"This fascinating book is written by the Hotel's most knowledgeable historian, the great-grandson of Margaret Anderson, the Hotel's founder and original owner. Robert S. Anderson shares with us his exclusive archives, fabulous photographs, and intriguing stories, gathered over decades of dedicated research." - - Edward A. Mady, General Manager

The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows: The First 100 Years

Anderson, Robert S.

Kastner, Victoria

The Beverly Hills Collection

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 Simeon: 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 Simeon: The Gardens and the Land tells the story of one of California's most beautiful and unspoiled treasures.

Hearst's San Simeon: The Gardens and the Land

Arts & Photography

Garagliano, Victoria

Photography & Video

Harry N. Abrams

Hearst Ranch offers readers an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the stunningly beautiful 82,000-acre cattle ranch surrounding William Randolph Hearst’s legendary Hearst Castle. Much of this spectacular landscape is still privately owned and has never been seen―but this book changes that. Through historical images from the vast Hearst archive and full-color photography commissioned for this volume, the Hearst Ranch and its many century-old ranch buildings and residences designed by Julia Morgan are revealed for the first time. Kastner’s engaging and insightful text shares new tales of the Hearst family, of the talented Morgan and her staff, of the many colorful ranch employees, and of the countless Hollywood movie stars who joined Hearst and Marion Davies as they went roughing it out on the ranch. Featuring stunning vistas of the California coastline and dramatic scenes of the Hearst cowboys in action, this book tells an unforgettable story and provides an in-depth look at a remarkable family and their love for one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Praise for Hearst Ranch: “This handsome and lavishly illustrated book gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the famous estate.” ―Chicago Tribune

Hearst Ranch: Family, Land, and Legacy

Julia Morgan was a lifelong trailblazer. She was the first woman admitted to study architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and the first licensed to practice architecture in California. Over the first half of the 20th century, she left an indelible mark on the American West. Of her remarkable 700 creations, the most iconic is Hearst Castle. Morgan spent thirty years constructing this opulent estate on the California coast for the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst - forging a lifelong friendship and creative partnership with him. Together, they built a spectacular and unequalled residence that once hosted the biggest stars of Hollywood's golden age, and that now welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. This compelling biography draws on interviews, letters, and Morgan's diaries, including never-before-seen reflections on faith, art, and her life experiences. Morgan's friendship with Hearst, her passion for California's landscape, her struggles with familial dementia, and her devotion to architecture reveal her to have been a singularly brilliant and determined artist.

Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect

Biographies & Memoirs

Arts & Literature

Chronicle Books+

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Books by Kastner, Victoria