[.ca] Hamptons: Life Behind the Hedges (ISBN 0810934310)

From Amazon.com:
Forget what you may read about the glittering social scene of the Hamptons; in The Hamptons, photographed and described by Susan Meisel and Ellen Harris, we're shown a lush, summery world meant for utter peace and relaxation. From the manicured lawns enclosed by privet hedges to the wide, sandy beaches and gentle surf, the Long Island landscapes shown here are both elegant and wild, extremely modern and utterly traditional. Focusing on three towns (Sagaponack, Bridgehampton, and Easthampton), the photographs have been divided into chapters based on their content, rather than the area in which they were taken. The variety of architecture is showcased in the "There's No Place Like Home" chapter--it's not every town that encompasses the early Federal and saltbox styles of this country right along with sleek modern styles that have open decks and windows as their focus. A surprisingly practical side of the Hamptons is disclosed in "Field of Dreams," where photos of corn, potatoes, and wheat threshing reveal the down-home roots of this farming community. "For the Love of Blue" provides the perfect pictures to help beachcombers survive gray winter days; the close-up shots of crashing waves and the panoramic views of rocky beaches may well transport you via memory to your own favorite beach. Each chapter has a page of written introduction, but throughout the book the text is minimal, serving only to provide brief descriptions of the glorious photos. This is exactly as it should be; the photos provide such a feast for the eyes, any additional information would merely detract from their loveliness. --Jill Lightner

Just like being there... even better:
We live in the city - downtown. We have three children and wish/dream about getting out of town on a weekend and letting the children run and play on the grass in the country or sand on a beach. This book puts you there and without any of the sense of overwhelming and intimidating wealth that would take away from the beauty and feeling the Hamptons can offer. The photos are beautiful and the subjects are different and interesting. I truly do love this book and have given many as gifts to friends from out of town who have heard so much about the east end of the Island but have yet to visit.

Fantasy Book or not ??:
This book is very nice, but fo not buy it when you are looking for a book which takes a look inside these beautiful houses. It only shows the outside and ,i think, too many pictures of the gardens. It is really a nice book but i thought there would be many pictures of the houses and not so many detailed pictures of gardens...

EVERY COFFEE TABLE SHOULD HAVE ONE - FOR ALL TO SEE !!!:
From tag sales to spectacular homes. The photography is true to life. The scenery of flora, ocean landscapes, sunsets and to the history of a town that is small yet so BIG. A delight to see behind the hedges of wonderful homes, decor and art.

Can't Wait For Summer!:
I love this book! Reading it over this past winter brought back all the great feelings of being in the Hamptons. I love the fact that the beautiful photographs don't focus on just the ocean, but show hamptons life behind the scenes. The photographs of the gardens and artist's studios are especially nice. This is a great collectable book and I highly recommend it as a gift.

A good addition to our second home stack:
My husband and I are beginning to collect books related to second homes as we dream about and plan our own great escape. Our favorites are Better Homes and Gardens SECOND HOME, FAMILY HOUSES BY THE SEA, CABIN FEVER, and Better Homes and Gardens COTTAGE STYLE. This book on the Hamptons is our newest purchase, and it has great photos. The best book in terms of combining the dreamy photos with helpful insights to guide our own second home planning, though, is SECOND HOME.