Palm Beach Houses
The winter residences of the rich and famous are the stars of this elegantly designed and lavishly illustrated pictorial on the architecture of Palm Beach, Florida during the 1920s and 1930s. In the introduction, Robert A.M. Stern details the history of Palm Beach by the talented architects who conceived these palatial estates and sought to create a semitropical paradise. The first section focuses on seven famous estates, including Whitehall, Southways, and Mar-a-Lago. The following three sections highlight the careers of Addison Mizner, Maurice Fatio, and Marion Sims Wyeth and the lavish homes they each created. While the beautiful illustrations portray these 32 estates as they are today, the historic photographs of early Palm Beach in the introduction are disappointing because of their postage-stamp size. The brief text accompanying each home is always informative, sometimes humorous, but occasionally confusing. An index to names would have been a welcome addition. All in all, Schezen brings to life the splendor of this bygone era. Recommended primarily for public libraries.-Stephen Allan Patrick, East Tennessee State Univ. Lib., Johnson CityCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.