Honey and Venom

“[Coté’s] journey to urban beekeeping is brought to life as he recounts often funny or bizarre situations … [an] informative and entertaining memoir.”—The New York Times Book Review“A fascinating story of Coté’s real-life experiences with bees, full of unexpected plot swerves that take him all over New York City and around the world on bee-related adventures. I enjoyed this book enormously.”—Ian Frazier, author of Travels in Siberia“Entertaining … In his often amusing, anecdotal memoir, Honey and Venom, Coté offers the latest buzz on keeping an apiary in the Big Apple… . Everything is told with Cote’s light touch and excellent comic timing… . This book is fun, a near perfect bee-ch book for the summer.”—Minneapolis Star-Tribune “A fourth-generation beekeeper, Coté writes with wit, insight, and great empathy for the imperiled honeybee. The seasonal rhythms of Coté’s bees mirror and often juxtapose the frenzied chaos of the human world outside their hives. Full of strivers and slackers, givers and takers, Honey and Venom is a fascinating story of urban beekeeping, social climbing, and the enduring power of family.”—Mollie Katzen, author of Moosewood Cookbook “A fun and informative read, Honey and Venom showcases Coté’s many talents, as both a masterful beekeeper and a fine storyteller. His passion and dedication to the honeybee is as unwavering as it is inspiring.”—Susan Spungen, author of Open Kitchen: Inspired Food for Casual Gatherings “In Honey and Venom, the stories are more than just the amusing misadventures of an urban beekeeper—they are a richly layered intersection of beekeeping, art, history, and culture.”—Hilary Kearney, author of QueenSpotting and The Little Book of Bees “Andrew Coté has left a valuable and indelible mark on urban beekeeping thanks to his tireless efforts in New York City. And even more impressively, he’s made a global contribution by teaching beekeeping as a sustainable source of income to communities around the world. Delivered with charm, humor, and his compelling insights about honeybees, people, and culture, Honey and Venom helps us understand how the little bee has made such a big impact on Coté’s life.”—Howland Blackiston, author of Beekeeping for Dummies  “I wholeheartedly recommend Honey and Venom. … One needs not to have any experience with honey bees or their keepers to learn a lot and be enthralled by Coté’s writing and the stories he tells.”—But Why Tho?“[Coté’s] easygoing narrative … will educate and entertain even the most bee-phobic reader… . Thanks to this delightful memoir, readers will have a new appreciation for these complex insects and the humans who care for them.”—Shelf Awareness

Andrew Coté is New York City’s most well-known beekeeper. A fourth-generation apiarist, he is founder of the New York City Beekeepers Association, executive director of the nonprofit Bees Without Borders, polyglot, Fulbright scholar, black belt in aikido, and former college professor. Coté and his bees have been featured on The Martha Stewart Show, CNN, CBS, Cake Boss, Nightline, Good Morning America, and Today, and in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The New York Times, HuffPost, and many other news outlets around the world. Coté also runs Andrew’s Honey out of the NYC Union Square Greenmarket.