They are the suburban jewels that crown one of the world's premier cities. Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff: together, they comprise the North Shore of Chicago, a social registry of eight communities that serve as a genteel enclave of affluence, culture, and high society. Historian Michael H. Ebner explains the origins and evolution of the North Shore as a distinctive region. At the same time, he tells the paradoxical story of how these suburbs, with their common heritage, mutual values, and shared aspirations, still preserve their distinctly separate identities. Embedded in this history are important lessons about the uneasy development of the American metropolis.

The suburban residential area running north above Chicago along

A privileged view of private gardens along the shore of Lake Michigan, Chicago's Gold Coast. Ben Lenhardt, an avid gardener and preservationist, explores the rich tradition of gardening along the shore of Lake Michigan from Evanston to Lake Bluff. This area, which includes Winnetka, Highland Park, and Lake Forest, is one of the most affluent in the United States, and the gardens are verdant retreats, lushly planted and meticulously maintained. Twenty-five gardens are included, organized according to their design--classic, naturalistic, country, and experimental. Lenhardt's authoritative and engaging descriptions, based on detailed interviews with the owners, are complemented by vivid images by noted landscape photographer Scott Shigley.

Driving north from Chicago opens up the wonderland known as the North Shore, a string of remarkable suburban areas, each with its own story and yet all bound together by rail lines, highways, and a similar background. While most of the area is known for its tree-lined streets, large, single-family homes, and quaint downtowns, hidden along the way are unusual sites and spots that elicit responses like, "Wow, I didn't know that was there." Glimpse the exquisite beauty of Louis Comfort Tiffany's windows. Bask in the natural beauty of Lake Michigan, then learn about the site of one of the worst marine disasters in that same lake. Know about the nation's largest train robbery? You will now. Explore the locations of a Native American Potawatomi settlement, a now-decommissioned US Army base originally designed to "protect" Chicago from labor unrest, and a newly risen neighborhood retrieved from land formerly housing a US Naval Air Station. Discover the story of the ghost who haunts one town's city hall or find the home of the man who "truly" invented the telephone--and it wasn't Alexander Graham Bell. Hop in the car, grab a lunch of famous hot dogs, pancakes, or burgers, and start your journey with Secret Chicago North Shore to discover the different, the weird, and the obscure. Enjoy the ride.

Newport, Rhode Island, blessed with stunning ocean vistas and constant sea breezes, is home to some of the most exceptional private residences in America. Its deeply rooted history makes it a perennial destination, with more than 3.5 million visitors each year. Although it is one of the most high profile towns in the country, Newport is also one of the most cloistered. Private Newport: At Home and in the Garden offers an invitation to venture beyond the privet hedges and massive iron gates. It is the first book to step inside the privately owned mansions to reveal a diverse collection of architectural jewels complemented by spectacular gardens. These homes, created by distinguished architects and landscape designers, are stunning examples of Newport's 375-year "old-world" heritage. Eighteen exquisite and unique homes are prominently featured-from the resilient crescent curve of majestic Seafair, which withstood the Hurricane of '38, to the prizewinning Japanese garden at Wildacre, to the nostalgic working farm of heritage breeds at Swiss Village-each contributing its own part to the "Eden of America."

In this deluxe, all color pictorial, Russ Porter chronicles his 50-year-old coverage of these two interurban stalwarts in more than 220 beautiful, previously-unpublished color photographs. The North Shore originated in 1894 as a single-track Waukegan street car line, eventually running from downtown Chicago to Milwaukee in 2 hours, 40 minutes, with 30 trains a day each way. Some of the more famous trains the line operated were the Electroliners. Introduced in 1941, they were considered some of the finest interurbans ever constructed in North America. The line was abandoned in 1963 for economic reasons. Russ covers the trains, facilities and terminals of both lines in four color photography. The South Shore, America’s last interurban, still operates between downtown Chicago and South Bend, Indiana, and continues to haul passengers as well as freight. Begun in 1908 as the Chicago, Lake Shore & South Bend Railway, the line was originally built to high engineering standards and later rebuilt by Samuel Insull. Over the years the South Shore has been noted for its street-running, its orange cars made by Niles, Standard, Kuhlman and Pullman, and its unique 273-ton Little Joes, among the largest electric locomotives ever made.