Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion

Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion
Average customer rating:

Slow starter however it tells all you wanted to know

Bunny Tales

Wonderful Book

The only shocking thing is this girl's disdain

Really nothing new

Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors at the Playboy Mansion
Izabella St. James
Manufacturer: Running Press Book Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0762427396

Book Description

What happens in the Mansion, doesn't stay in the Mansion!
How did I get here? I was raised a nice Catholic girl in Ontario, Canada. I am an only child whose parents lavished their attention and resources on me. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree and a law degree, and I'm studying to take the California bar. I am comfortable with my own sexuality, responsible for my own orgasm, and have never been sexually or emotionally abused. And yet for two years, I lived at the infamous Playboy Mansion, rolled in a posse of seven succulent beauties, and was a co-girlfriend of the father of the sexual revolution and the world's largest living hedonist.

What is wrong with this picture?

The Bunnies. The Girlfriends. The Mansion. The Grotto. The Myth. The Man. The Fantasy. The Reality.

Izabella St. James left colder climes for the beaches of Malibu. Young, blond, and pretty, she was looking for fun, and the SoCal nightlife was a powerful magnet. Out clubbing one night, she met Hugh Hefner and his friends. Beyond the silk robe and age-proof good looks, Hugh was a genial man who invited Izabella to join his group of friends and then to move into the world-famous Mansion as one of Hef's girlfriends. (Plural.)

Bunny Tales is Izabella's story—of a party girl who discovered what work it is to play all the time. Plastic surgery, gorgeous clothes, cool cars, and a generous weekly allowance are the perks of Mansion life, but Hef's girlfriends are a clique, a sorority, a group of best buds, and bitter rivals, the worst of high school in an adult party circuit.

Izabella was witness to the growing pains of an empire—and legend—built on a revolution long over. Like the best relationships, Bunny Tales is honest and fun, revealing and real, satisfying and surprising.

Customer Reviews:

Slow starter however it tells all you wanted to know.......2007-09-21

The first part of the book was a slow start. All I was interested in was the details about the girlfriends and the day to day life in the mansion. It does get to that part later and was enough to satisfy my curiosity. It also answered many questions I had about the 3 current girlfriends in the house. If you like the show and you want to know, just read the book. I thought Izabella did a nice job telling the details in a nice way. How else can you explain the details of that type of living situation without smearing anyone? It is just how I thought it would be at the mansion. Izabella is absolutely gorgeous and has self respect which is more than I can say for the current girlfriends of which I am not a fan of. I do like the show but they should call it "gold diggers"!!!!

Bunny Tales.......2007-09-18

This was a great book if you want a little more insight into the playboy mansion. I watch the Girls Next Door on E! and since I have started watching I have wanted to know some more secrets of Hugh Hefner, his girlfriends, and Playboy. I have heard and read a lot of things before reading this book, but things are clarified. I think if you want to know more about Playboy and what life is really like, this book will provide that.

Wonderful Book.......2007-08-29

I don't feel sorry for Hefner, he's got plenty of dough and wants to do the right thing with it before he dies. Spend it all on that wonderful entity called ......"himself". I got to say I never felt like he was someone to laugh at but this book does it. An 80 year old "swinger" purchasing 20 year old girlfriends and thinking he's still looking "cool". What a clown. All that money and he wastes it on hookers that mock him behind his back.

Thanks Hef, you taught me something, hedonism isn't all it's cracked up to be and you must be one first class jerk to draw in flies like this author.

The only shocking thing is this girl's disdain.......2007-08-24

I think that there have been a lot of in-depth reviews of this book, both on this site and others, so I will just get to the point in this review:
1)For someone who continually touts her education, she obviously must not have paid much attention in grammar. Were they in such a hurry to get the book out that they skipped an editor altogether? There are so many errors that it takes reading some paragraphs twice to get what she was trying to say!
2)I found it absolutely amazing that she would talk herself up as being so loyal to Hef in one sentence, then say how she laughed at him behind his back the next. It is hard to explain without using specific instances that would spoil it, but that was a consistant theme throughout the book. She would praise him and then trash him for the exact same things! She not only sounds like an ungrateful brat now, but her memoirs show that she was an ungrateful brat all the time.
3)Gee, bitter? She tries to make herself out as some kind of victim with the other girls, but she very clearly has just as bad of attitude as the girls whom she is trashing, if not worse. She at least should have reviewed what she was slamming the other girls for before she went and wrote about her doing the exact same thing.
4)Nothing here is shocking. It's not like we are reading about a politician with a squeaky clean record here-We are reading about Hugh Hefner. Although some of the descriptions are disgusting, she did all of that for two years. She acts like she was so shocked and appalled in the bedroom, but she admits that she participated (of course with a it wasn't her fault attitude) in it all.

I would say that it would have been a light, easy read had she been a better writer and not have been so obviously self-centered. The basic information is interesting and gives a lot more insight into the Mansion, but do not expect it to read like someone with as much of an education as she claims to have.

Really nothing new.......2007-08-20

I didn't think there was anything really all that earth shattering in this book. I think we all figured this is what went on. I think she is jealous of the girls that are still his girlfriends. That is she isn't on the show. I also think more women as girlfriends would lead to more problems that just having a couple of them. I think that Hef is a very generous person. It is shame that people use him as they do. I wouldn't waste my time reading this book.

Average customer rating:

Great Buy!
First Family of the Gilded Age
Vanderbuilding with the Vanderbilts
Splendour Aplenty!
BILTMORE IS NOT THE ONLY CASTLE

The Vanderbilts
Jerry E. Patterson
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810917483

Customer Reviews:

Great Buy!.......2007-09-29

This is a very informative book about a self-made family that became very wealthy and well known. This was a great buy. $20.00 cheaper than I could get it at the Builtmore Estate.
Thank you Amazon!

First Family of the Gilded Age.......2005-11-26

This book is wonderful, I really could not put it down. The pictures are exquisite and the text is highly informative. The Vanderbilts may have not always been happy, but by God they did enjoy their money. Unlike many of the Gilded Age American aristocrats, like the Rockefeller's and Carnegie, the Vanderbilts where not ashamed of their money and they wanted to show it off...granted they do not have the lofty philanthropic legacy of the Rockefeller's or Andrew Carnegie, but they did give us wonderful estates and a taste of what it was like to be fabulously wealthy at this amazing time, they lived like French nobility before the Revolution, and to this day when you list the ten greatest American mansions, you can bet that the Vanderbilts will be well represented. This book captures all of this and more...if you have any interest in this Age or this family or quite frankly interesting people and good writing then you will enjoy this book, it really is a five star book.

Vanderbuilding with the Vanderbilts.......2002-04-27

If you are a fan of the Vanderbilts or of the Gilded Era, this book is a must. I have to admitt that I own lots of coffee table books. Usually, I just look at the pictures, read the captions, but never a word of the text. This book caught my attention from the start. It's a wonderful history of the Vanderbilt family, although not too heavily involved. I found that the family tree charts were loads of help while reading the book ... with such a large family it would be easy to forget who's who.
The pictures are exquisite, they bring the Vanderbilts and their fabulous homes to life. There are 291 illustrations, 92 of them are in full color.
I bought this book on a visit to George Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate in the mountains of North Carolina. If you live any where near the area, I highly recommend a visit. The house, gardens and winery are out of this world!

Splendour Aplenty!.......2000-11-04

This book serves a myriad of purposes. If you are interested in turn of the century architecture, this book is for you. If you are interested in the social mores of the day, this book is for you. If you are interested in the Vanderbilt familiy in particular, and America's aristocracy in general, this book is for you. With hundreds of wonderful photos and illustrations, and an objective account of the history of one of America's richest families, "The Vanderbilts" takes the reader back to an era of nonchalant decadence. A time when prosperity was the plaything of the gods, and the gods were called Vanderbilt, and were lead by "The Commodore". America today is enriched by the spoils of their success, boasting some of the best in arcitecture and art collections. The family who gave us Grand Central Station, The Metropolitan Opera, and a good deal of the exhibited contents of the Met Museum also provide us with a fascinating tale of the rise and reign (and stumbles and pratfalls along the way) of American royalty.

BILTMORE IS NOT THE ONLY CASTLE.......2000-08-07

LIVING IN THE SHADOW AND SPELL OF BILTMORE, IMAGINE MY SURPRISE AT FINDING BILTMORE BUT ONE OF MANY FINE HOUSES BUILT BY THIS GREEDY FAMILY IN SEARCH OF EXTRAVAGANCE, SAFETY AND MODERN CONVENIENCE. THE INFORMATION PRESENTED SHEDS A WHOLE NEW LIGHT ON THE VANDERBILT FAMILY AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL LIVES, REVEALING NOT ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL STYLES OF THE HOMES BUT OF THEIR CAUSES AND CRUSADES AND UNBELIEVABLE SHENANIGANS. I WORE OUT THE ROAD TO THE LIBRARY AND NEARLY WENT BROKE PAYING FINES UNTIL I LEARNED I COULD OWN THIS BOOK THAT HAS CHANGED MY THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR LOCAL "CASTLE." WE STILL LOVE BILTMORE - WE STILL ABHOR THE GREED OF THIS FAMILY THAT THOUGHT NOTHING OF STRANDING RAILROAD PASSENGERS IN THE SNOW. JUST AS WE CAN'T WAIT TO VISIT ASHEVILLE AGAIN, WE CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS FASCINATING ACCOUNT AGAIN!!

The Splendor of France: Great Chateaux, Mansions, and Country Houses

Average customer rating:

The Best of Chateaux Books
Splendor Indeed
A nice picture book on France's Chateaux
The Splendor of France

The Splendor of France: Great Chateaux, Mansions, and Country Houses
Laure Murat
Manufacturer: Rizzoli International Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Italian Splendor
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ASIN: 0847826279
Release Date: 2004-06-12

Book Description

The elegant châteaux, luxurious estates, and grand private residences built in France over the past centuries are spectacularly presented in this lavish volume. Covering more than forty properties scattered throughout France, from Brittany and Normandy to Aquitaine and Provence, this volume captures their diverse architecture, rich interiors, priceless furniture, painting, and sculpture collections, and fabulous gardens in all their glory.

These historic residences, often built over long periods of time, have been expanded and redecorated according to the whims of the day, scarred by revolution and war, and restored by the best-known architects and artists of their epochs. Together they represent a tangible record of the French lifestyle of the past and the present, as many of these houses are still in private hands. Some of the most famous and beloved houses of the French nation, as well as some that are impossible to visit, are included-Château-Lafite, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Hôtel Lambert, Château d'Or, and Le Marais. The Splendor of France provides an important record of the grandeur of the French style and its contributions to the history of architecture and design through the centuries.

Customer Reviews:

The Best of Chateaux Books.......2007-03-28

A great and large collection of huge impressive photos for any Francophile that loves the French countryside and it's haute-couture architecture. A super reference for artists and travelers.

Splendor Indeed.......2005-05-13

This is a nice book on an amazing subject. Maybe I expected too much from this book, I don't know, but though I liked it very much indeed, it did not blow me away. Something was missing, I think it was Versailles and Fountainbleau and maybe Sceaux. I just thought most of the greatest chateaux where absent, although I loved the section on Vaux le Vicomte, now that is a spectacular chateaux by anyones definition; maybe the most beautiful in France...Louis XIV thought so. The photographs where first rate and I did enjoy the book, I just wanted more. Having said that I do recommend it to anyone who in interested in this subject; for those it really is a book worth owning.

A nice picture book on France's Chateaux.......2003-12-01

I got this because I really missed France after studying architecture there for a semester. This book really captured the same feeling of many of the historical sites I visited. My favorites are Chenonceau and Vaux-le-Vicomte, the French chateaux with formal garden.

This paper back version is only 287 pages much shorter then the first hardcover that was about 400-500 pages. I don't quite remembered, but I think there were some lesser chateaux taken out. I found the hardcover for $130 at a local architectural bookstore. So, this definitely a steal at Amazon price of $28.

The pictures are very big; every other page is a full page photograph. Some pages have a smaller picture and a written summary. This is more of a picture book with very little written texts, so you can't really use it for writing a resource paper. The picture of the building or site is very clean, since most of these places are full of tourist and it is funny seeing it empty. There are photographs of Chateaux, garden, interior design with furniture, and sculpture.

If you like France and garden after the Baroque period, this is a nice book. It would be a five star if they didn't condense the book from the in-depth first edition.

The Splendor of France.......2000-02-16

This book is an absolute treasure to anyone who loves French architecture and decoration. It contains spledid photographs of French Chateaux inside and out. While expensive it is worth every cent and then some. A Must!

The Henry Clay Frick Houses: Architecture, Interiors, Landscapes in the Golden Era

Average customer rating:

FRICK

The Henry Clay Frick Houses: Architecture, Interiors, Landscapes in the Golden Era
Martha Frick Symington Sanger , and Wendell Garrett
Manufacturer: Monacelli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1580931049
Release Date: 2001-10-11

Book Description

Henry Clay Frick, the world-famous art collector and steel tycoon, was a towering figure in America's "gilded age" of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The houses he built for himself and his family exemplify the great residences of the era, with priceless art, cultivated gardens, and interiors by the most prestigious designers of the day. This elegant volume, written by Frick's great-granddaughter and biographer, features the four major houses purchased, built, and renovated for the steel magnate; each is described in exacting detail, with information about the architects and interior designers, furnishings and art, and decoration. Beautiful archival photographs -- interior and exterior, many previously unseen -- and architectural drawings document the residences.

Customer Reviews:

FRICK.......2006-09-23

Henry Clay Frick really knew how to live a gilded age life, and you see the evidence in this fantastic book. The images are crisp and well conceived and the text highly informative. I expecially liked the section on Frick's famous mansion on Fifth Avenue in NYC, he was determined to out build Carneige and he suceeded, it is a beaux-art tour de force and the perfect setting today for his singular collection. If you have any interest in Frick, Guilded Age architecture, or fine books in general, then i can't concieve of you being anything but thrilled with this purchase.

Whitemarsh Hall: The Estate of Edward T. Stotesbury (PA) (Images of America)

Average customer rating:

the rise & fall of an American Versailles
This house was our house...
Whitemarsh Halls Rise and fall
Whitemarsh Hall
An excellent read!

Whitemarsh Hall: The Estate of Edward T. Stotesbury (PA) (Images of America)
Charles G. Zwicker , Edward C. Zwicker , and Springfield Township Historical Society
Manufacturer: Arcadia Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738536172
Release Date: 2004-10-27

Book Description

Whitemarsh Hall, known as "the Versailles of America," was one of the largest and most exquisite estates in North America. Edward Townsend Stotesbury, one of the wealthiest Philadelphians in the early twentieth century, commissioned renowned architect Horace Trumbauer to build the one-hundred-forty-sevenroom mansion in 1916 on three hundred acres just outside Philadelphia. Whitemarsh Hall, which took five years to build at an estimated cost of $10 million with all the furnishings, was a wedding present for his second wife.

Customer Reviews:

the rise & fall of an American Versailles.......2007-06-30

Whitemarsh Hall, built outside Philadelphia in 1916-21 at a cost of $10 million, was a wedding gift from the wealthy septuagenarian Edward Stotesbury to his second wife.
Relying almost entirely on numerous archival photos, this modest volume documents the rise and fall of the magnificent house which, together with its extensive gardens, was once known as the Versailles of America.

Several phases of the construction are shown including the planting of an avenue of mature trees.(The elderly Stotesbury could not afford to wait for small trees to grow up). As for the finished interiors, one yearns for a massive coffee-table book. Alas, the smallish black and white photos of the lavishly decorated principal rooms can give only an impression of their grandeur during the house's heyday in the 1930's, but are a sufficient and tragic record of its decline as later decades of neglect, vandalism and decay preceded the wreckers' ball.

Although there is only one page of text, the authors cleverly manage to convey many delicious tidbits of trivia about house and family by means of the voluminous captions accompanying each photo. For instance: that Douglas MacArthur was briefly Stotesbury's son-in-law and a luxurious suite was reserved for the General's visits; that Mrs Stotesbury's son Jimmy was married to the heiress of the Dodge fortune and later to tobacco heiress Doris Duke. The elder Stotesbury, ever conscious that the huddled masses might be aroused to rebellion by the sight of so much luxury in their midst, installed four machine guns on the roof to ward them off.

In spite of their reputation for frequent and lavish entertaining - 600 guests to a party were not unusual - the Stotesburys did not encourage visitors to stay over. There were only 7 guest bedroom suites in the 147-room house and on the morning of the third day of his visit, a houseguest's breakfast tray would contain a note offering to assist his arrangements for departure. (One presumes General MacArthur was exempt from this rule). The great humorist Will Rogers was not asked back after a flippant remark upon the quality of the champagne, nor was another female guest who likened the coloured lights set up for a garden party to Coney Island (though the lights were taken down).

I enjoyed the book and appreciate its value as a historic record, but I had expected a lengthier written history of the Whitemarsh Estate and its owners, and was, therefore, a little disappointed to find it is essentially a picture book. Nevertheless, the book is entertaining, informative & certainly a boon to those who believe a picture is worth a thousand words.

This house was our house..........2007-04-03

Edward T. Stotesbury was a facinating man and a financial genius. But it was after his marriage to Eva that his greatest treasure was created - Whitemarsh Hall.
My great grandfather - Arthur C. Laird - worked as the head electrian at Whitemarsh Hall and at the Stotesbury's Florida home, El Marisol. My grandmother grew up on the fringes of this estate and shared many wonderful stories before she passed away. This book has in small ways filled in around the edges of the stories and has brought the house back to life for our family.
If you are a fan of the incredible mansion architecture of the late 1800's, early 1900's or are a fan of the architecture of Horace Trumbauer (who also built the Free Library of Philadephia and parts of the Philadelphia Museum of Art) - this book offers a peak into that world of splendor and the genius of Horace Trumbauer.

Whitemarsh Halls Rise and fall.......2007-02-09

I found this book to be a great look into the Rise and Demise of one the countries finest estate homes. It sad that such beautiful piece of work could be abandoned, vandalized, and eventually razed. It's even sadder that no one back then could find a way to save this noteworthy structure. I found this book to be a well done pictorial essay on the subject. The floor plans, maps and extensive photos provided insight into the estate and its history. I appreciate authors time in producing this book. They should come up to Long Island... we have many estates that could benefit from their history being told. The book is well worth the money.

Whitemarsh Hall.......2006-08-28

This is an excellent, albeit brief, account of the life and times of Ned and Eva Stotesbury and the magnificent gilded-age estate they built near Philadelphia in the early twentieth century. The book includes contemporary photos and first hand accounts of the construction and use of the property. The estate's design and execution decision logic with architect Horace Trumbauer was explored in depth. Also included is the post-Stotesbury use and the regrettable loss of this significant property.

An excellent read!.......2005-10-01

This book is excellent. It starts out with the people involved and leads up to the creation and demise of the greatest house I've ever seen. Yes, I was fortunate enough to grow up in the area of this exquisite palace. Unfortunately I did not walk the halls of Whitemarsh in its heyday but even in its dilapidated state it was an awesome sight to see beyond that which words can describe. The book is a good read and well worth the selling price. What happened to this house still tears at my insides even after all of these years.

Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Became an American Icon

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Lady on the Hill
Like Going To Biltmore School
Biltmore Since George Died
If you are interested in the Vanderbilts or the Biltmore Estate ... read it!
BILTMORE

Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Became an American Icon
Howard E., Jr. Covington , and The Biltmore Company
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471758183

Book Description

"What William Cecil has accomplished at Biltmore Estate is one of the great preservation success stories of all time. He has set a high standard for what all historic house museums strive for: magnificently preserved buildings and grounds, engaging interpretation, and—perhaps most challenging of all—economic self-sufficiency. It is no surprise that Biltmore Estate is widely recognized as one of America's finest places to visit."
—Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

"Biltmore is a glorious national historic landmark that, through creative vision and entrepreneurial management, preserves and provides insight into a way of life in the early 1900s. Bill is the imaginative and multifaceted leader who has built this great monument to enrich his community. George and I admire his dedication and success."
—George and Abby Rockefeller O'Neill

"Bill Cecil and his team at Biltmore Estate have sure proved that they know how to build a successful business. They did it the old-fashioned way: embrace a bold idea that others said could not be done and—through commitment, determination, and hard work—bring it to life. Their achievement against the odds is inspiring, and their vision and perseverance are valuable lessons to us all."
—Don Logan, Chairman, Media & Communications Group, Time Warner

"If George Vanderbilt did nothing more than engage the two most prominent and storied designers of their time, architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, to carry out his vision of a European estate in the southern Appalachians, he would have created an American icon. The beauty of the method by which the estate was executed and, even today, the meticulous attention to detail, in the presentation and care of the estate by William Cecil, have brought history to life."
—Gary J. Walters, Chief Usher, The White House

Customer Reviews:

Lady on the Hill.......2007-07-12

I've read and studied regarding the lives of the Vanderbilt families and the Biltmore inparticular. This is truly one of the BEST books I've read. We've all learned about the house and George Vanderbilt's ideas and thinking on building Biltmore. This book describes the life of his wife Edith and their daughter Cornelia after his death and what they had to go through to keep Biltmore after his death. The research is absolutely amazing. For anyone who is interested or obsessed with The Biltmore, this is a MUST read.

Like Going To Biltmore School.......2007-06-27

Half way through the book it just becomes tedious. There is a fair amount of repetition. I had to purchase another book because this one lacks enough photos. We are planning a trip there in the coming weeks
and now I think I know more than I need to know.

Biltmore Since George Died.......2007-03-09

This book is intriguing for those who enjoy nonfiction. It describes how Biltmore formed a business to keep from being sold and subdivided, what happened to the family members since George's death, and the relationship between Biltmore and the city of Asheville, among other things. It is extremely interesting if you would like to know more about the history of the estate and its families.

If you are interested in the Vanderbilts or the Biltmore Estate ... read it!.......2006-11-26

There is not a whole lot of literature around when it comes to the Vanderbilts and the Biltmore. SO this book is a refreshing and very easy to read story about the Vanderbilts and their successes leading up to the building of Biltmore taking 6 years.

Everyone that can find the time and is planning to visit the Biltmore should read this before going. The Biltmore is so large and there are so many things to see that a visit requires some advanced planning to get the whole picture about this family and this American marvel. After our first visit to the Biltmore during this year's Christmas lights, we bought an annual access pass (upgrade while your day pass is still valid and you save a bundle), this and a picture history book. Now we are planning to go back and be prepared to really udnerstand this marvellous site.

BILTMORE.......2006-10-09

Very interesting read on how Vanderbilt heir's found a way to afford to maintain this behemouth in the foothills of the Appalations. Biltmore is without peer as far as American's great houses go, it looks like the kind of place Frances I and Catherine de Medici would have felt right at home in, it's quite simply a breathtaking tour de force, but as such a true money pit and the proverbial white elephant. You have to give Vanderbilt heir, Mr. Cecil, credit for finding people to tell him how to do what his grandfather could not, and that is to make this place, if not make money, at least break even; indeed, not an easy task. As someone who has toured Richard Morris Hunt's anachronistic Biltmore, I for one applaud his efforts; the mansion looks great and the tour is very well persented, although, very expensive, but I suppose one has to look at it as a donation of sorts, to help to assure the vital survival of this singular American mansion, and the fact it helps enrich, the already rich Vanderbilt's, I suppose it an unfortunate biproduct I can live with, frankly the Vanderbilt's, thanks to the slash and burn ruthlessness of the Commador, will probably always have wealth, well at least they gave us Anderson Cooper. Good read, highly recommended.

American Splendor: The Residential Architecture of Horace Trumbauer

Average customer rating:

Real Splendor
They don't build them like this anymore.
Excellent Architectural Book!!
Absolutely Fabulous
A Great Book on a Great Talent

American Splendor: The Residential Architecture of Horace Trumbauer
Michael C. Kathrens , Richard C. Marchand , and Eleanor Weller
Manufacturer: Acanthus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0926494228

Customer Reviews:

Real Splendor.......2006-03-21

It would take a much larger book to do justice to all the works of Trumbauer. Wish there is one on public buildings by him. However, it is the best one out so far.

They don't build them like this anymore........2006-02-27

I love this book. Found it by accident in my local library. Was suprised to discover many of Trumbauer's buildings still standing and in my area in PA. All except Whitemarsh Hall, which
is pictured on the cover. I still get sick to my stomach when I think of this masterpiece being demolished. One of his other grand estates, Lynnewood Hall, is also in ruins. Please everyone, support restoration of historic buildings. We spend millions of dollars to travel to Europe to see 800 year old castles, but tear down our own grand estates. I also bought a book called "Great American Mansions" which tells you state by state what places are open to the public. I love old homes and
"American Splendor" is a must read for anyone who appreciates great architecture and preserving it's past. I bought my own copy and plan on visiting as many sites as I can.

Excellent Architectural Book!!.......2005-10-05

This is a very fine architectural book and would be a great addition to anyones collection. The only down side is that I bought this book hoping that one of Trumbauers lesser known houses would be in it. It's the Benjamin C Allen House, in my hown town of Colorado Springs CO. It actually has a funny story to why it was demolished too. Mr allen built the house for his wife, but twenty years later, ran away with her chamber maid. She couldn't bear to live in the house he had had built for her, so she had it demollished and a local architect had a near replica built in its place. Other than not having any information on the Allen House, this is a fine book.

Absolutely Fabulous.......2005-01-15

As someone who loves books like this, I can honestly say this is perfection. Anyone who thinks Delano and Aldrich, or dare I say McKim, Mead, and White designed the most lavish Guilded age mansions need, no must, buy this book. Horace Traumbaur would give Richard Morris Hunt a run for his money, as a Beaux Art master. I had no idea he designed so many beautiful mansions, I knew he was a great architect and I knew about his masterpiece Whitemarsh and it's disgusting demise, but I didn't grasp the depth of his range nor the breath of his work. I thank the authors for honoring him with this great book and as an admirer of his work I am thrilled to get the chance to own such a great book. The quality of this book is superb and the photos are outstanding. I can only hope that this book saves the rest of his buildings in particular the Widener mansion, let's not allow it to meet the same fate as Whitemarsh, who needs another bland housing tract, what we need are reminders of special talent and amazing buildings, mansions like this will never be built again. The Guilded Age is long over and the talented masons and the great architects who honored the past are all gone, replaced by the likes of Frank Gehry and Rem Koolhaus.

A Great Book on a Great Talent.......2003-09-06

This is a superior book, and for three reasons.

First, the obvious: Well researched, beautifully presented, excellent high quality images, lots-o-plans, and an engaging text.

Many readers may not consciously notice the second reason, but it makes all the difference in the world. Most architectural monographs (and many books in general) scatter images throughout a book, and it is difficult if not impossible to develop a clear understanding about individual projects. Various rooms will be many pages (and many projects) apart, and with plans grouped together (or not even included). Also, captions will be brief to the extreme, forcing one on a hunt through the text to access more information. Is there anything more irritating? Not so with American Splendor. Author Michael Kathrens and his graphic designer (and editor?) should be applauded for the clarity offered the reader - like an unexpected gift. Each house is presented on concurrent pages, with beautiful (often full page) images, and concluding (mostly) with clear plans. Ahh! Plans! While the captions are short, the relevant text is always nearby. No hunting!

The third reason is another highly useful (even thoughtful) gift to readers, yet also rarely offered. When one concludes reading about each Trumbauer creation, its current status is articulated! One is never left hanging with those two terrible, dreaded, lingering questions: Was this beautiful creation destroyed? (If yes, one wants to weep.) Or is it well loved and maintained? (If yes, a grin spontaneously ensues.) I cannot count the books that don't answer these important questions, or, again, sadistically force the reader to search and search for an answer.

So, American Splendor should be applauded for the usual reasons. But it should also be applauded for reasons that too few authors (and designers and editors) pay attention to.

Michael, thank you for these many gifts.

Princely Rajasthan: Rajput Palaces and Mansions

Average customer rating:

Princely Rajasthan: Rajput Palaces and Mansions
Antonio Martinelli , and George Michell
Manufacturer: Vendome Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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The Royal Palaces of India
The Unforgettable Maharajas: One Hundred and Fifty Years of Photography (Roli Books)
Rajasthan
Maharaja: Princely States
India Modern

ASIN: 0865652406

Book Description

Rajasthan is a growing destination for both Indian and Western visitors, who are attracted by the region's history, tradition, luxurious hotels, and cuisine. This lush new book, written by a leading architecture and social historian, traces the evolution of palace architecture in Rajasthan from the 16th to the early 20th century. George Michell focuses on the major capitals of Rajput power, including Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Bikaner, as well as the lesser centers of Alwar, Bundi, Kota, and Jaisalmer, providing a glimpse into the lives of the often-colorful maharajas who lived in these and other fantastic palaces.

From the early fortresses of Chitor and Amber to the spacious city complexes in Jaipur and Udaipur and the Art Deco-style Umaid Bhavan in Jodhpur, Princely Rajasthan is at once a remarkable architectural history and a sumptuous visual evocation of Rajput courtly life. Antonio Martinelli's dazzling photographs bring to life the magnificent settings of the palaces, their outstanding architectural features and murals, and the royal collections of paintings, furniture, palanquins, and armor. AUTHOR BIO: George Michell trained as an architect and has a Ph.D. in Indian archaeology. He has published numerous books on Islamic and Indian architecture. Antonio Martinelli is an internationally renowned photographer who has worked extensively in India, Europe, and Japan.

Asterix The Mansions of the Gods (Asterix)

Average customer rating:

Another great adventure!!
Trees and Mansions
Fun to read
Magnificent - Hilarious - Superb

Asterix The Mansions of the Gods (Asterix)
Rene Goscinny
Manufacturer: Orion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0752866397

Book Description

They want to pave paradise and put up a housing development. That's why a multinational team of slave construction workers are clearing the forest just outside the Gaulish town. Will the Gauls be fast enough to stop them and prevent Roman upstarts from moving in?

Customer Reviews:

Another great adventure!!.......2007-05-14

Great adventure for a great character as Asterix! Include it in your collection, it will be worth!

Trees and Mansions.......2007-01-23

"The Mansions of the Gods" is the seventeenth comic in the Asterix series, first published in 1971. It's pretty interesting, the satire in it, with a block of flats being built by Asterix's village. Worth a look for fans.

Fun to read.......2006-03-10

Lots of fun and lots of laughs---typical of all the Asterix comic books. I loved these as a child, but still find them entertaining. I now buy Asterix comics for my piano studio waiting room and they have become the most popular books on my shelves with my students.

Magnificent - Hilarious - Superb.......2005-08-29

A classic piece of French litterature, and a wonderfull translation. Every joke, every piece of humor is adapted in this English version. A delicacy for the mind.

Average customer rating:

Mummefied Magnificence
Le Beau Monde

The Finest Houses Of Paris
Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery
Manufacturer: Vendome Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Italian Splendor

ASIN: 0865652171

Book Description

This is a true insider's view of the most elegant houses of Paris, home of the rich and famous generally seen here for the first time. No one could have better access than author Christiane De Nicolai-Mazery, whose family own one of the most beautiful medieval castles in France as well as a magnificent townhouse included in this extravagant book.

We are taken into a world of luxury and refinement beyond imagination: butlers setting a table for sixty in Baron Guy de Rothschild's palace, considered the grandest private house in France. Or a summer's day on the edge of Hubert de Givenchy's left-bank garden, where a table of six is set in eighteenth-century silver and porcelain. Visit the British Embassy, which still retains the décor and furniture of its erstwhile owner Paoline Borghese, sister of Napoleon. Tour the history-filled apartment of the Permanent Secretary to the French Academy. In some cases, the owners have refused to be identified, but that does not detract from the elegance of their interiors, the superb presentation of their food, or the fascinating descriptions of those who preceded them - including Madame de Stael, Proust's hero the Comtesse de Greffuhle, and a parade of now-departed bewigged grandees.

There have been other highly successful books on the great houses of Paris, but nothing this sumptuous or exclusive. This volume will seduce every Francophile, society watcher, and Paris lover, not to mention every decorator and party giver.

Customer Reviews:

Mummefied Magnificence.......2002-07-06

Don't let a fondness for Proustian luxe sucker you into purchasing this book containing mediocre photography and a text of perfumed flatulence. The ostensible purpose of the book is to reveal French urban, aristocratic taste as of the late twentieth century, or more accurately the taste of their designers (the usual cast of Henri, Renzo, etc.)and other arbiters of taste (Hubert, Alexis, Carlos, etc.). Certainly, there are more than enough interiors of the mummefied magnificence that comes from cocooning staggering numbers of objects in layer after layer of fabric (WARNING: Do not try at home. If you do not possess first-rate things and have access to the production from the best mills in Italy and France, you will achieve only The Old Junkshop look), but the pictures are uniformly fuzzy, muddy and printed on poor quality paper. Most maddening of all, the photography neglects genuine masterpieces (you cannot catch more than a glimpse, for example, of the incomparable Ingres portrait of Betty Rothschild) while devoting page after page to boring tabletop vignettes usually consisting of a few knicknacks and photographs of long-dead nobodies as children. In fact, the real purpose of the book is apparently to provide the author with a vehicle to boast about her ancestors (many of those same long-dead nobodies) and the elegant life they led. There is also a stench of moral decay most evident in the fawning description of Lady Mosley with an outrageous defense of British fascism before World War II. Mostly, however, the premise of the book seems to be that you are what you own, or more accurately what you inherit -- a concept so inherently ridiculous that even the owners of the homes depicted in the book had the good sense for the most part to insist on anonymity. If you truly want to revel in the atmosphere of things past, make yourself a cup of tea, find a hard biscuit and settle back in your recliner with the first volume of you know what.

Le Beau Monde.......2000-11-23

Though the title under which this book was released in France "Visite Prive" is perhaps more telling and appropiate for this volume, the homes included are no doubt among the finest to be found in that wonderful city. Most notably, the Rothschild's Hotel Lambert, is probably one of the finest homes to be found anywhere in the world. Truly a house fit for royalty for these kings of banking and bankers of kings. The home of couturier Hubert de Givenchy is another which exemplifies "French taste" and elegance even if we visit it in a more simplified state of grandeur then it was to be found some years ago before Mr. de Givenchy sold off a good part of his exceptional collection of antiques. Mme. de Nicolai-Mazery really brings these houses to life as she pays friendly visits to their inhabitants and informs as much about these notables of French society as she does about the houses they inhabit, many of which are truly family houses and have been handed down trough generations. All in all the book is a must for any lover of Paris and France as it illustrates French social life and culture in this cultural capital of the world. Highly recommended.

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