Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating but a little exclusionary
Review: As a Hamptons native who has moved away from the area, I was very interested by the idea of the book. It read a lot like "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," with eccentric real-life characters (though no transvestites) and squabbles that are funny to anyone not involved in the situation. However, it seemed rather caught up in mainly covering the socially elite of the Hamptons and was rather rude in its constant dismissal of any Hamptons other than Southampton or East Hampton (Gaines sniffed several times that Westhampton, for instance, should've been called "Dentisthampton"). I think an excellent follow-up, or companion, volume to this book would be if Gaines were to find the same types of fascinating people and stories in the not-so-exclusive Hamptons.
Rating: 
Summary: TERRIFIC READ!
Review: As a rule, compassion for swells makes only an occasional, tiny, brief blip on my radar screen. It's a testament to Steven Gaines's skills as a story teller that I found myself engrossed in and sympathetic to the problems of these over-privileged Hamptonites. Obnoxious neighbors, dysfunctional relatives, and inept governing bodies are universal conditions no matter how many or few zeros in your bank account. An elitist book? Maybe. An amusing and entertaining read? Definitely!
Rating:
Summary: TERRIFIC READ!
Review: I loved this book. The author has written a social history of the Hamptons that's a real page-turner. The characters are fascinating and he evokes a sense of place that makes you feel the author knows every nook and cranny of his subject. The book creates an historical tapestry stretching from pre-Revolutionary days to an end- of-the-millenium July 4th party. It would be easy to take potshots at the rich and richers who live in the Hamptons, but the author, who sees these characters with a clear and discerning eye, never condescends. The book moves so quickly I finished it in one sitting. This is my favorite kind of book-- a non-fiction book that reads like a novel. Because of the subject, some people might consider this a summer read, but I found this to be THE perfect book to read during a recent snowstorm. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent blend of history and present day follies ...
Review: I read the book like one savors a delectable morsel of some rare treat - slowly, deliberately, trying to make every bite last an eternity.Stephen Gaines managed to capture in great detail not only the fascinating and unique history of this town but he artfully blended in the hilarious shenanigans that color today's East Hampton. Most Hamptons visitors and probably most recent residents are unfortunately not aware of this town's character beyond the "rich & famous" banalities usually reported in the tabloid press. What partied-out summer reveler can tell you that: 1. The East Hampton Trustees, a body of private citizens, own the waterways to this day through a decree by King George and not even the U.S. Federal Government has succeeded in successfully challenging this right? 2. The oldest cattle ranch is in Montauk, not some place in the West? 3. Amagansett was the only location in the U.S. that was ever invaded by the Nazis in WW2? 4. Captain Kidd's treasure is buried somewhere off the shores of East Hampton? 5. Gardiner Island is owned by a man who holds his title from King George These and countless other fascinating tidbits were carefully researched and documented in the book along with the bizarre and outlandish behavior of some of our local celebrities. This is a fascinating book that educates the reader through an entertaining style a la Hard Copy. Really a must read!
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible book
Review: Save your money, give it to charity, do anything but spend it on a new copy of this book. This person is hideously conceited about his knowledge of, yet totally wrong about life in East Hampton. Why did this book get the hype? There are valid ones out there that are fun, good, informative reading. This book is ludicrous.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating and intriguing! The intricacies of money & fame.
Review: The author did justice to the combination of story-telling and history in this book. A well written story of the history of and lifestyle in the Hamptons, as well as documenting current problems and personalities. The development of the "characters" was well done. The book is a prime example of the rich, their quirks, and how money plays in that society. Well worth the read, if you can keep a sense of humor about the ridiculousness of some wealthy persons. I'd recommend this!
Rating:
Summary: The Really Good Driving Tour
Review: The best way for me to describe Philistines is as the really good driving tour of the Hamptons. You get history, you get gossip, you get social commentary, you get, in other words, a feel for the Hamptons and how they came to be The Hamptons. The writing in Philistines (I'm a stickler for good writing) is breezy and smooth, perfect for summer or winter when you want to think about summer. My only quibble with the book is that the publisher could have included a map since I only have the vaguest of idea of where the Hamptons are on Long Island and how all the individual Hamptons fit together.
Rating:
Summary: A uniquely American Aristocracy
Review: The Hamptons, Beverly Hills, Palm Beach, Vero Beach, Buckhead. If you've been to these places you've seen it--the distinctly American phenomenon of super-wealth attempting to forestall spiritual death with ostentatious materialism. That's what this book is about. Though America's super-wealthy frequently have European aristocratic pretenses, money alone does not nobility make. The author makes this point to us through a sometimes not-so-careful critique of specific super-wealthy Hamptonites. He could have just as easily written about one of these other enclaves of flashy, superficial elegance.
Rating:
Summary: Totally Fun
Review: This book thinks of itself as *the* history of the Hamptons, when it's about six people/houses. The first few chapters are interesting enough, but it is so misguided that it's almost comical. He'll say, "the entire town saw so-and-so go to the concert without such-and-such that night" as though 15,000 people are following the gossip of one couple. He tells us the color of people's drapes and the content of intimate conversations - this book is gossip of the rich or famous (a select few of them, anyway). It is so monotonously relentless in superficial detail that even taken as just what it is, half-way through the book every page made me mutter, "who cares?" There are *many* Hamptons residents who have nothing to do with the Hamptons presented in this book. It is so narrow. Narrow, though, isn't as much the problem as misguided is. The fact that the author doesn't think this book as the narrow slice of life it is, that he thinks *this* is the Hamptons, is an outrageous insult to those of us who live and breath here. Stop putting money in this guy's pocket, he doesn't deserve it. It infuriates me that Bookhampton is constantly sold out of this book. Ugh.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Summer's Read
Review: This was a most enjoyable book....a look at how the super-wealthy denizens of the Hamptons really live. The author tells many gossipy tales, but at the same time, gives the reader a great deal of historical background about the early settlers of the area; those who became wealthy via the real estate of the Hamptons; and the mega-wealthy newcomers who seem to delight in flaunting their wealth even as they try to remain anonymous...or perhaps the right word would be "mysterious". I think Gaines, an insider who lives in the Hamptons, has done his research and perfectly relates the superficial life led by many of the residents there. This book read like fiction and I finished it very quickly. Many of the characters who populated the book were very odd people, ones that a reader would expect to meet in a novel. I found the story of Gardiner's Island fascinating. It was first settled by Lion Gardiner in 1639, and was the first permanent English settlement in New York. Lion bought this from the Indians and it has been owned by his descendents ever since. They allow no trespassing. I also enjoyed the story of The Creeks, one of the largest estates in the Hamptons. It was created in incredible splendor by Arthur and Adele Herter and recently rebuilt by Ron Perelman. In the intervening years, The Creeks belonged to the artist Alfonso Ossorio and his lover Ted Dragon, an interesting couple. These men befriended Jackson Pollock and their story included interesting information about Pollock's life and tragic death. This says it all: "The establishment can hold off the newcomers for only so long. There are always more of Them than Us". The "Them" he refers to are the Philistines at the hedgerow.
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