NB for Australian readers. Many of these books call for 150 proof alcohol such as Everclear, which is not available here commercially. Substitute a high proof neutral spirit eg vodka. Opinions are split on whether the higher alcohol level, which strips more from the substrate, is helpful or harmful to the final taste in any event. If the recipe calls for (say) 1 cup of 150 proof and 1 cup water, 2 cups neutral spirit gives an almost identical effect.
*Renato Vicario. Italian Liqueurs: History and Art of a Creation. Aboca (2001). Many thoughtful and very unusual recipes from the Italian tradition, with thoughts on their context in Italian life and history. Some are very easy to execute, requiring not much more than vodka, sugar and fruit. Others are very complex creations with many very difficult to find or highly seasonal ingredients – good for a challenge. Great for the ambitious liqueur maker and the keen reader.
*Andrew Schloss. Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits. Storey Publishing, MA, 2013. A good guide to getting started with tinctures of all kinds including liqueurs from fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, flowers and more. With a guide to using these in cocktails and suggested cocktail uses for each.