopedia style chapter with background on different spices and "hot" ingredients.
2- even MORE interesting introduction including the three (or is it 4?) theories as to why hotter countries have hotter food
3- really well done recipes including my most recent favorite- Chipotle BBQ sauce (the recipe includes beer, coffee, ketsup, molasses, and of course chipotles....all the good stuff!)
4- I love spicy food so there is always something in there I'm in the mood for!

I think this one could be just what you're looking for. All the intros to the recipes are packed with just enough interesting background in a few concise paragraphs. The 2 authors really did their research.

If you're interested in Middle Eastern cooking, I highly recommend Claudia Roden's New Book of Middle Eastern Food. Lots of history and culture of the area. Wonderful writer and story teller. Not specifically about spices, but she does discuss them quite a bit.

http://www.amazon.com/New-Book-Middle-Eastern-Food/dp/0375405062


Similarly, her Book of Jewish Food is practically just as much history/stories as a cookbook.

http://www.amazon.com/New-Book-Middle-Eastern-Food/dp/0375405062

Also, Venice and Food (great title, huh? ;-) by Sally Spector. Since Venice was for many years a huge power in the spice trade from the Far and Middle East, its traditional cuisine often uses unusual (more exotic) spices than other parts of Italy. Book has lots of fascinating history and also illustrations.

http://www.amazon.com/Venice-Food-Sally-Spector/dp/8877431733/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316093969&sr=1-5

Anything by Jeffry Alford and Naomi Duguid (my spelling may be seriously off, sorry - it's been a seriously long day here) is the bomb. Their combined abilities to do impeccable research and to tell a story is without compare. If you might be thinking of herbs in tandem with spices, you might take a look at Summer of Eggplant's suggestion. Also, Madhur Jafrey is the doyenne of Indian cooking: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_13?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=jeffrey+alford+and+naomi+duguid&sprefix=jeffrey+alfor#/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=madhur+jaffrey&sprefix=madhu&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Amadhur+jaffrey

p.s. And I would trust pauljoseph's answer about anything about anything. Indian or otherwise.

I live in Australia and this is my favourite spice reference book -
http://www.boomerangbooks.com.au/Spice-Notes-and-Recipes/Ian-Hemphill/book_9781405037426.htm
Not sure if it is available in the US, but it is a stunner!

Only Indian, but I think it gives a great perspective on the different, regional uses of spice in India:
http://www.amazon.com/Taste-India-Madhur-Jaffrey/dp/0689707266

very good Julie Sahni "s Classic Indian Cooking [Hardcover] http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Indian-Cooking-Julie-Sahni/dp/0688037216

What about Hot Sour Salty Sweet?

"Spice" covers a wide range of cooking techniques. The above suggestions are good ones tho.

For East Indian spices get a masala dabba and a mortar and pestle.
With some basic spices for Indian cooking; you take a little spoon and go around the spice box...a bit of this/that depending mood and the season. Then toast and grind the spices put them in the center bowl to use for a couple of weeks.

Thank you so much!

I'm with SKK. Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference by Jill Norman is a book I turn to time and time again. I keep it right next to the stove for easy access.

Jill Norman's book is in my wish list at Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Herbs-Spices-Reference-Jill-Norman/dp/0789489392/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315414949&sr=1-3

An old and very interesting one, with good recipes, is Craig Claiborne's Cooking with Herbs and Spices. I am pretty sure it is out of print, so you'd have to troll the used bookstores online. My tattered paperback, stuck together with tape, must be 30 years old at least. It is organized by herb/spice, with an interesting little introduction for each.