The Adirondack chair - Daniel Mack

There's no competition. When it comes to the American Idyll, the hammock and the Adirondack chair are the shoe-in (and shoes-off!) winners. Built for lazing around in, they're the classic icons of a summer getaway. And they're both quintessentially American. The hammock, invented by the native inhabitants of the Caribbean, was "discovered" by Columbus on his first voyage to the New World. And the Adirondack chair-whose name evokes the mountain retreats for which it was originally fashioned-is deeply rooted in the American Arts & Crafts movement. In these charming books, furniture maker Daniel Mack captures the nostalgic, carefree, and oh-so-comfortable spirit of the hammock and 'Rondack chair. Illustrated with scores of contemporary photographs and images from vintage memorabilia, The Hammock and The Adirondack Chair are also filled with "who knew?" history. And each contains instructions for hanging your own hammock or building your own chair. But really, these books-splendid gifts for Father's Day or as thank-you tokens for summer-weekend hosts-are not about work. In fact, they're perfect for taking a little break with (while relaxing, of course, in a hammock or Adirondack chair).