Topic: Books

First Ira Rennert, the billionaire industrialist, created the Hummer, which is now one of the largest civilian vehicles on the road today. Then he built Fairfield off of Daniel's Lane is Sagaponack, which, as we all know, is one of the biggest houses in the country, complete with 29 bedrooms, two bowling alleys, a 120-seat theater, parking for 200 and 39 bathrooms.

Now he has turned his attention to loftier matters—namely, the compilation of all of the 613 commandments in the Torah. These will not be compiled in one book, however—not Ira's style. Instead, they will be compiled in a 20 volume set. Each volume will cost about $30, so for about $1 per commandment and a bonus 13 commandments for free, redemption is yours.

Billionaire Turns Attention to Commandments [NY Sun]

While browsing the current paperback non-fiction offerings at Bookhampton in Southampton this past weekend, we couldn’t help but notice the sign taped above the table of books: “Please do not rearrange the books to suit your political beliefs,” it read in part. Apparently, not content to vote or wave signs in support of their preferred candidate, people had been rearranging the books in the store in an attempt to influence the upcoming election.

The sign went on for a number of sentences, admonishing would be political operatives that their acts were ineffectual, petty and merely a nuisance to the store’s employees who had to vigilantly undo whatever mess these saboteurs had wreaked. “It was a big problem during the last election,” explained Jane, the store’s manager. “This year, it hasn’t been so bad, though someone did flip over all the Clinton and Obama books the other day. And, even more disturbingly, someone was turning around all the books about the Holocaust recently.”

We have to say, we are outraged. We expect our bookstores in the Hamptons to be bastions of order, or at least safe havens where ideas are not suppressed—and certainly not places on the frontlines of the battle for the White House. To these saboteurs, we can only say, Shame. Shame in the gravest of terms. Shame for infecting us with your petty bickering. Grow up—or take note that the "Children's Books" section is in the back of the store.

Among the things you'll find in Hamptons-regular Caroline Kennedy's new book, A Family Christmas, are:

• A letter from Groucho Marx about his bad luck with holiday tipping, recipes from the kitchen of Martha Washington and the lyrics to 'Christmas in Hollis' by rappers Run-DMC.

Tracy Mitchell talks to Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton about the children's books this mother/daughter duo has created and they also discuss their collaboration and how the books will be adapted for the theater.

In no particular order, here comes the video...

All anyone could talk about at the beginning of the summer was the Social Concert Series and the tickets that cost $15,000 for five concerts. Bryan Boyhan went to the first concert—Prince, no less—and...he actually had a good time.

Chris got totally tongue tied by supermodel Selita Ebanks while Olivia got giggly with model/polo player Nacho Figureas.

We likes to party—and so does Russell Simmons. The man must have thrown, hosted or been at 217 parties this summer. Checkout his annual Art for Life benefit where Olivia chatted up Forrest Whitaker. Olivia also talked to Russell about his new book. Basically, Olivia and Russell hung out all summer.

While all about you are losing their heads, try a little fishing. There's something calming about waiting for the bite.

Just a couple miles away is this little island called Block Island. They used to send criminals there. So we sent Plum's John Birdsong. To be nice, we gave him a video camera. Which he used to shoot a lot of video of sailboats during Block Island Race Week. It was good stuff so we let him come back to the Hamptons.

You know what's cool? Opening a bottle of champagne with a giant knife.

Chris got all the good assignments. Especially when he got to hang out with the Beatles in India. (Full disclosure: that's a total lie. He didn't get to hang out with the Beatles in India. But he did interview a guy who hung out with the Beatles in India.)

Who knew socialites could surf? We had no idea and even after we were told they can surf we didn't believe it. Then we watched this video. And we learned that Fabiola Beracasa can wakeboard too. Will wonders never cease?

It wasn't all fun and games. Every once in awhile we tackled a few weighty matters. Like when former Editor in Chief of Time Inc., Norman Pearlstine came on to talk about the current state of journalism. Serious stuff. And just for the record, Carl Bernstein is no lightweight either.

Those crazy kids, what will they think of next? Not content to lay on a surfboard and paddle with their hands, now they want to stand on a surfboard and use a canoe paddle. Next thing you know, they'll be riding surfboards attached to kites.

Against all odds, Drew found poetry in pastry. The Gentle Donut, his tribute to the artery clogging magic of the fresh donut brought tears to our eyes and the comfort of assured future business to cardiac specialists everywhere.

Who will win? Artists? Writers? Neither? Both? Like a night at the opera, this year's Artists Writers Game was too much drama. But it was all for a good cause so try and suffer through Mort Zuckerman's pitching and Christie Brinkley's batting and place your bets.

Judith Miller did not start the War in Iraq.

Plum went to the dogs this summer—literally. Dog of the Month was the contest to win and we had two very deserving winners complemented by two hilarious "Dogumentaries." We're still trying to figure out if Amber is a dog or a diva and we know that Sophie proves the maxim that a dog is a man's best friend.

Say it with me girls, Super Saturday 10! Shop til you drop. Olivia talked to everyone from the Giulianis to Beth Ostrosky. Then she bought presents for all of her coworkers at Plum...or she should have.

Formula for TV magic: 1 Intern + 1 Camera + 1 Microphone + Hundreds of Odd Questions= Man on the Street. That's all it takes. And we were able to answer tough questions like, If you were a firework, what kind would you be? And, What is Fashion? Or, Do you wish you knew magic like Harry Potter?

Just give Michael Moore a mic and he'll give you an interview.

Sometimes in the Hamptons there are too many houses. If you're rich enough, you just give the extra houses on your property away. That's what happened here.

Interns: sometimes they talk to horses.

Renowned poet and author Carol Muske Dukes has had some pretty amazing experiences teaching poetry in prison. She chronicles these stories in her new book, Channeling Mark Twain.

Since September 11, 2001, Walter Russell Mead has traversed the globe to deliver lectures about the foreign policy of the United States. As he joked on the MorningNoon&Night Show, quelling anti-Americanism is almost like "putting lipstick on a pig." His new book God and Gold explores the influence of American power (from politics to culture and economy to capitalism) and how modernity and western predominance continues to influence the world.

The title of Kati Marton's new book, The Great Escape: Nine Jews Who Fled Hitler and Changed the World is a pretty good summary of the story, but only hints at the tales that fill its pages. It goes from the cafes of Budapest and Berlin to the building of The Bomb and beyond.

Wall Street Journal writer Lucette Lagnado's book The Man in the White Sharkskin is a fascinating, personal tale of a journey from Cairo to the United States. She wrote the book while staying in Sag Harbor. Told from the perspective of Lulu (Lagnado as a child), the story follows the life of her father– who wore sharkskin suits and gambled with the King in Egypt before being forced to leave the country. By the time the family reached New York , her father was then selling ties in the city subways.