Synopses & Reviews
From the author of the bestselling
Philistines at the Hedgerow, a mesmerizing inside account of the high-stakes world of Manhattan residential real estate
Steven Gaines takes us from New York's most expensive condominiums and co-ops to the offices of its most powerful real estate brokers to reveal the outlandish displays of ego, bad behavior, and status hunger that come into play when the best addresses in the city are on the line.
With his signature élan, Gaines weaves a gossipy tapestry of brokers, buyers, co-op boards, and eccentric landlords and tells of the apartment hunting and renovating adventures of many celebrities from Tommy Hilfiger to Donna Karan, from Jerry Seinfeld to Steven Spielberg, from Barbra Streisand to Madonna.
Gaines uncovers the secretive, unwritten rules of co-op boards: why diplomats and pretty divorcées are frowned upon, what not to wear to a board interview, and which of the biggest celebrities and CEOs have been turned away from the elite buildings of Fifth and Park Avenues. He introduces the carriage-trade brokers who never have to advertise for clients and gives us finely etched portraits of a few of the discreet, elderly society ladies who decide who gets into the so-called Good Buildings.
Here, too, is a fascinating chronicle of the changes in Manhattan's residential skyline, from the slums of the nineteenth century to the advent of the luxury building. Gaines describes how living in boxes stacked on boxes came to be seen as the ultimate in status, and how the co-operative apartment, originally conceived as a form of housing for the poor, came to be used as a legal means of blackballing undesirable neighbors.
Review
"For those hoping to indulge in a little of this brand of real estate schadenfreude, The Sky's the Limit is the perfect book." San Francisco Chronicle
Review
"Juicy and highly detailed, the book has movie stars, fashion designers, illicit sex, and lots of conniving and cavorting socialites and it's all about real estate." The Chicago Tribune
Review
"There is no more fascinating sport than the New York City real estate market...the ample anecdotes offer a peek into the city's best dirty laundry rooms. (Grade A!)" Entertainment Weekly
Synopsis
Philistines at the Hedgerow was a bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, with combined sales of over 84,000. Gaines's fans have been eagerly awaiting his next book. Steven Gaines is one of our most beloved chroniclers of the rich and outrageous. His books on Halston, the Beatles and the Beach Boys have been much acclaimed.
Synopsis
The bestselling author probes the secretive world of Manhattan luxury apartments, where real estate costs the most and matters even more. He tells the fascinating story of how boxes stacked on boxes came to be seen as the ultimate in status for the rich.
About the Author
Steven Gaines is the author of Philistines at the Hedgerow, as well as other books and numerous articles on pop culture. He lives in Wainscott, New York, located in the Hamptons.