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Hearst's San Simeon: The Gardens and the Land
Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California, was more than just a country house, and many of its finest features were outside, not inside. In Hearst's San The Gardens and the Land , the castle's official historian Victoria Kastner takes readers on a time-traveling tour of the estate, from the beginning of its construction to the present.
Featuring two spectacular swimming pools, 120 acres of luxuriant gardens, and 450 square miles of pristine coastal landscape, it's no wonder that the estate was named "La Cuesta Encantada" (The Enchanted Hill). From the 1920s through the 1940s, publisher William Randolph Hearst and actress Marion Davies hosted the country's elite here, encouraging them to enjoy the outdoors at "the ranch," which Hearst created with the architect Julia Morgan. With stunning photographs, original drawings, and lively anecdotes, Hearst's San The Gardens and the Land tells the story of one of California's most beautiful and unspoiled treasures.
Featuring two spectacular swimming pools, 120 acres of luxuriant gardens, and 450 square miles of pristine coastal landscape, it's no wonder that the estate was named "La Cuesta Encantada" (The Enchanted Hill). From the 1920s through the 1940s, publisher William Randolph Hearst and actress Marion Davies hosted the country's elite here, encouraging them to enjoy the outdoors at "the ranch," which Hearst created with the architect Julia Morgan. With stunning photographs, original drawings, and lively anecdotes, Hearst's San The Gardens and the Land tells the story of one of California's most beautiful and unspoiled treasures.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 17, 2023
The book had awesome pictures and information on the building of Hearst Castle. Same pictures I took when visiting there two weeks ago!! Love the gardens, trees and all the artifacts that were used and restored from WWI. Highly recommend everyone to visit it.
July 19, 2009
What a pleasant surprise! I expected to thoroughly enjoy the beautiful photography but found that I became caught up in the history of the Hearst family, early California, and the planning/building of the "castle' by the 1st American woman architect-Julia Morgan. A great Sunday read.
February 28, 2025
Another excellent installment on the legend of William Randolph Hearst by Victoria Kastner. This book deals with the gardens of Hearst Castle and the surrounding land. It's a beautiful look at the land that Hearst fell in love with, the reason he built the Castle in the first place. Once again, the pictures are incredible and bring the words to life. Excellent!
October 24, 2017
Beautiful photos. Not really interested in the text. Just wanted to recreate the feeling of visiting.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews