Julian Fellowes

James Fennell

James Peill

English Country House

A stunning survey of both innovative and traditional Sri Lankan architecture as it engages with the region's extreme climate and intense beauty A decade after the publication of Living in Sri Lanka, photographer James Fennell revisits the “Paradise Isle” in search of what makes a great Sri Lankan home. Traveling with writer Tom Sykes, he has visited numerous houses and taken thousands of photographs, as well as interviewing owners, interior decorators, architects, stylists, and designers. Collectively, the twenty-six exemplary properties showcased in this book capture the essence of elegant Sri Lankan living. Sri Lanka is a place of geographic and cultural contrasts, qualities that are reflected in its extreme weather. The best Sri Lankan architecture is structurally versatile, using features such as overhanging roofs, slatted walls, and courtyards to cope with intense sunshine and sudden downpours in equal measure. Climatic factors also dominate the interiors of even the most luxurious homes: valuable antiques and art give way to simple pieces of furniture, batiks, prints, and artfully crafted cushions, with color or shadow used creatively to enliven expansive walls. From the colonial grandeur of actress Gillian Anderson’s secluded retreat and the sumptuous Wallawwa hotel to works by the celebrated architects Geoffrey Bawa and Anjalendran, the structures illustrated here have all been built to respond to the unpredictable natural environment, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor living.

At Home in Sri Lanka

Turtle Bunbury

A photographic tribute to the Island of Serendipity shares commentary on the region's rich history and culture as reflected by its art, architecture, and landscapes, in a volume that shares insights into the multi-ethnic influences that have shaped some of the area's most representative designs.

Living in Sri Lanka

Including an Exact and Particular Account of the Memorable Events on the 20th of June, the 14th of July, the 10th of August, and the 2d of September

A Review of the Proceedings at Paris During the Last Summer

A unique collection of portraits and interviews introduce the people and customs that shaped the cultural identity of the Irish nation Taking readers back to an Ireland virtually unrecognizable to today's generation, this collection of stunning photographs and evocative interviews documents the dying ways and traditions of Irish life. Through their own words and memories, 64 men and women transport readers to a time when people lived off the land and the sea, music and storytelling were essential parts of life, and a person was defined by their trade. Divided into five parts?Children of the Field, Children of the Music, Children of the Horse, Children of the Trade, and Children of the Water?this collection brings together the stories of those who lived through Ireland's formative years. We hear of children harassed by the Black and Tans, céilís in kitchens, the rigors of working in the fields, the wonder of electricity, and the devastation of emigration. From coalminers to saddlers, farmers to fishermen, along with horse dealers, publicans, housemaids, and musicians, these remarkably poignant interviews and photographs, in their simplicity and honesty, will make readers laugh and cry but, above all, will provide a valuable chronicle that connects the 21st century Irish to a rapidly disappearing world.

Vanishing Ireland

In Vanishing Ireland II, the follow up to the bestselling Vanishing Ireland I, we take another journey down memory lane and, through a unique collection of portrait interviews, we look at the dying ways and traditions of Irish life. Illustrated with over a hundred evocative and stunning photographs, we meet the people and the customs that are fast becoming a distant memory. Through their own words and memories, men and women from every corner of Ireland transport us back to a simpler time when people lived off the land and the sea, and when music and storytelling were essential parts of life. Vanishing Ireland brings together the stories of those who lived through Ireland's formative years. These poignant interviews and photographs will make you laugh and cry but, above all, will provide a valuable chronicle that connects twenty-first century Ireland to a rapidly disappearing world.

James Fennell

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