Hearst Castle: The Biography of a Country House
Hearst Castle in San Simeon, now a California state park, offers a glimpse of the high life lead by William Randolph Hearst. Though originally planned as a small bungalow at the family's favorite campsite, Hearst's building project grew and grew. Julia Morgan, the renowned San Francisco architect, gracefully coped with the continuous revisions to the project. Hearst had a love of art and style and the money to follow his fancy. Kastner, a member of the Hearst Castle staff and a student of its art, combines the history of the castle with details about its inhabitants and its builders in this splendid book. The pages are peppered with historic photos, architectural drawings, correspondences, and details of the castle's features and its art. You can practically smell the opulence of the place. Strongly recommended for regional collections and large public libraries across the country. (Final photos and index not seen.)DKaren Ellis, Nicholson Memorial Lib. Syst., Garland, TXCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.