French Island Elegance [Hardcover]

Michael Connors (Author), Bruce Buck (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006

They are the jewels of the Caribbean, gorgeous prisms through which we see reflected the opulent world of the French Creole aristocracy. The French-speaking islands of Martinique, Guadaloupe, Marie-Galante, and Saint Martin come alive as never before in the pages of French Island Elegance, a lavishly illustrated look at one of the most intriguing and beautiful parts of the world. More than 160 color photographs taken especially for this book give readers a privileged glimpse inside a world rarely seen by most visitors—the palatial, elegantly furnished homes of the islands’ affluent sugar, cotton, and tobacco barons, both historical and contemporary. An authoritative text sheds light on the area’s rich social, architectural, and interior design history—a vital past that still influences French Island taste and cultural life to this day.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Connors received his Ph.D. in decorative arts from New York University. The author of two previous Abrams books, Caribbean Elegance and Cuban Elegance, he has published widely in magazines including Architectural Digest and Art & Antiques. He lives in New York City, St. Croix, and Deer Isle, ME.

Bruce Buck is a New York City-based photographer. His work has appeared in magazines such as Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, and Metropolitan Home.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810958414
• ISBN-13: 978-0810958418
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #381,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Winner, November 17, 2006

By 

A Reader (Memphis, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: French Island Elegance (Hardcover)

Having read Dr. Connors' previous books, Caribbean Elegance and Cuban Elegance, I looked forward to French Island Elegance. I was not dissapointed.

Once again Dr.Connors has provided us with a well-researched and easily readable narrative accompanied by Bruce Buck's sumptuous photographs. The two of them have developed into a winning team.

French Island Elegance will not only look great on anyone's coffee table, but is a wonderful resource on a subject that heretofore has had none.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tables Turned, November 13, 2006

By 

Victoria E. Plasse (New York New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: French Island Elegance (Hardcover)

Sure this could be seen as another stylish table topper where we imagine ourselves sipping bellinis while overlooking fishermen--but what's rare in French Island Elegance when compared to the other three inch thick coasters, is that the author and photographer really did their homework. This is not an embellishment. It's not an ambiance bound between covers either. Connors discusses the rare qualities of Martinique, Guadaloupe, Marie-Galante, and Saint Martin in their own histories of sugar plantations and tobacco dynasties. He examines, quite aesthetically, how the cross section of economic and social histories compose a unique archicture and style not yet lost to the modern world--no, it's not just a pretty book for the coffee table after all.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very pretty book, November 11, 2006

By 

Gillian A (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: French Island Elegance (Hardcover)

This is a lovely book - suitable on any coffee table.
I had been looking for a book on Caribbean architecture - historic and contemporary, but had come up short and this book too, did not fit the bill. I found it is mostly about the FURNITURE of the French Caribbean islands. As such, it does an excellent job and in that way, it is fairly similar to the author's other book `Caribbean Elegance'. It certainly has the same look and I think some of the examples may be the same. The pictures are lovely, the furniture is quite unusual and the text proved interesting, though I could have had more.
The closest I have come to finding a book on Caribbean architecture is `Caribbean Style'.