Disposable City: Miami's Future on the Shores of Climate Catastrophe by
A deeply reported personal investigation by a Miami journalist examines the present and future effects of climate change in the Magic City -- a watery harbinger for coastal cities worldwide. Miami, Florida, is likely to be entirely underwater by the end of this century. Residents are already starting to see the effects of sea level rise today. From sunny day flooding caused by higher tides to a sewer system on the brink of total collapse, the city undeniably lives in a climate changed world. In Disposable City, Miami resident Mario Alejandro Ariza shows us not only what climate change looks like on the ground today, but also what Miami will look like 100 years from now, and how that future has been shaped by the city's racist past and present. As politicians continue to kick the can down the road and Miami becomes increasingly unlivable, real estate vultures and wealthy residents will be able to get out or move to higher ground, but the most vulnerable communities, disproportionately composed of people of color, will face flood damage, rising housing costs, dangerously higher temperatures, and stronger hurricanes that they can't afford to escape. Miami may be on the front lines of climate change, but the battle it's fighting today is coming for the rest of the U.S. -- and the rest of the world -- far sooner than we could have imagined even a decade ago. Disposable City is a thoughtful portrait of both a vibrant city with a unique culture and the social, economic, and psychic costs of climate change that call us to act before it's too late.
Stolen Water: Saving the Everglades from Its Friends, Foes, and Florida by
When the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan went into effect during the Clinton administration, Florida's great grassy wilderness garnered a host of national attention -- and has since become a breeding ground for environmental dispute. What does it take to "save" a forest? How can it be preserved? Enter W. Hodding Carter. For an Outside magazine feature he's agreed to paddle the ninety-nine-mile waterway in Everglades National Park to examine the landscape from all angles -- physical, political, cultural, and very personal -- and get to the rock-bottom heart of the story. Stolen Water is the outgrowth of Carter's journey. Through investigative research, eyewitness accounts, and interviews with key players in the conservation controversy, Carter offers a rare portrait of a national treasure. Utterly important, and at times downright hilarious, Stolen Water is a classic American adventure tale, and an environmental parable for our time.
Snake in the Grass: An Everglades Invasion by
A plague is spreading throughout the Florida Everglades. The nonnative Burmese python--one of the largest snakes on the planet--is now known to be reproducing freely in the shallow waters of the famed River of Grass. Over the past decade, thousands of pythons have made themselves at home across the landscape. And though scientists work feverishly to learn as much as possible about this unprecedented invader, methods of control remain elusive. Many questions remain in the wake of this troubling discovery. How far north might Burmese pythons venture from the Everglades wilderness? What might their presence mean for the countless birds and mammals--some of them endangered--with which south Florida has become synonymous? And does history seem poised to repeat itself as new, large reptiles are discovered to be thriving in the area's favorable climate? An Everglades naturalist describes how the story unfolding in the Florida Everglades provides new opportunities to revisit our understanding of wilderness and man's place within it.
Words on the Wilderness: A History of Place Names in South Florida's National Parks by 
The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise by
"Brilliant." --The Washington Post Book World * "Magnificent." --The Palm Beach Post * "Rich in history yet urgently relevant to current events." --The New Republic The Everglades in southern Florida were once reviled as a liquid wasteland, and Americans dreamed of draining it. Now it is revered as a national treasure, and Americans have launched the largest environmental project in history to try to save it. The Swamp is the stunning story of the destruction and possible resurrection of the Everglades, the saga of man's abuse of nature in southern Florida and his unprecedented efforts to make amends. Michael Grunwald, a prize-winning national reporter for The Washington Post, takes readers on a riveting journey from the Ice Ages to the present, illuminating the natural, social and political history of one of America's most beguiling but least understood patches of land. The Everglades was America's last frontier, a wild country long after the West was won. Grunwald chronicles how a series of visionaries tried to drain and "reclaim" it, and how Mother Nature refused to bend to their will; in the most harrowing tale, a 1928 hurricane drowned 2,500 people in the Everglades. But the Army Corps of Engineers finally tamed the beast with levees and canals, converting half the Everglades into sprawling suburbs and sugar plantations. And though the southern Everglades was preserved as a national park, it soon deteriorated into an ecological mess. The River of Grass stopped flowing, and 90 percent of its wading birds vanished. Now America wants its swamp back. Grunwald shows how a new breed of visionaries transformed Everglades politics, producing the $8 billion rescue plan. That plan is already the blueprint for a new worldwide era of ecosystem restoration. And this book is a cautionary tale for that era. Through gripping narrative and dogged reporting, Grunwald shows how the Everglades is still threatened by the same hubris, greed and well-intentioned folly that led to its decline.
The Everglades: An Environmental History by
This work, aimed at general readers and environmentalists alike, offers a dicussion of the formation, development and history of the Everglades, considered by many to be the most endangered ecosystem in North America. It begins with South Florida's geological origins and continues through the 20th century. Charting the effects of human intervention upon the region, the author traces its habitation from Calusas and other native groups to the modern period dominated by agribusiness. In between, he discusses the Spanish contract period, the first efforts to farm the region, the first attempts in the 1880s to drain it, and the era of the ""engineering"" Everglades that was largely created by the State of Florida and the US Army Corps of engineers. He argues that desire to convert the ecosystem to farm use continues to guide American thinking about the region at a tremendous environmental cost. He also contends that agriculture, especially sugar growing, must be abandoned or altered. To buy time for public debate over the final form of a sustainable Everglades, he suggests creation of a park modelled on New York's Adirondack State Park.
Buffalo Tiger: A Life in the Everglades by
Frustrated in their attempts to gain official recognition by the United States, a group of Miccosukee Indians met with Fidel Castro in 1959 and were recognized by the Cuban government. The man behind this unprecedented move to provoke the U.S. government into action was Buffalo Tiger, a Miccosukee elder who has become one of the most prominent Indian leaders in the southeastern United States in the modern era. Born in a small village in the Everglades in 1920, Buffalo Tiger grew up immersed in the traditional customs and language of the Miccosukees. As the modern world encroached on the Miccosukees and the Everglades shrank around them, Buffalo Tiger became an energetic and outspoken leader of the community. As the first tribal chairman of the Miccosukees, he oversaw the adoption of a tribal constitution and worked diligently to implement reforms and to protect the community's cultural and natural resources. In the 1970s the Miccosukees became the first modern tribe to take complete control of their affairs and federal budget. Buffalo Tiger's penetrating observations about his people and the world around them, combined with the skilled scholarship of historian Harry A. Kersey Jr., illuminate a memorable life, a tireless leader, and an Indian community still proud to call the "River of Grass" its home.
Ecosystems of Florida by
"An important book that everyone who works on Florida environmental policy in any way should own . . . [and] anyone who cares about nature in Florida would love to own."--Tallahassee Democrat "The first comprehensive guide to the state's natural resources to be written in half a century . . . invaluable"--Tampa Tribune "Ecosystems of Florida has a proud heritage. Its authors have the same skill and enthusiasm that characterized the early Florida ecologists. The descriptions will encourage and delight a multitude of men and women who are enamored of Florida's landscapes. The salvation of the Florida scene will come about only if the public savors its beauty, understands its limitations, and speaks up for its preservation. This book has come just in time to save the landscapes of Florida."--Marjorie Harris Carr, from the foreword Between roughly 25 and 31 degrees north latitude, a combination of flat topography, poor soils, and limited surface water produce deserts nearly everywhere on earth. In Florida, however, these conditions support a lavish biota, more diverse than that of any other state east of the Mississippi. In this first comprehensive guide to the state's natural resources in sixty years, thirty top scholars describe the character, relationships, and importance of Florida's ecosystems, the organisms that inhabit them, the forces that maintain them, and the agents that threaten them. From pine flatwoods to coral reef, Ecosystems of Florida provides a detailed, comprehensive, authoritative account of the peninsular state's complex, fragile environments. In straightforward text, charts, maps, and illustrations, Ecosystems of Florida offers broad vision and detailed expertise to naturalists, wildlife managers, land use planners, foresters, and other professional and general readers interested in Florida's environmental resources. For the foreseeable future, it will serve as the authoritative guide to the state's environment and to those who would work with it.
Voice of the River by
Born in Minnesota in 1890 and raised and educated in Massachusetts, Marjory Stoneman Douglas came to Florida in 1915 to work for her father, who had just started a newspaper called the Herald in a small town called Miami. In this "frontier" town, she recovered from a misjudged marriage, learned to write journalism and fiction and drama, took on the fight for feminism and racial justice and conservation long before those causes became popular, and embarked on a long and uncommonly successful voyage into self-understanding. Way before women did this sort of thing, she recognized her own need for solitude and independence, and built her own little house away from town in an area called Coconut Grove. She still lives there, as she has for over 40 years, with her books and cats and causes, emerging frequently to speak, still a powerful force in ecopolitics. Marjory Stoneman Douglas begins this story of her life by admitting that "the hardest thing is to tell the truth about oneself" and ends it stating her belief that "life should be lived so vividly and so intensely that thoughts of another life, or a longer life, are not necessary." The voice that emerges in between is a voice from the past and a voice from the future, a voice of conviction and common sense with a sense of humor, a voice so many audiences have heard over the years--tough words in a genteel accent emerging from a tiny woman in a floppy hat--which has truly become the voice of the river.
The Everglades: River of Grass by
Before 1947, when Marjory Stoneman Douglas named The Everglades a "river of grass," most people considered the area worthless. She brought the world's attention to the need to preserve The Everglades. In the Afterword, Michael Grunwald tells us what has happened to them since then. Grunwald points out that in 1947 the government was in the midst of establishing the Everglades National Park and turning loose the Army Corps of Engineers to control floods--both of which seemed like saviors for the Glades. But neither turned out to be the answer. Working from the research he did for his book, The Swamp, Grunwald offers an account of what went wrong and the many attempts to fix it, beginning with Save Our Everglades, which Douglas declared was "not nearly enough." Grunwald then lays out the intricacies (and inanities) of the more recent and ongoing CERP, the hugely expensive Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century by
This is the first major biography of one of America's premier environmentalists. No one did more than Marjory Stoneman Douglas to transform the Everglades from the country's most maligned swamp into its most beloved wetland. By the late twentieth century, her name and her classic ""The Everglades: River of Grass"" had become synonymous with Everglades protection. The crusading resolve and boundless energy of this implacable elder won the hearts of an admiring public while confounding her opponents - growth merchants intent on having their way with the Everglades. Douglas' efforts ultimately earned her a place among a mere handful of individuals honored as a namesake of a national wilderness area.In the first comprehensive biography of Douglas, Jack E. Davis explores the 108-year life of this compelling woman. Douglas was more than an environmental activist. She was a suffragist, a lifetime feminist and supporter of the ERA, a champion of social justice, and an author of diverse literary talent. She came of age literally and professionally during the American environmental century, the century in which Americans mobilized an unprecedented popular movement to counter the equally unprecedented liberties they had taken in exploiting, polluting, and destroying the natural world.The Everglades were a living barometer of America's often tentative shift toward greater environmental responsibility. Reconstructing this larger picture, Davis recounts the shifts in Douglas' own life and her instrumental role in four important developments that contributed to Everglades protection: the making of a positive wetland image, the creation of a national park, the expanding influence of ecological science, and the rise of the modern environmental movement. In the grand but beleaguered Everglades, which Douglas came to understand is a vast natural system that supports human life, she saw nature's providence.
Crackers in the Glade: Life and Times in the Old Everglades by
Crackers in the Glade is a visually stunning account of bygone days in the Everglades. The largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the United States, the Everglades holds a unique place among all the world's wetlands. Through his writings and illustrations, fisherman, guide, and self-taught artist Rob Storter transports us to the remote, half-wild frontier of southwest Florida in the early part of the twentieth century. There, the events of any one day could include a hurricane, a face-to-face encounter with a panther, or the arrival of the latest packet from Key West.
Everglades Wildflowers by
The Everglades region is a mosaic of interconnected ecosystems where a slight elevation change can lead you from dry, rocky pinelands and shady hardwood hammocks to flooded grassy prairies and deep, mysterious swamps. Fascinating wildflowers abound in every habitat. This full-color, expanded second edition contains beautiful photos, easy-to-understand descriptions, and interesting facts about 362 wildflowers that inhabit this picturesque region.
Everglades - The Park Story by 
Florida Literature by
Focusing in on the literary works, essays, images, and historical documents from The Sunshine State, Florida Literature presents a rich sampling of diverse writings from and about Florida to enrich your own perspective on this sunny state.
Florida's Unsung Wilderness by
A photographic exploration of the swamplands of Florida.
Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses by
This guide to common and unique plants found in forests of the Southeast thoroughly covers 330 species of forbs (herbaceous plants), grasses, vines, and shrubs, with a special emphasis on the plants' role in wildlife sustenance. Packed with detailed color photographs, the book is a must-have for forest landowners, game and wildlife managers, biologists, outdoors enthusiasts, students--anyone with an interest in the intricate and often unexpected interrelationships between the flora and fauna of our region's forests. Features:Descriptions of native and nonnative (exotic or invasive) plants, including 330 species of forbs, in 180 genera: grasses, sedges, and rushes; woody vines and semiwoody plants; shrubs; palms and yucca; cane; cactus; ferns; and ground lichen650 color photosMap of physiographic provinces56 simple black-and-white drawings of flower parts, flower types, and inflorescences, leaf arrangements, leaf divisions, shapes, and margins, and parts of a grass plantGlossaryIndex of genera by family, index by wildlife species, and index of scientific and common names
The Book of the Everglades by
With all the spice of southern storytelling, The Book of the Everglades brings to light the often outlandish results of humankind's attempts to control and redesign nature. Journalists, essayists, poets, and educators tell how the natural plumbing of the Everglades has been rerouted not only by the Army Corps of Engineers but by sugar planters, politicians, and growth. Contributing writers include Carl Hiassen, Al Burt, Archie Carr, and Julie Hauserman.
100% Pure Florida Fiction by
"Brighter than a digital print-out, 100% Pure Florida Fiction provides a full-featured map of Florida's imaginative landscape at the stark turning of the millennial moment--with visions and aftershocks that linger in the mind long after reading."--Joe David Bellamy, former publisher and editor, Fiction International This anthology of modern Florida fiction showcases the work of 21 writers, including such literary lights as Frederick Barthelme, Alison Lurie, Jill McCorkle, Peter Meinke, and Joy Williams, as well as that of new and emerging writers. Sifting through over 600 stories in books, magazines, literary journals, and the internet, the editors selected the best Florida fiction of the century's last decades. What these stories have in common, of course, is a Florida setting--but a Florida so strongly evoked that it is more character than place. In these stories Florida is sinister, full of alligators, creeping plants, heavy clouds, noir cops and con artists; it is the surreal spread of theme parks, condominiums, and strip malls; and it is a paradise--lost, regained, and remembered--of sea, sun, hammock, forest, and glade. 100% Pure Florida Fiction is the perfect literary companion for Florida travels, armchair and actual, from the Panhandle to Key West and a dozen places in between. And it is proof that Florida is the stuff good stories are made of. Susan Hubbard is associate professor of English at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and the author of two collections of short fiction: Blue Money (1999) and Walking on Ice (1990). Robley Wilson, professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa, has been editor of the North American Review since 1969. He has published a novel, four books of short fiction, and three books of poetry, including Everything Paid For (UPF, 1999). Contributors Frederick Barthelme Tom Chiarella Philip Cioffari Steve Cushman John Henry Fleming Aracelis Gonzalez Asendorf Jeffrey Greene William R. Kanouse Karen Loeb Alison Lurie Wendell Mayo Jill McCorkle Peter Meinke Patrick J. Murphy Louis Phillips Elisavietta Ritchie Enid Shomer William Snyder, Jr. Abraham Verghese Steve Watkins Joy Williams
Black Miami in the Twentieth Century by
The first book devoted to the history of African Americans in south Florida and their pivotal role in the growth and development of Miami, Black Miami in the Twentieth Century traces their triumphs, drudgery, horrors, and courage during the first 100 years of the city's history. Firsthand accounts and over 130 photographs, many of them never published before, bring to life the proud heritage of Miami's black community. Beginning with the legendary presence of black pirates on Biscayne Bay, Marvin Dunn sketches the streams of migration by which blacks came to account for nearly half the city's voters at the turn of the century. From the birth of a new neighbourhood known as "Colored Town," Dunn traces the blossoming of black businesses, churches, civic groups, and fraternal societies that made up the black community. He recounts the heyday of "Little Broadway" along Second Avenue, with photos and individual recollections that capture the richness and vitality of black Miami's golden age between the wars. A substantial portion of the book is devoted to the Miami civil rights movement, and Dunn traces the evolution of Colored Town to Overtown and the subsequent growth of Liberty City. He profiles voting rights, housing and school desegregation, and civil disturbances like the McDuffie and Lozano incidents, and analyses the issues and leadership that molded an increasingly diverse community through decades of strife and violence. In concluding chapters, he assesses the current position of the community--its socioeconomic status, education issues, residential patterns, and business development--and considers the effect of recent waves of immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean.Dunn combines exhaustive research in regional media and archives with personal interviews of pioneer citizens and longtime residents in a work that documents as never before the life of one of the most important black communities in the United States.
Gladesmen: Gator Hunters, Moonshiners, and Skiffers by
"Remarkable. . . should have strong, immediate interest for the ecologists engaged in efforts to restore the Everglades."--William B. Robertson, research biologist for Everglades National Park From the book-- Pa built our house out of rough lumber that they got from Frazier's sawmill . . . a one-room house about 16 to 18 feet long and 12 feet wide. We all slept on cots and sat on boxes or a trunk. The kitchen was in the corner, and Ma cooked on a four-hole stove, which cost six dollars. Me and my middle brother, Alvin, sat on a trunk to eat at the table. That trunk had some long cracks in it. My brother knew just how to move so the crack would pinch . . . . Years before the Park was established, when all the land and marsh seemed to belong to me, we would help ourselves to whatever we could see or trade for survival. Mostly we would sell gator and otter hides. . . . On this particular trip, after grunting awhile at the gator hole, I gave up and made tracks to the camp since I wanted to return by dark. . . . I was lying under my skeeter bar with a small tarp stretched between two cabbage palms. About midnight, I heard the dried cabbage fronds breaking in the path toward my camp. The night was pitch black . . . Few people today can claim a living memory of Florida's frontier Everglades. Glen Simmons, who has hunted alligators, camped on hammock-covered islands, and poled his skiff through the mangrove swamps of the glades since the 1920s, is one who can. Together with Laura Ogden, he tells the story of backcountry life in the southern Everglades from his youth until the establishment of the Everglades National Park in 1947. During the economic bust of the late '20s, when many natives turned to the land to survive, Simmons began accompanying older local men into Everglades backcountry, the inhospitable prairie of soft muck and mosquitoes, of outlaws and moonshiners, that rings the southern part of the state. As Simmons recalls life in this community with humor and nostalgia, he also documents the forgotten lifestyles of south Florida gladesmen. By necessity, they understood the natural features of the Everglades ecosystem. They observed the seasonal fluctuations of wildlife, fire, and water levels. Their knowledge of the mostly unmapped labyrinth of grassy water enabled them to serve as guides for visiting naturalists and scientists. Simmons reconstructs this world, providing not only fascinating stories of individual personalities, places, and events, but an account that is accurate, both scientifically and historically, of one of the least known and longest surviving portions of the American frontier. Glen Simmons has lived in the south Florida Everglades since his birth in 1916 in Homestead. In 1995 he was awarded a State of Florida Heritage Award for his unique contribution to Florida's history and folk culture. He has demonstrated and taught glades skiff building for the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Folklife, and the South Florida Historical Society; his boats are on permanent display at the Florida Folklife Museum in White Springs, Florida, and at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Miami. Laura Ogden, also born in Homestead and a life-long friend of Glen Simmons, is assistant professor of anthropology at Florida International University.
Killing Mister Watson by
By the author of "The Snow Leopard", "The Tree Where Man Was Born" and "On the River Styx", this novel is based around the circumstances of the death of a man in Florida 1910, who had terrorized his community and who very possibly had a criminal past.
Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S. by
"Never before has the case been more compellingly made that America's dependence on a free and abundant water supply has become an illusion. Cynthia Barnett does it by telling us the stories of the amazing personalities behind our water wars, the stunning contradictions that allow the wettest state to have the most watered lawns, and the thorough research that makes her conclusions inescapable. Barnett has established herself as one of Florida's best journalists and Mirage is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of the state." --Mary Ellen Klas, Capital Bureau Chief, Miami Herald "Mirage is the finest general study to date of the freshwater-supply crisis in Florida. Well-meaning villains abound in Cynthia Barnett's story, but so too do heroes, such as Arthur R. Marshall Jr., Nathaniel Reed, and Marjorie Harris Carr. The author's research is as thorough as her prose is graceful. Drinking water is the new oil. Get used to it." --Michael Gannon, Distinguished Professor of history, University of Florida, and author of Florida: A Short History "With lively prose and a journalist's eye for a good story, Cynthia Barnett offers a sobering account of water scarcity problems facing Florida--one of our wettest states--and the rest of the East Coast. Drawing on lessons learned from the American West, Mirage uses the lens of cultural attitudes about water use and misuse to plead for reform. Sure to engage and fascinate as it informs." --Robert Glennon, Morris K. Udall Professor of Law and Public Policy, University of Arizona, and author of Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate of America's Fresh Waters Part investigative journalism, part environmental history, Mirage reveals how the eastern half of the nation--historically so wet that early settlers predicted it would never even need irrigation--has squandered so much of its abundant freshwater that it now faces shortages and conflicts once unique to the arid West. Florida's parched swamps and supersized residential developments set the stage in the first book to call attention to the steady disappearance of freshwater in the American East, from water-diversion threats in the Great Lakes to tapped-out freshwater aquifers along the Atlantic seaboard. Told through a colorful cast of characters including Walt Disney, Jeb Bush and Texas oilman Boone Pickens, Mirage ferries the reader through the key water-supply issues facing America and the globe: water wars, the politics of development, inequities in the price of water, the bottled-water industry, privatization, and new-water-supply schemes. From its calamitous opening scene of a sinkhole swallowing a house in Florida to its concluding meditation on the relationship between water and the American character, Mirage is a compelling and timely portrait of the use and abuse of freshwater in an era of rapidly vanishing natural resources.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by
A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick "A deeply soulful novel that comprehends love and cruelty, and separates the big people from the small of heart, without ever losing sympathy for those unfortunates who don't know how to live properly." --Zadie Smith One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and pathos found only in the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. Out of print for almost thirty years--due largely to initial audiences' rejection of its strong black female protagonist--Hurston's classic has since its 1978 reissue become perhaps the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature.
Florida: A Short History by
"An exciting voyage through Florida's past. . . . Almost every page could make you say, I didn't know that!"Tampa Tribune "Gannon's love for Florida comes through in a marvelous narrative style [that] doesn't bog down in dates and reams of facts that historians find interesting, but others don't."--Miami Herald "First rate . . . desperately needed . . . entertaining . . . fun!"--Orlando Sentinel "Gannon is a lifelong student of the history of his state, an acclaimed teacher, a masterful and tireless raconteur, and a superb stylist. Florida: A Short History showcases each of these strengths and talents and contains the latest archaeological and historical scholarship."--Florida Historical Quarterly As if Ponce de León, who happened on the peninsula in 1513, returned today to demand a quick reckoning ("Tell me what happened after I was there, but leave out the boring parts!"), Michael Gannon recounts the longest recorded history of any state in the nation in twenty-seven brisk, fully illustrated chapters. From indigenous tribes who lived along spring-fed streams to environmentalists who labor to "Save Our Rivers," from the first conquistadors whose broad black ships astonished the natives to the 123,000 refugees whose unexpected immigration stunned South Floridians in 1980, the story of the state is as rich and distinctive as the story of America. And it's older than most people think. As Gannon writes, "By the time the Pilgrims came ashore at Plymouth, St. Augustine was up for urban renewal. It was a town with fort, church, seminary, six-bed hospital, fish market, and about 120 shops and houses. Because La Florida stretched north from the Keys to Newfoundland and west to Texas, St. Augustine could claim to be the capital of much of what is now the United States." Gannon tells his fast-marching saga in chronological fashion. Starting with the wilderness of the ancient earth, he fills the landscape with Indians, colonists, pioneers, entrepreneurs, politicians, and the panorama of Florida today--"the broad superhighways that wind past horse farms, retirement communities, international airports, launch pads, futuristic attractions, and come to rest, finally, amidst the gleaming towers of Oz?like cities." This revised edition concludes with a look into the twenty-first century, including "in-migration," restoration of the Everglades, education, the work force, and the infamous 2000 presidential election. Michael Gannon is distinguished service professor emeritus of history at the University of Florida. Among other honors, he has received the first Arthur W. Thompson Prize from the Florida Historical Society and the decoration Knight Commander of the Order of Isabel la Católica from King Juan Carlos I of Spain. He is the author of the best-selling Operation Drumbeat and editor of The New History of Florida.
Florida Cow Hunter: The Life and Times of Bone Mizell by
"Recounts a time when range wars, cattle drives, rustling, street brawls, and rum running were commonplace in Florida. Though the focus is on Mizell, Tinsley also gives an engaging history of Florida and the cattle industry."--Tampa Tribune
Florida East Coast Railway by
Florida East Coast Railway has been the speedway to America's playground for more than 110 years. FEC offered some of America's finest rail passenger service until 1968 and remains the freight lifeline of Florida's east coast. The railroad arrived on the shores of Biscayne Bay on April 15, 1896, and it reached Key West in January 1912. That feat etched both Henry Flagler's and the railroad's names in Florida and U.S. railroad history. FEC's operation is so precise and punctual, its roadbed and motive power so well maintained, that it is the benchmark for every other railroad in the country.
Florida Poems by
Part fable, part diatribe, part elegy, part love song, this extraordinary fifth collection by Campbell McGrath makes poetry of the most unlikely of materials -- his home state of Florida. While at times poignantly personal, McGrath also returns for the first time to the characteristically comic and visionary public voice displayed in the renowned "Bob Hope Poem." Moving effortlessly from prehistory to the space age, he catalogues Florida's natural wonders and historical figureheads, from Ponce de León to Walt Disney, William Bartram to Chuck E. Cheese -- "the bewhiskered Mephistopheles of ring toss,/the diabolical vampire of our transcendent ideals." In the brilliant sociohistorical monologue of "The Florida Poem," McGrath employs the Fountain of Youth as a mythic symbol for both the tragic consequences of a society built on greed and cultural erasure and the diverse human potential, "which must become the fountain/for any communal future we might dare imagine." Place-bound and tightly focused, Campbell McGrath's message is nonetheless universal, as his penetrating vision of Florida is also a vision of America -- its history and hopes, failings and fulfillments, and the eternal force that transcends it all.
Florida Stories by
"A potpourri of short stories that serves up more style and substance, more suspense and sensuality, than most of the titles on the current best-seller list."--Tampa Tribune Like an album of snapshots from a tropical vacation, this collection of seventeen stories captures Florida places and characters transformed by the literary imagination of some of America's finest short fiction writers like Stephen Crane. The stories range widely across Florida history and landscapes--St. Petersburg in the 20s, Key West and Alachua County in the 30s, Coconut Grove and Jacksonville in the 50s, Miami Beach in the 60s, and Ft. Lauderdale in the 70s. Andrew Lytle recounts violent events in an Indian village during the Spanish rule. Sarah Orne Jewett and Stephen Crane treat maritime Florida in the 19th century while Hemingway and Philip Wylie present stories of the 20th century. From the pinewoods of northern Florida, through cracker farms, boom towns, and coastal suburbs, to the swamps and the Keys, we meet characters both common and extraordinary: moonshiners, socialites, carnies, sailors, scavengers, and fugitives. McCarthy's collection reveals the impact of a rich human and natural environment on the work of these distinguished writers. In the process it captures the uniquely Floridian coincidence of the exotic and mundane.
Florida's American Heritage River: Images from the St. Johns Region
A visual journey, through time, along the St. Johns River "Indispensable for anyone seeking to explore Florida beyond the brochures."--Herbert L. Hiller, author of Highway A1A: Florida at the Edge "If you are looking for an elegant way to navigate up the St. Johns River without leaving your armchair, allow me to recommend spending time with this book. It is beautifully illustrated and a wonderful read."--John Delaney, president, University of North Florida The mighty St. Johns River flows from its headwaters near Lake Okeechobee north through central Florida to Jacksonville. Its watershed covers an area nearly the size of New Hampshire. The river and its tributaries have been part of the cultural landscape of the peninsula for thousands of years. From the Native Americans who first settled along its banks to the French, Spanish, British, and American settlers who followed, it has been a source of food, water, transportation, industry, agriculture, and recreation. In 1998 the St. Johns was declared an American Heritage River, the only one in Florida and one of only fourteen in the country to be so designated. Shortly thereafter, Mallory O'Connor and Gary Monroe began searching for and collecting paintings, sketches, sculptures, photographs, and material culture from the region. Searching in antique shops and art galleries, nineteenth-century periodicals and twentieth-century fish camps, the authors found literally thousands of images. They selected the best two hundred for this volume, some from the fine art tradition as represented by Thomas Moran and Martin Johnson Heade; others by self-taught visionaries. The result is a broad survey that captures and celebrates the beauty, power, and impact of this unique landscape.
Florida's Lost Tribes by
With an artist's sense of wonder and a historian's respect for accuracy, the 58 rich and colorful images in this book present a fascinating and thoroughly researched glimpse into the lifestyles and cultures of Florida's ancient Indians. Theodore Morris's sensitive rendering of Florida's vanished heritage reflects his passion to create a pictorial record of the state's pre-Columbian peoples, the tribes who have been forgotten through the centuries. The artist's detailed paintings and drawings are based on historical evidence and his own careful research, conducted side-by-side with archaeologists and anthropologists at excavation sites throughout the state. Morris re-creates the appearance of the ancient peoples, portraying them at work and at play, and discusses the archaeological significance of each work and the creative muse that inspired it. An accompanying essay by noted author and archaeologist Jerald Milanich provides an overview of the various tribes represented in the paintings. Milanich questions the ethnographic veracity of Theodore de Bry's famous 16th-century engravings depicting Florida Indians and the settlement of Fort Caroline northeast of modern Jacksonville, which have long been thought to be based on lost paintings by the cartographer Jacques Le Moyne. Milanich argues that de Bry instead borrowed heavily from images of other New World Indians, including Amazonian tribes, and that Le Moyne's Florida paintings in fact may never have existed. If Milanich's assertion is true, the informed images of Theodore Morris take on added significance as an educational tool. The book also brings the story of Florida's Indians up to the present and includes a website address with links to museums and archaeological sites open to the public, where visitors can learn and experience more about Florida's lost tribes. This arresting journey back through time will be welcomed by general readers and everyone interested in Florida's past.
Florida's Pioneer Naturalist: The Life of Charles Torrey Simpson by
"Elizabeth Rothra's excellent biography of Charles Torrey Simpson restates his philosophies about the intrinsic value of natural ecosystems like the Everglades. No one knew better than he the history of the plants and animals of South Florida or conveyed it with more humor and enthusiasm."--Marjory Stoneman Douglas "Absorbing, informative, and useful. . . . Simpson is the primary source of information for all scholars wishing to learn about ecological conditions in south Florida at the turn of the century."--Larry D. Harris, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida "A needed, timely contribution to scholarship in the form of a very enjoyable, readable volume. . . . Much of the natural wealth enjoyed by our citizens today is due to the early efforts of pioneer naturalists such as Charles Torrey Simpson, working in a 'labor of love' nearly a century ago."--David H. Stansbery, Curator of Bivalve Mollusks, Museum of Zoology, Ohio State University Charles Torrey Simpson (1846-1932) settled in south Florida in 1902, a time when the vast expanse of islands and marshes that comprise the Everglades teemed with panthers, crocodiles, and great flocks of flamingos, egrets, ibis, herons, and wood storks. Simpson devoted his remaining 30 years to interpreting the subtropical plants and animals he found, becoming the environmental spokesman to the droves of settlers and tourists who invaded and developed the Sunshine State in the 1920s. In this first full-length biography, illustrated with 34 photographs, Simpson takes his place in the galaxy of nature writers that includes his contemporaries John Muir and John Burroughs. Through his popular books, Simpson acquainted readers with a unique North American ecosystem. HisOrnamental Gardening, the first comprehensive guide to Florida's tropical plants, changed the way people landscaped their homes. He advocated the formation of a national park in the Everglades, encouraged the growth of Florida garden clubs, and wrote about his experience in the hurricane of 1926 in both personal and scientific terms. An early investigator of the endangered Florida tree snail, Liguus fasciatus, Simpson explored more than 300 hammocks in pursuit of snails, tramping through woods and wading into streams until he was well past 70. "I cannot resist the call and must respond when I hear it," he wrote. "There's nothing like getting out after specimens to make a fellow feel he's really living." Among malacologists Simpson is noted as the classifier of the pearly freshwater mussels, and his Catalogue, compiled when he worked at the Smithsonian Institution, is a major reference. Though he was well known during his lifetime, little has been written about Simpson's formative years. Using letters, family histories, and Simpson's own writings, Elizabeth Rothra describes his development from a country boy to a distinguished authority on tropical horticulture and natural history, following him on field trips throughout the wilderness of Florida that existed almost 100 years ago. Elizabeth Ogren Rothra compiled and edited a biography and anthology of the writings of Florida environmentalist John C. Gifford, On Preserving Tropical Florida, and has published freelance articles in magazines and newspapers. She has worked for Prentice-Hall Books and Radio Free Europe and was publicity director of the Chautauqua Institution in New York state. A resident of south Florida for more than twenty years, she now divides her time between Florida and southwestern New York state, where she is an active participant in the Jamestown Audubon Society.
Green Empire: The St. Joe Company and the Remaking of Florida's Panhandle
Since the Great Depression, the St. Joe Company (formerly the St. Joe Paper Company) has been Florida's largest landowner, a forestry and transportation conglomerate that owns nearly one million acres, mainly in northwestern Florida, where undeveloped coastal and riverside landscapes boast some of the state's most scenic and ecologically diverse areas. For 60 years, the company focused on lumber and paper production. In the late 1990s, the company shifted directions: it sold its paper mill, changed its name, and launched a concerted drive to turn its natural-resource assets into greater profits. Today the St. Joe Company is a critical and fiscally powerful force in the real-estate development of northwest Florida, with access to the most influential people in government. Based on hundreds of sources, this factual and balanced history describes the St. Joe Company from the days of its founders to the workings and dealings of its present-day heirs. For anyone concerned with land use and growth management, particularly those with an interest in Florida's fragile wildlife and natural resources, ""Green Empire"" will illuminate the issues surrounding the relationship between one of the most ambitious players in Florida's real-estate market and the state's last frontier.
Journal of Light: The Visual Diary of a Florida Nature Photographer by
In wonder and gratitude, prize-winning photographer John Moran travels the Sunshine State with his cameras, seeking his vision of natural Florida as it must have appeared to Ponce de Leon and other early strangers in paradise. This remarkable collection of images and essays celebrates the magic of a landscape born of water, he writes, and ""blessed with beauty beyond measure."" The book caps Moran's 20-year odyssey to discover the soul of one of the most photographed states in the country. Still, he says, for a photographer who works on the road, he doesn't get around very much. The outer limits of his travels ordinarily are defined by places close to home, with names like Live Oak, Cedar Key, and Micanopy. Working mostly in north and central Florida, Moran says his pictures consecrate a region ""steeped in black-water swamps and rivers, populated by egrets and alligators."" Keenly aware that much of the state's wilderness has all but vanished, his pictures sometimes only suggest the illusion of unspoiled nature. ""I can't tell you how often I've had to recompose my pictures to eliminate a beer can or a bed mattress or worse in the woods,"" he writes. At times, he's made his best pictures literally within sight of his car, ""aware of my own impact on the land, mindful of the myth of untainted nature that I promote with my camera."" He's also worked in unconventional situations, lying inside a home-made PVC pipe-and-burlap blind to photograph dancing sandhill cranes and perching inside a bucket truck 50 feet aboveground to photograph nesting ospreys. The companion essays reflect Moran's philosophy about both nature and photography, and they weave together personal narrative, natural history, and photo-technical instruction. They include commentary about the actual moment he snapped each picture, factual information about the place, and sometimes a historical perspective on the setting by such well-known writers and naturalists as William Bartram and Archie Carr. Moran emphasizes ""making"" pictures as opposed to casually taking them, and writes that his job can't be done without a plan and a specific set of tools and materials. But, he says, his job ""isn't always about the picture, it's about the experience of just being there, chasing the light; alive and awake and aware."" And he recalls some of the best advice he ever received: before you focus your camera, first focus yourself.
Miami Then and Now by
A look at the history of Miami, with stunning modern and historic photography and captions describing the development of this famous town. Part of the highly successful "Then & Now" series, this book looks at the changes in this attractive city.
Michael Gannon's History of Florida in Forty Minutes by
In this creative and engaging project, the author of the widely popular ""Florida: A Short History"" offers a brief, stirring invitation to the state's history in both audio and print formats. Gannon, a longtime researcher and teacher, packs thousands of years of history and change into a concise, authoritative 40-minute cruise through Florida's centuries. Spanning millennia from Florida's earliest inhabitants to the 2004-2005 hurricane seasons, Gannon highlights ten watershed periods in the state's history. The first four of those periods, covering nearly 12,000 years, were shaped by the original inhabitants followed by Spanish settlers and missionaries, British colonists, the Spanish restoration, and American territorial populations. Political and social strife dominated the next two periods, early statehood, Civil War, and Reconstruction. The final four periods comprise the Flagler era; the land boom; the Second World War; and finally, the age of air conditioning, mosquito control, and VA home loans. Gannon recalls the people, places, and key events shaping the longest recorded history of any of the American states. Presented in a personable, conversational style for all readers and listeners, ""Florida in Forty Minutes"" is entertaining history, suitable for educational use or as a gift for anyone who loves Florida history.
Solar United Neighbors of Florida
Coalition of Immokalee Workers
To find more community organizations, see iCED's list of community partners.
Paradise Lost? The Environmental History of Florida by
"From the earliest descriptions of the state's natural beauty to the degradation of the Everglades, virtually every facet of Florida environment is included in Paradise Lost? Nor have the authors neglected the human side of the story, from William Bartram, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and Archie Carr to various development boosters and bureaucrats. . . . A fine collection that will make an important contribution to environmental history generally and to the history of Florida in particular."--Timothy Silver, Appalachian State University "A magnificent contribution to Florida's environmental history and a fascinating analysis of 'paradise lost' in the land of the pink flamingos and Disney."--Carolyn Johnston, Eckerd College This collection of essays surveys the environmental history of the Sunshine State, from Spanish exploration to the present, and provides an organized, detailed overview of the reciprocal relationship between humans and Florida's unique peninsular ecology. It is divided into four thematic sections: explorers and naturalists; science, technology, and public policy; despoliation; and conservationists and environmentalists. The contributors describe the evolving environmental policies and practices of the state and federal governments and the dynamic interaction between the Florida environment and many social and cultural groups including the Spanish, English, Americans, southerners, northerners, men, and women. They have applied historical methodology and also drawn on the methodologies of the fields of political science, cultural anthropology, and sociology. Of obvious value to environmentalists and general readers interested in Florida's history, exploration, and development, the book will also serve as a solid introduction to the subject for undergraduates and graduate students.
River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida's St. Johns River by
First explored by naturalist William Bartram in the 1760s, the St. Johns River stretches 310 miles along Florida's east coast, making it the longest river in the state. The first "highway" through the once wild interior of Florida, the St. Johns may appear ordinary, but within its banks are some of the most fascinating natural phenomena and historic mysteries in the state. The river, no longer the commercial resource it once was, is now largely ignored by Florida's residents and visitors alike. In the first contemporary book about this American Heritage River, Bill Belleville describes his journey down the length of the St. Johns, kayaking, boating, hiking its riverbanks, diving its springs, and exploring its underwater caves. He rediscovers the natural Florida and establishes his connection with a place once loved for its untamed beauty. Belleville involves scientists, environmentalists, fishermen, cave divers, and folk historians in his journey, soliciting their companionship and their expertise. River of Lakes weaves together the biological, cultural, anthropological, archaeological, and ecological aspects of the St. Johns, capturing the essence of its remarkable history and intrinsic value as a natural wonder.
Some Kind of Paradise: A Chronicle of Man and the Land in Florida by
"The history of Florida is the story of North America in miniature. By telling it with such eloquence and learning in 'Some Kind of Paradise,' Mr. Derr has revealed the dark side of the historian Frederick Jackson Turner's famous hypothesis: our national character was indeed shaped by the frontier. . . . [Derr] writes with a journalist's eye for telling details and an antiquarian's fondness for digression and quirky facts. . . . The state's tortuous journey from one extreme to the other is [his] subject, and he tackles it with brilliance and bravado."?New York Times Book Review For 500 years, visitors to Florida have discovered magic. In Some Kind of Paradise, an eloquent social and environmental history of the state, Mark Derr describes how this exotic land is fast becoming a victim of its own allure. He begins by examining the period between Reconstruction and the Great Depression, when wealthy capitalists led by Henry Flagler and Henry Plant opened the peninsula to a flood of development by building railroads and luxury hotels. Turning to the distant past, he describes the geologic origins of the state and early fossil finds. From archaeological data, he stitches together a portrait of the first human inhabitants and their distinct cultures, then follows the thread of time to the "discovery" of Florida in 1513 by Juan Ponce de León, the fall of the indigenous people to European diseases and weapons, and the pattern of conquest and racial violence that continued into the 19th century as white Americans waged a campaign against the Seminole Indians. Derr keeps his gaze on the land and its people?wreckers and spongers in Key West, cowmen on the "palmetto prairie," speculators and builders from Miami Beach to Seaside, Cuban cigar makers who rolled tobacco while listening to readings from Shakespeare and Marx, and migrant fruit pickers, convict laborers, and the idle rich?the range of dreamers and schemers who have struggled to remake this abundant, fragile wonderland. Written with both tenderness and alarm, Derr's book presents their competing views of Florida: a paradise to be protected and nurtured or a frontier to be exploited and conquered.
The Calusa and Their Legacy: South Florida People and Their Environments by
This history, rich with photographs and colorful drawings of the remarkable Calusa Indians who controlled all of south Florida when Europeans first arrived in the New World, presents a vivid picture of the luxurious natural environment that sustained the Calusa - the teeming estuaries along Florida's coasts, which have supported people for thousands of years. The Calusa were the last native Florida Indian people to succumb to colonization, but by the mid-1700s they had disappeared entirely. This book describes the artifacts they left behind and the plants and animals that inhabited the landscape and the underwater world of their ecosystem. It also discusses their traditions that survive to the present day among modern fisherfolk and the vibrant culture of Native Americans in south Florida - the Seminole and Miccosukee peoples. The Calusa and Their Legacy will inspire readers to value south Florida's multicultural history and ecology. It is written for a broad audience of all ages (from elementary schoolers to senior citizens) and all educational levels. It will be enjoyed by environmentalists, eco/heritage tourists, and everyone interested in understanding a sense of place in the natural world. The book's dramatic and authentic illustrations of Calusa life were created by artists working at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, where a major permanent exhibition has interpreted this story since 2002.
The Creek by
"I had met only two or three of the neighboring Crackers when I realized that isolation had done something to these people. . . .They have a primal quality against their background of jungle hammock, moss-hung against the tremendous silence of the scrub country. The only ingredients of their lives are the elemental things."--Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, March 1930, in a letter to Alfred S. Dashiell of Scribner's Magazine Except for one extended black family and "one writer from up north," folks from Cross Creek were ornery, independent Crackers, J. T. Glisson writes in this memoir of growing up in the backwoods of north-central Florida. The time spanned the late twenties to the early fifties, and isolation and an abundance of mosquitoes and snakes were their claim to fame. The writer was Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. In her 25 years at the Creek, Miz Rawlings was regarded as "That Woman"--warm, high-strung, and simply eccentric. She drove recklessly, smoked in public, and had "black spells." A Pulitzer Prize did little to change her status. In Cross Creek everyone had space to be a character and every character had a title: the meanest, laziest, most pregnant, or best cat fisherman. Describing day-to-day life in unaffected prose, Glisson's portraits include Charley, the fisherman who did his banking in a Prince Albert tobacco can nailed to a tree; Bernie Bass, who spoke "perfect Florida Cracker without polish"; Old Blue, young Jake Glisson's nuisance hog; Aunt Martha Mickens, the matriarch of all the blacks at the Creek (including Henry, the first critic to pass judgment on Jake's drawings); and especially Jake's father, Tom, the man whose wisdom, boundless optimism, and colorful speech figure prominently in Rawlings's Cross Creek. (Of his famous neighbor, Tom once commented that "when she gets her tail up above her head, her brain don't work.") Glisson's own finely detailed pencil and pen-and-ink drawings illustrate these vignettes, and he explains that the idea of earning his living as an artist first came to him when he saw Rawlings's books illustrated with such vivid pictures that he could smell the sawgrass, sweat, and gunpowder of the Creek. No wonder: One edition of The Yearling--the story of a deer and a boy Jake's own age--was illustrated by N. C. Wyeth, who visited Cross Creek and chatted about drawing ("it's a matter of seeing and practice") while eleven-year-old Jake watched him sketch. Tom Glisson died while his son was enrolled in art school in Sarasota; three years later Miz Rawlings died, and an era ended. Today J. T. Glisson lives four and a half miles from the house where he grew up. When there's a breeze from the south, he writes, he sits on his porch and listens to the soft rustling of palmetto fronds, almost embarrassed by the beauty of his memories. J. T. Glisson has been an illustrator, publisher, and businessman
The Wild Heart of Florida: Florida Writers on Florida's Wildlands by
Eighteen of Florida's best-loved writers here share with you their affection for Florida's wild side--the beautiful heart of a state under siege from development. nbsp;Carl Hiaasen, Randy Wayne White, Al Burt, Patrick Smith, the late Archie Carr, and others evoke a Florida thick with pinewoods, alligators, and palmetto scrub; ribboned by miles of coast and dune; blessed with backcountry lakes, rivers, creeks, and springs. Strip malls and concrete cannot tame this wild Florida, but they can kill it. These essays offer passionate argument why that should not be allowed to happen. nbsp;Coming from a variety of backgrounds--fiction, journalism, poetry, and environmental writing--the writers turn their talent to one thing they have in common--a love for Florida's natural beauty and a commitment to preserve it. Their essays--some old favorites, most appearing here for the first time--are both a celebration and a pointed reminder of what we stand to lose. Many of the areas singled out (the Lake Wales Ridge, the Panhandle's Topsail Hill, Goethe State Forest, and Tampa's Brooker Creek) were purchased through Florida's Preservation 2000, one of the nation's foremost land acquisition programs. All royalties from the book are being donated to the Florida chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Printed on recycled paper with soy ink. Jeff Ripple, natural history writer and photographer, is the author of five books of interpretive natural history, including Sea Turtles, Florida--The Natural Wonders, and Southwest Florida's Wetland Wilderness: Big Cypress Swamp and the Ten Thousand Islands (UPF, 1996). He lives in Gainesville, Florida. Susan Cerulean, writer and biologist, is co-author of Florida Wildlife Viewing Guide. In 1997, the Governor's Council for a Sustainable Florida honored her with an Individual Environmental Educator Award. She lives in Tallahassee, Florida.
Totch: A Life in the Everglades by
"Totch Brown's memoirs of vanished days in the Ten Thousand Islands and the Everglades--the last real frontier in Florida, and even today the greatest roadless wilderness in the United States--are invaluable as well as vivid and entertaining, for Totch is a natural-born story-teller, and his accounts of fishing and gator hunting as well as his life beyond the law as gator poacher and drug runner are evocative and colorful, fresh and exciting."--from the foreword by Peter Matthiessen In the mysterious wilderness of swamps, marshes, and rivers that conceals life in the Florida Everglades, Totch Brown hung up his career as alligator hunter and commercial fisherman to become a self-confessed pot smuggler. Before the marijuana money rolled in, he survived excruciating poverty in one of the most primitive and beautiful spots on earth, Chokoloskee Island, in the mangrove keys known as the Ten Thousand Islands located at the western gateway to the Everglades National Park. Until he wrote this memoir--recollections from his childhood in the twenties that merge with reflections on a way of life dying at the hands of progress in the nineties--Totch had never read a book in his life. Still, his writing conveys the tension he experienced from trying to live off the land and within the laws of the land. Told with energy and authenticity, his story begins with the handful of souls who came to the area a hundred years ago to homestead on the high ground formed from oyster mounds built and left by the Calusa Indians. They lived close to nature in shacks built of tin or palmetto fans; they ate wild meat, Chokoloskee chicken (white ibis), swamp cabbage, even--when they were desperate--manatee; and they weathered all manner of natural disaster from hurricanes to swarms of "swamp angels" (mosquitoes). In his grandpa's day, Totch writes, outlaws and cutthroats would "shoot a man down just as quick as they'd knock down an egret, especially if he came between them and the plume birds." His grandparents were both contemporaries of Ed J. Watson, the subject of Peter Matthiessen's best-selling Killing Mr. Watson, and Totch is featured in the recent award-winning PBS film Lost Man's River: An Everglades Adventure with Peter Matthiessen. He also appeared in Wind Across the Everglades, the 1957 Budd Schulberg movie in which Totch and Burl Ives sing some of Totch's Florida cracker songs. Loren G. "Totch" Brown was born in Chokoloskee, Florida, in 1920. After purchasing his first motorboat at the age of thirteen (and retiring from formal schooling after the seventh grade) he worked as an alligator hunter, commercial fisherman, crabber, professional guide, poacher, marijuana runner, singer, and songwriter.
Trembling Earth: A Cultural History of the Okefenokee Swamp by
This innovative history of the Okefenokee Swamp reveals it as a place where harsh realities clashed with optimism, shaping the borderland culture of southern Georgia and northern Florida for over two hundred years. From the formation of the Georgia colony in 1732 to the end of the Great Depression, the Okefenokee Swamp was a site of conflict between divergent local communities. Coining the term "ecolocalism” to describe how local cultures form out of ecosystems and in relation to other communities, Megan Kate Nelson offers a new view of the Okefenokee, its inhabitants, and its rich and telling record of thwarted ambitions, unintended consequences, and unresolved questions. The Okefenokee is simultaneously terrestrial and aquatic, beautiful and terrifying, fertile and barren. This peculiar ecology created discord as human groups attempted to overlay firm lines of race, gender, and class on an area of inherent ambiguity and blurred margins. Rice planters, slaves, fugitive slaves, Seminoles, surveyors, timber barons, Swampers, and scientists came to the swamp with dreams of wealth, freedom, and status that conflicted in varied and complex ways. Ecolocalism emerged out of these conflicts between communities within the Okefenokee and other borderland swamps. Nelson narrates the fluctuations, disconnections, and confrontations embedded in the muck of the swamp and the mire of its disorderly history, and she reminds us that it is out of such places of intermingling and uncertainty that cultures are forged.
UnspOILed: Writers Speak for Florida's Coast
A Birder's Guide to Florida by 
A Field Guide to Shells by
All the information needed to collect and study shells is included in this comprehensive book, which provides the geographical range and habitat for and a detailed description of each of 800 species. Color plates show 780 species, including live animals, and 115 drawings show both animals and their shells.
Coming to Miami: A Social History by
Miami is the fifth largest urban area in the United States, yet it is a city barely one hundred years old. Originally a small southern town, its population and character have been transformed by successive waves of immigrants.Beginning with the West Indian and Jewish populations who arrived shortly after the city's founding through the Bahamian, Cuban, Haitian, and other Latino groups who immigrated en masse in the second half of the century, Melanie Shell-Weiss skillfully interweaves the experiences of Miami's diverse communities into a compelling whole. She not only examines issues of gender, race, and cultural identity but also pays close attention to labor, economics, and working-class organization and activism, all of which played a role in shaping and reshaping the city into America's premier polyglot.From pineapple groves to Cuban exiles to South Beach night-clubs, this impeccably researched and lucidly written book reveals much about the Magic City's multicultural diversity.
Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southern Florida by
Nigel Foster leads kayakers on 40 trips, with many additional route alternatives, in the wildlife-rich marine habitats of southern Florida. Features thorough descriptions of the routes, including prominent landmarks and points of special interest; detaile
National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida by
The most comprehensive field guide available to the flora and fauna of Florida--a portable, essential companion for visitors and residents alike--from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers. This compact volume contains: An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the state's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more; A complete overview of Florida's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky; An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others. The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.
Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife by
Simple steps to bring birds and other wildlife into your yard "Native plant enthusiasts wishing to increase wildlife in their home landscapes will find this book filled with valuable information."--Richard P. Wunderlin, author of Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida "Huegel has combined personal passion with extensive experience in this well-written, easy-to-use guide for transforming our gardens into havens for wildlife. Conversational, entertaining, and helpful, no native plant enthusiast should be without it."--Gil Nelson, author ofFlorida's Best Native Landscape Plants Floridians share their state with a wide and unique array of wildlife. Unfortunately, commercially developed subdivisions and landscapes often do not provide welcoming habitats for the majority of the native fauna. Attract wildlife back to your yard with this clear, practical guide. Ecologist and consultant Craig Huegel draws on his considerable experience as both a gardener and a professional wildlife biologist to explain how anyone can easily create an attractive landscape plan that is also an inviting habitat for wild animals. He provides specific information on the wildlife value of approximately 150 native trees and shrubs and gives clear and precise direction on incorporating each into your garden. Featuring nearly 200 brilliant color photos, Huegel's guide will help you to identify and select the plants you need--no matter where you live in Florida. Whether you want to invite birds, deer, rabbits, frogs, turtles, or foxes, transforming your yard into a sustainable, wildlife-friendly environment won't require difficult or dramatic changes. Pick up this handy and inspiring book today and discover how easy it is to redevelop any landscape into an attractive habitat for wildlife.
Native Wildflowers and Other Ground Covers for Florida Landscapes by
Florida gardens and lawns are full of flowering plants and turfgrass, most commonly exotic species. Recently, however, statewide water restrictions and a rekindling of environmental awareness have increased interest in native plants, which are better adapted to the local climate and require less maintenance. In this engaging and authoritative guide, ecologist and avid gardener Craig Huegel offers valuable information to anyone interested in integrating native ground covers into an outdoor space. As many of the plants featured in this book are not frequently or adequately discussed elsewhere, Native Wildflowers and Other Ground Covers for Florida Landscapes is a singular resource for homeowners and commercial growers alike. Brilliantly illustrated with nearly 300 color photos, this handy book provides clear instructions on how to garden with more than 17 native ferns, 17 native grasses, and 175 wildflowers--all commercially available plants that work well together in the landscape. If you're interested in adding these beautiful, diverse plants to your garden or yard, pick up Craig Huegel's latest book and start planning your native plant landscape today.
Salvaging the Real Florida by
Modern life has a tendency to trap people in cubicles, cars, and cookie-cutter suburbs. Thankfully, someone comes along now and then to remind us of the beauty that presents itself when we turn off the information feeds and turn away from the daily grind. Bill Belleville's enchanting Salvaging the Real Florida invites readers to rediscover treasures hidden in plain sight. Join Belleville as he paddles a glowing lagoon, slogs through a swamp, explores a spring cave, dives a ""literary"" shipwreck, and pays a visit to the colourful historic district of an old riverboat town. Journey with him in search of the apple snail, the black bear, a rare cave-dwelling shrimp, and more. Everywhere he goes, Belleville finds beauty, intrigue, and, more often than not, a legacy in peril. Following in the tradition of John Muir, William Bartram, and Henry David Thoreau, Belleville forges intimate connections with his surroundings. Like the works of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Archie Carr, his evocative stories carry an urgent and important call to preserve what is left of the natural world.
Snakes of the Southeast by
Fifty-two kinds of snakes can be found in the Southeast, almost half of all species native to North America. Filled with more than 300 color photographs and written by two of the region's most renowned herpetologists, this is the most comprehensive educational guide to the snakes of the Southeast. At the heart of the guide are its heavily illustrated, fact-filled descriptions of each species and its habitat. Also included is a wealth of general information about the importance of snake conservation and the biology, diversity, and life cycles of snakes. Useful information about the interactions of humans and snakes is also covered: species that are likely to be found near houses, snakes as pets, what to do in case of a snake bite, and more. Clearly written, cleanly designed, and fun to use, the guide will promote a better understanding of the habitat needs of, and environmental challenges to, this fascinating group of animals.
StormScaping by
"StormScaping" is a guide to landscaping to minimize wind damage in Florida. The weather experts predict more hurricanes than normal until 2025. Since vegetation damage is one of the biggest hurricane problems, this weather change demands a change in landscaping techniques. This book is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide that gives step by step instructions that may save your garden, and maybe even your home, in the next hurricane.
The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts: Florida Theme Issue by
What is Florida? Where does its image come from, and what is involved in the selling of that image? The myths and realities of Florida unfold in these 17 essays documenting the history and culture of the Sunshine State from 1875 to 1945. Since the time of Ponce de Leon, who sought the fountain of youth there, explorers, entrepreneurs, inventors, and visionaries have viewed Florida as a place where dreams come true.
Turtles of the Southeast by
Seventy-five percent of the turtle species in the United States can be found in the Southeast. In fact, the region is second only to parts of Asia in its number of native turtles. Filled with more than two hundred color photographs and written with a special focus on conservation, this guide covers forty-five species of this nonthreatening, ancient lineage of long-lived reptiles. Heavily illustrated, fact-filled descriptions of each species and its habitat comprise the heart of the book. Species accounts cover such information as descriptions of adults and hatchlings; key identifiers including size, distinctive characters and markings; land, river, pond, and wetland habitats; behaviors and activities; food and diet; reproduction; predators and defense; and conservation issues. Also included is a wealth of general information about the importance of turtle conservation and the biology, diversity, and life history of turtles. Discussed are distinguishing turtle characteristics; differences among turtles, tortoises, and terrapins; shell structure and architecture; reproduction and longevity; turtle predators and defense mechanisms; and turtle activities such as basking, hibernation, aestivation, and seasonal movement. Useful information about the interactions of humans and turtles is also covered: species that are likely to be commonly encountered, turtles as pets, and more. Clearly written, cleanly designed, and fun to use, the guide will promote a better understanding of the habitat needs of, and environmental challenges to, this fascinating group of animals. Features:In-depth descriptions of the forty-two native speciesConservation-oriented approachMore than two hundred color photographsNearly forty distribution mapsClear descriptions of each species, including differences in the appearance of young and mature turtles"Did You Know?" sidebars of interesting turtle factsSize charts; key identifiers; and information about habitat, behavior and activity, food and feeding, reproduction, predators and defense, and conservation
Exploring Florida by 
A River in Flood and Other Florida Stories by
About Nine Florida Stories by Marjory Stoneman Douglas: "Written as entertainment for a mass market . . . crammed with colorful characters, vivid incidents and palpable atmosphere. . . . A reminder of a Florida gone by or fast disappearing."--Orlando Sentinel "Reflects the same concerns found in her better-known non-fiction work--a fascination with the beauty of Florida and a warning against its imminent destruction."--Tallahassee Democrat In the pantheon of Florida writers, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890-1998) is cherished as the grande dame. Famous as the author of The Everglades: River of Grass, prolific as a writer, and passionate as an environmental crusader for almost a century, she became the nation's best link to a remarkable era in Florida history. The timeless themes of her stories in this new collection resonate with interest for readers today. Whether the subject is hurricanes, cockfighting, real estate deals, struggling immigrants, or corruption in the Everglades, Douglas wrote about it with distinction--and usually first. Originally published in the Saturday Evening Post during the 1920s and 1930s, the golden age of the short story, these nine works have never before been collected or available in one place. Kevin M. McCarthy, who edited the companion volume, Nine Florida Stories by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, offers an introduction to each story, explaining its significance, setting, unusual references, place in Douglas's works, and significance to the history of South Florida. The stories: "At Home on the Marcel Waves" "Solid Mahogany" "Goodness Gracious, Agnes" "A River in Flood" "The Mayor of Flamingo" "Stepmother" "You Got to Go, But You Don't Have to Come Back" "High-Goal Man" "Wind Before Morning"
The Wild Heart of Florida: Florida Writers on Florida's Wildlands by
Eighteen of Florida's best-loved writers here share with you their affection for Florida's wild side--the beautiful heart of a state under siege from development. nbsp;Carl Hiaasen, Randy Wayne White, Al Burt, Patrick Smith, the late Archie Carr, and others evoke a Florida thick with pinewoods, alligators, and palmetto scrub; ribboned by miles of coast and dune; blessed with backcountry lakes, rivers, creeks, and springs. Strip malls and concrete cannot tame this wild Florida, but they can kill it. These essays offer passionate argument why that should not be allowed to happen. nbsp;Coming from a variety of backgrounds--fiction, journalism, poetry, and environmental writing--the writers turn their talent to one thing they have in common--a love for Florida's natural beauty and a commitment to preserve it. Their essays--some old favorites, most appearing here for the first time--are both a celebration and a pointed reminder of what we stand to lose. Many of the areas singled out (the Lake Wales Ridge, the Panhandle's Topsail Hill, Goethe State Forest, and Tampa's Brooker Creek) were purchased through Florida's Preservation 2000, one of the nation's foremost land acquisition programs. All royalties from the book are being donated to the Florida chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Printed on recycled paper with soy ink. Jeff Ripple, natural history writer and photographer, is the author of five books of interpretive natural history, including Sea Turtles, Florida--The Natural Wonders, and Southwest Florida's Wetland Wilderness: Big Cypress Swamp and the Ten Thousand Islands (UPF, 1996). He lives in Gainesville, Florida. Susan Cerulean, writer and biologist, is co-author of Florida Wildlife Viewing Guide. In 1997, the Governor's Council for a Sustainable Florida honored her with an Individual Environmental Educator Award. She lives in Tallahassee, Florida.
