The best beginner chemistry book I know is 'Chemistry' by Charles E. Mortimer, published by Wadsworth Publishing, 10 Davis Drive, Belmont, California 94002.
According to Amazon it is out of print and sells for $30 used, which is close to its original price. I wish someone had shown me that book when I was still in high school.
I own a translated 5th edition which was published by a European company, and I've heard that there was a 6th. I hope the publishers will come out with a 7th edition, so that all newbees can easily get it.
It's the perfect textbook for people who are completely clueless about chemistry. You don't have to know anything at all, and once you finish this book you will know more than most bees here. It is VERY easy to understand, gives lots of detailed examples, each chapter contains a short synopsis and a bunch of short homework-like tasks at the end which rehash everything you just learned. This sounds like hard work, but reading that book is fun!
This book only explains very basic organic chemistry. And it is NOT a cookbook. But before you can submerge into organic chemistry you have to learn the basics anyway, and this is the best and easiest book I have seen so far.
If you can find it then buy it! It is worth its weight in gold.
