Book excerpt: Nestled in the affluent Boston suburb of Brookline, Larz Anderson Park was once the lavish estate of Isabel and Larz Anderson. The Andersons employed Boston's finest architects and builders to design their manor house and French chateau-style carriage house and drew on their world travels to create Japanese, Chinese, and Italianate gardens that were featured in countless newspapers and magazines. Upon Isabel's death in 1948, the estate was bequeathed to the town of Brookline. Larz Anderson Park celebrates the splendor of the Anderson estate and the history of this beloved community park.