Princeton Architectural Press * Leisurama Now

Who doesn't dream of owning a second home at the beach? Well, in the early 1960s, it was a snap even for the working class. For as little as $590 down and $73 a month, you could walk into Macy's and leave with a fully furnished house. All you needed to move in was a key and some groceries. Each house came complete with furniture, appliances, a 45-piece Melmac dinner service, plastic glasses, and fifty pieces of stainless-steel flatware, plus towels, napkins, placemats, beds, pillows and sheets, even toothbrushes. The homes also promised low maintenance with redwood siding and interior paneling that never needed painting and had lifetime guarantees. In Leisurama, author Paul Sahre uncovers the mystery of this legendary slice of architectural Americana and lovingly documents its forty-year history with a treasure trove of text, photographs, historical documentation, and oral histories.

Two hundred and fifty Leisurama houses were built at Culloden Shores in Montauk, Long Island. Most of the homes have since been converted to year-round occupancy, and with very few exceptions, all have been enlarged and redecorated, while the once barren shore is now forested. In a sweet paradox, these once very affordable homes that were looked down upon by more well-to-do neighbors are now desirable and expensive, even "collectable." Their rich legacy lives on in the affordable pages of Leisurama.

Graphic designer, illustrator, educator, lecturer, foosballer and author Paul Sahre established his own design company in New York, in 1997. Consciously maintaining a small office, he has nevertheless established a large presence in American graphic design. Sahre is also a frequent contributor the the New York Times op-ed page.

He is the co-author of Hello World: A Life in Ham Radio, a book based on a collection of QSL cards, which amateur radio enthusiasts exchange after communication with other operators around the world.

Paul received his BFA and MFA in graphic design from Kent State and teaches graphic design at the School of Visual Arts.

He is a member of Alliance Graphic International.
add to cart

Editorial Reviews

Playboy:
"Paul Sahre uncovers the mystery of of this legendary slice of architectural Americana and lovingly documents its 40-year history." (May, 2008)
Leisurama, a utopian vacation story, Newsday:
"A fun, fascinating new book illustrated with images as banal as they are strangely compelling" — Ariella Budick (May 1, 2008)
ELLE:
"With all this talk about lifestyle, you would think our generation invented it. Leisurama Now: The Beach House for Everyone, by NYC graphic design who's-who Paul Sahre, reminds us that our version is a pale imitation of the post-World War II originals...Not only does Sahre's assiduous homage gather more fuels to fight tear-down culture, it also makes us rethink colored Formica." (May 2008)
Communication Arts:
"Ostensibly, Leisurama is about a marketing experiment at the tip of Long Island that never realized its potential. Even more so, it's a book about America's middle-class ambitions, diversions and desire for change. So what if it costs more to rent a Leisurama for the summer than it did to buy one in 1964? It's still a place more suited to the masses than the moneyed class. Dreams are cheap, and so are books. For those who love architecture, design and studies on the quirks of the American middle-class, this well-written, well-designed book will make perfect reading and dreaming--in a chair, beneath an umbrella, by the sea." (May 2008)
The Mega-Yactini Lands in Sleepy Montauk, The New York Times :
"Lovingly chonicles the history of the 200 low-key ranch houses that were sold in Montauk in the mid-60s by Macys. The price: as little as $12,990, including land and all the furnishings." — Steven Kurutz (July 6, 2008)

Reader Comments

Be the first to add your comments about this book!

37 E 7th Street, NY, NY 10003 | 212.995.9620 | fax 212.995.9454 | sales@papress.com

Leisurama Now: The Beach House for Everyone Paul Sahre

Editorial Reviews

Reader Comments

Leisurama Now:
The Beach House for Everyone
Paul Sahre