This volume showcases the legendary Italian villa that William Waldorf Astor exquisitely curated as a masterpiece of art, architecture, and design. Dominating the Bay of Naples in the charming town of Sorrento, with spectacular views of Mount Vesuvius, Villa Astor is an Italian landmark with a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire. American businessman, collector, and politician William Waldorf Astor—founder of the legendary Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York—fell in love with Italy during his time as American ambassador in Rome. He purchased the villa that now bears his name and turned it into a paradise of art, beauty, architecture, and exquisite gardens. The eccentric, extravagant, and discerning art lover spent a decade restoring and decorating the house and gardens with an outstanding collection of classical artifacts. After Astor’s death in 1919, the villa changed hands. It was recently acquired by new owners, who have restored the villa and gardens to their former splendor with the talented French decorator Jacques Garcia. This volume traces the splendid history of a legendary house, garden, and art collection and the extraordinary life of one of the world’s most enigmatic tycoons.

The Astor Orphan is an unflinching debut memoir by a direct descendant of John Jacob Astor, Alexandra Aldrich. She brilliantly tells the story of her eccentric, fractured family; her 1980s childhood of bohemian neglect in the squalid attic of Rokeby, the family’s Hudson Valley Mansion; and her brave escape from the clan. Aldrich reaches back to the Gilded Age when the Astor legacy began to come undone, leaving the Aldrich branch of the family penniless and squabbling over what was left. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs that bring this faded world into focus, The Astor Orphan is written with the grit of The Glass Castle and set amid the aristocratic decay of Grey Gardens.

A collection of Latina plays, performance pieces, and "testimonios" focus on race, gender, class, sexual identity, and the empowerment of an educated class of women.

A survey of the Gilded Age mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, for all who love grand houses. Newport Villas describes the architectural and social development of this summer resort town, the nexus of wealth and fashion at the end of the nineteenth century. All the accoutrements were the best that money could buy, whether it was Parisian frocks, meticulously groomed thoroughbred horses, or meals prepared by imported French chefs. To properly mount their entertainments, Newport's elite built "cottages" that ranged in size from thirty to seventy rooms. The country's most accomplished architects designed these seaside villas, many of them rivaling the great houses of Europe. Pictured here in abundant archival and new photographs, with accompanying floor plans, the houses cover the gamut of revival styles from Colonial Revival to Italian Renaissance Revival, from French Classical Revival to Georgian Revival.

Providing intimate insight into life in a French château, this volume takes readers on an insider’s tour of the Château du Lude, a private residence that features its original decorative interiors. Nestled in the idyllic Loire Valley, the Château du Lude is one of the most historic châteaus in France; Bluebeard besieged the castle on his way to join Joan of Arc’s crusade, and it earned the rare distinction of having survived the French Revolution intact. Today, the Lude is inhabited and impeccably maintained by the Count and Countess Louis-Jean de Nicolay, whose family has owned the property for over 250 years. They invite readers to discover the château’s well-preserved interiors and gardens, which feature a medieval kitchen, an Italian Renaissance studiolo, and exceptional horse stables, offering a glimpse into the lifestyle of the château’s inhabitants, past and present. Newly commissioned photographs offer unprecedented access into the hidden corners of the estate otherwise closed to the general public.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

John Saladino's powerful new book is nothing less than a master class in interior and garden design. Villa focuses on the stone ruin in Southern California that Saladino painstakingly refashioned into his dream house, and it shows how his principles and passions guided him through the five-year process of reconstruction, restoration, and decoration. With the aid of plans and drawings, as well as numerous photographs of the house — how it looked in the 1920s, shots of when he bought it, and snaps taken during reconstruction — Saladino traces the architectural work involved. Then, in a superbly illustrated tour of the house and grounds, he proves that he practices what he’s preached for more than 30 years. Juxtaposing light and dark, old and new, classical and modern, monumental and miniscule, hard and soft, Saladino creates the serenely timeless interiors and gardens that are his hallmark.

Home—honoring the times we share there, treasuring the traditions and generations it represents, and rediscovering the joy our homes and gardens bring to our lives. A rich tapestry of lush tabletops, glorious garden bouquets, sweet family heritage, and refreshed Southern décor are the essence of James Farmer’s enduring appeal! This book fuses all his creative passions in a celebration of the seasons. In stories and pictures, James takes the reader on a tour of his two homes and gardens, with tablesettings for celebratory occasions throughout the year. Décor for his Winter Dinner, Camellia Celebration, Feast Among the Foxgloves, Birthday Dinner, Al Fresco Fall Dinner, Dahlia Dinner, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Gatherings will inspire readers to mark each passing season with their love ones in observance of the small joys that truly make our lives big.