"ALL THAT MANKIND HAS DONE, THOUGHT, GAINED OR BEEN, IS LYING AS IN MAGICAL PRESERVATION IN THE PAGES OF BOOKS."
Thomas Carlyle
...the gentleman weighs in. I am tickled to say the least to have an esteemed group of friends sharing their Summer Book Reads. today ARCHITECT DESIGN: prolific, entertaining, astute- and He tells it like it is!
What Books are on your SUMMER READING LIST?
Versailles, a biography of a palace Tony Spawforth
Life in the French country house Mark Girouard
Mlinaric on Decorating Mirabel Cecil & David Mlinaric ( I need to do more than just look at the pretty pictures on this one!)
Ashcombe, the story of a 15 yr lease Cecil Beaton
The way we lived then Dominick Dunne
Last of the Dandies The Scandalous Life and Escapades of Count D'Orsay: Nick Foulkes
Rupert Everett autobiography (something has to be fun and gossipy!)
Gosh! this looks great, especially the title Last of the Dandies and of course I know the Rupert Everett book will be a page turner. The Cecil Beaton Ashcombe book is on my list too. I would love to read the Dandies book and the Rubert Everett book. And therein lies a trend with all the esteemed that we talked with- Too many: books and the list keeps growing.
Is there one book you honestly don’t expect to get to? Why?
"Probably the books I buy this summer, I like to read things in order. It’s an addiction, I have piles all over my apartment of unread books!"
Architect Design A Foyer with Books & more Books
Where do you read and When? Does the genre you are reading dictate the place you read- in other words, Do you take just any old book to bed?
"I typically read magazines (vanity fair, vogue, house beautiful) on the bus ride to work –except for World of Interiors which I save and are sacred –they get read in bed so they don’t get torn or bent!
the Stacks-Architect Design
What does your nightstand look like? or your side of the bed, floor,chair!
"piles of books –is this my home or a bookstore?"
AD's nightstand- serving up books
Architect Design, another Dandy spot for Books
"Rebecca! Or Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy -"
I love Rebecca! too-Daphne du Maurier. Not to mention the classic movie with Olivier and de Haviland- Rebecca!
What is your Favorite Genre?
"I love design books and historical biographies of eccentric characters. Ever since childhood I’ve also read the biographies of old time movie stars –my grandma got me started on that and I have a large collection of them from her. Still working my way through them!"
Book covers can be Art- Do you have a favorite cover in your stacks?
"I LOVE the Michael S. Smith elements of style cover, one of my all-time favorites. Also love the Tony Duquette book cover and the new Vogue Living for it’s elegance –they’re all prominently displayed and constantly referred to. You can judge a book by its cover!!
I’ve recently discovered my public library –which is really fabulous. It saves me much money and space! I’ve been spending a lot of time there in the past year, surprisingly.
& now The GREAT Give Away.
ARCHITECT DESIGN tells me the new Jaime Drake book is wonderful. I've checked it out and I agree-it's full of glamour, color, luxury and bursting with creative design energy. Drake's NEW AMERICAN GLAMOUR is Yours- Tell Architect Design and Me what you are reading this Summer. We want to know. Are You delving into biographies, a design tome, OR a juicey tell all?
DO Tell.
Dandy Drake
if you try this at home send us a picture!
Excellent choices, Architect Design, all of them! "Rebecca" is so damned good; ditto "Anna Karenina." I took V Sackville-West's "The Edwardians" on my commute today. I probably read it a couple of times each year, because of its beautiful descriptions of rooms (the novel's primary setting, a ducal country house called Chevron, is based on Sackville-West's childhood home, Knole).
ReplyDeleteThanks, AAL! I was telling Augury that a lot of the books on my list come from your suggestions!
ReplyDeleteLA, thanks so much for asking for my pics, I was honored!! I can't wait to hear mr. drake speak next month, I'm sure he'll give an entertaining and informative lecture (with lots of pretty, Glamorous pictures!).
Dear,Well I can say I have read Rebecca! The others I will have to work on, they sound very much like books little A. is going to be reading. That book stack is beyond the pale, my advice would be not to try this at home,especially yours little A., XX, BACT
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ReplyDeleteI would NEVER delete a home before dark post unless requested by Home. until she returns-a mystery. la
ReplyDeleteAD forgot to mention another great place to get books... about 40 miles up the road there's a free book "store". i know for a fact that he's acquired some finds there!
ReplyDeletegreat series, LA!
AAL- I can't keep up with all the books- now I must add- the Edwardians. thank you.as I quoted LMA "I am too fond of books it has addled my brain."
ReplyDeletehome before dark- please come back before dark. g.
ReplyDeletePigtown- thank you, I would them all right now- if the trip wasn't so long. g
ReplyDeleteLoved the tip about book choice for venue based on weight. Can't tell you how many books have been baptized by sleepy reading in the tub! Since I garden very intensely in the summer, I pick up whatever book happens to be around me. Since they are all over the house, that's very easy to do. I lack AD's addiction to order of purchase. I admire his resolve.
ReplyDeleteHome- Welcome,you made it. I would be more organized and consider doing a read in order of purchase-but that won't happen, I tend to scatter them around too, completely disordering any Possible order.g
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh about AD's comment re: The World of Interiors ~ I laugh only because I am rather proprietary about them myself. And Rebecca, well, great minds think alike! So glad there are so many other devotees out there. Great post!!!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post and keep saying I'm going to read Ashcombe but I still haven't finished Beaton's Far East which I just had to have for both the cover and contents.
ReplyDeleteDitto everything AD said about the best covers.
P.S. just wanted to join the party, not trying to take a chance away from someone else to win the Drake book! Someone who does not have it yet :)
SC- thank you the more the merrier- that Drake book is so great- filled with creative design. I have Ashcombe on my list too- and I am determined to get it checked off This is the summer! G
ReplyDeleteDon't we all feel like we could open a bookstore in our homes??!! I just reread that Dominick Dunne book a few months ago. That's a bit of a juicy read.
ReplyDeletea juicy read- I may have to go add that to the list too! g
ReplyDeletePigtown wins the JaimeDrake book.yeah
ReplyDeleteYAY!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! I am just loving seeing what everyone's reading this summer. I don't have a specific reading list, because the BT where so many (all) of my books come from is too random to make a list.
Thanks again!
Drake's book stack is phenomenal! What a great way to simultaneously turn a stack of books into something uniquely visual and decorative. Unique! Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI too, must confess, am a book-a-holic. I also have piless & piles of books just waiting to be read. I simply can't pass up the opportunity of not purchasing a good book when I come across it. And best of all, we are fortunate to live in a time where reading materials, and books in particular, can be had for next to nothing. I cannot fathom a life or a dwelling without books - books are a home's soul.
There was mention made somewhere, in reference to books, that life's too short - couldn't agree more.