'Home' is that intimate, closed, secret space where we impose our own laws and give shape to our own particular concept of the world. My House, My Paradise is a collection of houses in which the 'residents-cum-creators' have devoted all of their ingenuity, energy and determination into constructing what they perceive to be the ideal domestic universe. They include Ludwig II of Bavaria's Linderhof, the Cesar Manrique Villa in Lanzarote, Salvador Dali's villa in Spain, Edward James' villa in Mexico, Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village, Ian Hamilton Finlay's Little Sparta, Alex Jordan's house on the rock and William Randolph Hearst's Xanadu.
Living in Paradise brims with the best of tropical residential designs. Architecture and interior design experts Annie Kelly and Tim Street-Porter have selected unique interiors that will inspire readers to create their own paradises. The stunning venues in lush settings profiled here range in style from the environmentally sustainable utilizing indigenous materials, such as thatching and bamboo, to breezy courtyard spaces. These homes take into account the dramatic natural landscapes--some are surrounded by tropical plantings, while others open onto dramatic sun-drenched beaches. The interiors incorporate organic textures such as cane and bamboo furnishings, some covered in exotic Indonesian fabrics, including ikat- and batik-style textiles. Pool pavilions with decorative roof details are perfect for outdoor entertaining, and infinity pools are presented as a striking and organic part of the landscape. Beautifully photographed, this will inspire readers with design ideas that can be gleaned from these breathtaking dwellings.
House Jungle is a joyful, illustrated introduction to indoor gardening, presented with a decorator’s eye. The vibrant drawings and hand-lettered text of author-illustrator Annie Dornan-Smith show how to prepare the perfect container and select plants based not only on their light and watering needs, but also on their looks! Whether your home style calls for large architectural plants, hanging baskets, or cacti and succulents, Dornan-Smith offers a visual rundown of the top choices. No gardening experience? No problem! Check out the section on “Houseplants That Can Take Abuse.”
Elegant, brutal, and profound—this magnificent debut captures the grit and glory of modern Hawai'i with breathtaking force and accuracy. In a stunning collection that announces the arrival of an incredible talent, Kristiana Kahakauwila travels the islands of Hawai'i, making the fabled place her own. Exploring the deep tensions between local and tourist, tradition and expectation, façade and authentic self, This Is Paradise provides an unforgettable portrait of life as it’s truly being lived on Maui, Oahu, Kaua'i and the Big Island. In the gut-punch of “Wanle,” a beautiful and tough young woman wants nothing more than to follow in her father’s footsteps as a legendary cockfighter. With striking versatility, the title story employs a chorus of voices—the women of Waikiki—to tell the tale of a young tourist drawn to the darker side of the city’s nightlife. “The Old Paniolo Way” limns the difficult nature of legacy and inheritance when a patriarch tries to settle the affairs of his farm before his death. Exquisitely written and bursting with sharply observed detail, Kahakauwila’s stories remind us of the powerful desire to belong, to put down roots, and to have a place to call home.
A riveting and poignant novel of one woman’s journey to Bali in search of love, renewal, and a place to call home—perfect for readers of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love and Alex Garland’s The Beach. It starts as a trip to paradise. Sent on assignment to Bali, Jamie, an American adventure guide, imagines spending weeks exploring the island’s lush jungles and pristine white sand beaches. Yet three days after her arrival, she is caught in Bali’s infamous nightclub bombings, which irreparably change her life and leave her with many unanswered questions. One year later, haunted by memories, Jamie returns to Bali seeking a sense of closure. Most of all, she hopes to find Gabe, the man who saved her from the attacks. She hasn’t been able to forget his kindness—or the spark between them as he helped her heal. Checking into a cozy guest house for her stay, Jamie meets the kindly owner, who is coping with a painful past of his own, and a young boy who improbably becomes crucial to her search. Jamie has never shied away from a challenge, but a second chance with Gabe presents her with the biggest dilemma of all: whether she’s ready to open her heart. Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more. Praise for The Paradise Guest House “Two survivors of Bali’s terrorist bombing find love and spiritual rebirth on an island whose inhabitants believe in reincarnation in Sussman’s touching panorama of paradise. . . . Throughout, Sussman celebrates lovers, quiet healing, and the sweetness of the island and its people.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A story of healing and redemption, of finding love in the most unexpected places, and of the importance of moving forward . . . Sussman has drawn a vivid, well-balanced portrait of a woman and a country working to recover from an unimaginable event and a very personal look at a global tragedy.”—Booklist “Echoing Bali’s difficult recovery from [the 2002 terrorist bombing], the characters tread the difficult terrain of post-traumatic attachment. . . . A respectful and earnest . . . treatment of devastation’s aftermath.”—Kirkus Reviews “[A] moving story about making sense of life after a tragedy . . . This touching tale will cause contemplation about what closure truly means.”—RT Book Reviews
The acclaimed Nobel Prize winner challenges our most fiercely held beliefs as she weaves folklore and history, memory and myth into an unforgettable meditation on race, religion, gender, and a far-off past that is ever present—in prose that soars with the rhythms, grandeur, and tragic arc of an epic poem. “They shoot the white girl first. With the rest they can take their time.” So begins Toni Morrison’s Paradise, which opens with a horrifying scene of mass violence and chronicles its genesis in an all-black small town in rural Oklahoma. Founded by the descendants of freed slaves and survivors in exodus from a hostile world, the patriarchal community of Ruby is built on righteousness, rigidly enforced moral law, and fear. But seventeen miles away, another group of exiles has gathered in a promised land of their own. And it is upon these women in flight from death and despair that nine male citizens of Ruby will lay their pain, their terror, and their murderous rage. “A fascinating story, wonderfully detailed. . . . The town is the stage for a profound and provocative debate.” —Los Angeles Times
