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Florida/local
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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.
For everyone who lives or spends time in Florida, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida."
Although several people had considered constructing a railroad to Key West beginning in the early 1800s, it took a bold industrialist with unparalleled vision to make it happen.
In 1902, Henry Flagler made the decision to extend the Florida East Coast Railway to "the nearest deepwater American port." In this book, renowned Florida historian Seth H. Bramson reveals how the Key West Extension of the Flagler-owned FEC became the greatest railroad engineering and construction feat in U.S., and possibly world, history, an accomplishment that would cement Flagler's fame and legend for all time. Join Bramson as he recounts the years of operation of this great railroad, what it did for the Florida Keys and what it meant to the resident conchs.
This guide to sites in the Tampa Bay Region, presents the sites in historical/chronological order: from pre-Columbian Native American cultures, through Spanish exploration, American settlement, Seminole Wars, the Civil War, growth with railroads, cigars, and sponges, through the Spanish American War and major developments of the 20th and early 21st centuries.
The creation of Sarasota County in 1921 inspired intrigue and drama, pitting local economic rivals against one another.
The civic leaders of the Sarasota district fought what they saw as an incompetent and biased Manatee County Commiss
Silver Medal Florida Book Awards NonfictionIn the early 20th century, Bertha Palmer was one of the best-known and wealthiest women in America. She was an art collector, women's rights advocate, businesswoman, owner of Chicago's Palmer House Hotel, and had elegant homes in Chicago, Paris, and London. In 1910 she traveled to the small and rough settlement called Sarasota on the west coast of Florida. For some reason, she decided to spend much of each year for the rest of her life on one of America's last frontiers, investing in cattle and farming, creating communities out of marshlands, pine forests, and tropical jungles. The society queen and social reform advocate excelled as a frontier entrepreneur, just as she had in every other endeavor in her life. She managed to make a good deal of money and to change Sarasota forever.
While dozens of studies and field guides have been written, few provide a better-rounded overview of the denizens of the sky than Frank Michler Chapman's Bird Life. First published in 1897, over a century later Bird Life stills provides insightful observations about dozens of species of birds native to North America.
A pioneer in the study of natural history and ornithology, Frank Chapman writes with scientific prowess and an expert's eye in regards to bird anatomy, migratory patterns, mating habits, and habitat choice. Describing species from across the continent, Bird Life is a true testament to one of the nation's most beloved creatures.
Discovered during construction of the I-75 corridor northeast of Tampa, the site of Harney Flats was a turning point in the archaeology of the southeastern United States. Beneath evidence of human settlement from the Middle Archaic period, researchers unearthed Paleoindian stone tools--representing a rare example of a stratified site in the Southeast with a Paleoindian occupation. The expansive excavations at Harney Flats demonstrated that significant land-based sites of early human settlement exist in Florida and are worth exploring.
Harney Flats describes the excavation, which was praised for its state-of-the-art strategy and interpretive methods despite its sandy environment, and details the objects uncovered--projectile points, scrapers, adzes--and what they reveal about the lives of the people who used them. Including an update on relevant research since its first publication, this volume is the definitive account of a critical finding in the study of early human history.
A volume in the Florida Museum of Natural History: Ripley P. Bullen Series
The Florida night sky is a source of fascination, inspiration, and enjoyment. Whether your aim is a casual appreciation of the heavens or a serious study of astronomy, The Florida Night Sky will get you started on a rewarding journey of cosmic discovery, beginning with how the known universe is organized and where Florida fits into the picture. Every place on earth has its own singular view of the stars and Florida is no different. Theres an enviable openness to the Florida landscape and flat horizon, allowing for a broader view of the sky in all directions. The warm, snowless winter nights, with their long periods of darkness, are ideal for stargazing, and Florida's position near the tropics offers a view of the four stars in the Southern Cross in the spring and early summer. The two coasts offer stunning views of the sun rising and setting in the water--watch for the Green Flash as the sun finally drops into the ocean on the Gulf Coast.
An ideal starting point for those who want to learn about the Florida night sky and enjoy its treasures, this book also serves as a helpful reference for serious amateur astronomers. Step outside, look up, and get acquainted with the Florida night. The rewards will surprise and delight you.
True to its name, this Orlando travel guide covers all the city's major sights and attractions in easy-to-use top 10 lists that help you plan the vacation that's right for you.
This newly updated pocket travel guide for Orlando will lead you straight to the best attractions this city has to offer, from theme parks, shopping, nightlife, and restaurants.
Expert travel writers have fully revised this edition of DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Top 10 Orlando.
- Brand-new itineraries help you plan your trip to Orlando.- Expanded and far more comprehensive, new laminated pull-out map now includes color-coded design, public transportation maps, and street indexes to make it even easier to use.
- Maps of walking routes show you the best ways to maximize your time.
- New Top 10 lists feature off-the-beaten-track ideas, along with standbys like the top attractions, shopping, dining options, and more.
- Additional maps marked with sights from the guidebook are shown on inside cover flaps, with selected street index and metro map.
- New typography and fresh layout throughout.
You'll still find DK's famous full-color photography and museum floor plans, along with just the right amount of coverage of history and culture. A free pull-out map is marked with sights from the guidebook and includes a street index and a metro map.
The perfect pocket-size travel companion: DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Top 10 Orlando.
Series Overview: DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Top 10 are handy travel guides that take the work out of planning a trip. Packed with amazing ideas, informative maps, insider tips, and useful advice, DK's Top 10 guides lead you to the very best your destination has to offer. The pocket size make these the perfect guide to take on vacation. Discover the history, art, architecture, and culture of your destination through Top 10 lists, from the best museums, bars, and sights to the places to avoid. Visit TravelDK.com to learn more.
- the best spots to eat, drink, shop, and stay
- detailed maps and walks that make navigating the country easy
- easy-to-follow itineraries
- expert advice: get ready, get around, and stay safe
- color-coded chapters to every part of Florida, from the Gold Coast to the Gulf Coast, Orlando to the Keys
- our new lightweight format, so you can take your guide with you wherever you go Want the best of Miami in your pocket? Try our DK Eyewitness Top 10 Miami and the Keys.
The world's best theme parks, luxurious hotels and resorts, award-winning restaurants, trendy bars and stunning nature parks and reserves - Orlando truly is a place to have fun. Your DK Eyewitness Top 10 travel guide ensures you'll find your way around Orlando with absolute ease.
Our newly updated Top 10 travel guide breaks down the best of Orlando into helpful lists of ten - from our own selected highlights to the best museums and galleries, places to eat, shops and festivals. You'll discover: - Five easy-to-follow itineraries, perfect for a day-trip, a weekend, or a week- Detailed Top 10 lists of Orlando's must-sees, including detailed descriptions of Magic Kingdom(R) Park, Epcot(R), Disney's Hollywood Studios(R), Disney's Animal Kingdom(R) Park, Universal Studios FloridaTM, Universal's Islands of AdventureTM, the Wizarding World of Harry PotterTM, LEGOLAND(R), Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
- Orlando's most interesting areas, with the best places for shopping, going out and sightseeing
- Inspiration for different things to enjoy during your trip - including children's attractions, things to do for free and day trips outside of Orlando
- A laminated pull-out map of Orlando, plus five color area maps
- Streetsmart advice get ready, get around, and stay safe
- A lightweight format perfect for your pocket or bag when you're on the move DK Eyewitness Top 10s have been helping travelers to make the most of their breaks since 2002. Planning a bigger adventure? Try our DK Eyewitness Florida or DK Eyewitness USA.
Images of America: Sarasota County Islands and Beaches explores the history of the area and its pioneers, developers, and residents.
Sarasota County's island and beach communities, including Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Casey Key, Venice,
Formed seemingly out of steel, glass, and concrete, with millions of residents from around the globe, Miami has ancient roots that can be hard to imagine today. Before the Pioneers takes readers back through forgotten eras to the stories of the people who shaped the land along the Miami River long before most modern histories of the city begin.
Andrew Frank begins the chronicle of the Magic City's long history 4,000 years ago when Tequesta Indians settled at the mouth of the river, erecting burial mounds, ceremonial centers, and villages. They created a network of constructed and natural waterways through the Everglades and trade routes to the distant Calusa on the west coast. Centuries later, the area became a stopover for Spanish colonists on their way to Havana, a haven where they could shelter from storms and obtain freshwater, lumber, and other supplies. Frank brings to life the vibrant colonies of fugitives and seafarers that formed on the shores of Biscayne Bay in the eighteenth century. He tells of the emergence of the tropical fruit plantations and the accompanying enslaved communities, as well as the military occupation during the Seminole Wars. Eventually, the small seaport town flourished with the coming of "pioneers" like Julia Tuttle and Henry Flagler who promoted the city as a place of luxury and brought new waves of residents from the North.
Frank pieces together the material culture and the historical record of the Miami River to re-create the fascinating past of one of the world's most influential cities.
Florida's landscape is a marvel of diversity, and Central Florida is its pinnacle. Footpaths range through salt marshes, river floodplains, and along coastal dunes and beaches. Trails pass through desert- like scrub islands, jungle- like hydric hammocks, and deep, dark bayous. There's no better way to take in this natural world than by walking it.
Ranging from 1 to 43 miles in length, each hike includes directions, a detailed map, and information on hike duration, difficulty, and trail conditions. Explore a new side of Florida, from hidden urban gems like the Circle Bar B Ranch in Lakeland and Ponce Preserve in Daytona Beach, to the quiet rural landscapes of Catfish Creek State Park and Chinsegut Hill.
"The secret to making the most of later life is to keep doing what you love. With practical advice and gentle inspiration, Gattone shows us how gardening can work for people of any age." --Carl Honoré, author of In Praise of Slowness
You can keep gardening for life, you just need to make adjustment as you age. In The Lifelong Gardener, adaptive gardening expert Toni Gattone shares her proven methods for making your favorite hobby easier on your aging body--techniques that that will help you garden smarter, not harder. This helpful guide includes dozens tried-and-true methods that help eliminate the physical strain of gardening, like buying ergonomic tools, using raised beds, and moving tools around in bins on wheels. The Lifelong Gardener celebrates the joy of gardening, and Gattone's message of empowerment will stir you to find joy in your garden for years to come.
Longlisted for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay - Finalist for the Southern Book Prize
A New York Times Critics' Best Books of the Year - An NPR Best Book of the Year - A NYLON Best Nonfiction Book of the Year - A Buzzfeed Best Nonfiction Book of the Year - An Entrophy Magazine Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year - A Brooklyn Rail Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year - A Baltimore Beat Best Book of the Year
A Paris Review Staff Pick - A Chicago Tribune Exciting Book for 2017 - A Rolling Stone Culture Index Reccomendation - A Buzzfeed Most Exciting Book for 2017 - A The Millions Great 2017 Book Preview Pick - A Huffington Post 2017 Preview Pick - A NYLON Best 10 Books of the Month - A Lit Hub 15 Books to Read This Month A Poets & Writers New and Noteworth Selection - A PW Top 10 Spring Pick in Essays & Literary Criticism- An Emma Straub Reccomendation on PBS
"One of the themes of 'Sunshine State, ' Sarah Gerard's striking book of essays, is how Florida can unmoor you and make you reach for shoddy, off-the-shelf solutions to your psychic unease.... The first essay is a knockout, a lurid red heart wrapped in barbed wire.... This essay draws blood." -- Dwight Garner, New York Times
Unflinchingly candid memoir bolstered by thoughtfully researched history.... A nuanced and subtly intimate mosaic... her writing, lucid yet atmospheric, takes on a timeless ebb and flow." -- Jason Heller, NPR.org
Stunning. -- Rolling Stone
"These large-hearted, meticulous essays offer an uncanny x-ray of our national psyche... showing us both the grand beauty of our American dreams and the heartbreaking devastation they wreak." -- Garth Greenwell, author of What Belongs to You
Sarah Gerard follows her breakout novel, Binary Star, with the dynamic essay collection Sunshine State, which explores Florida as a microcosm of the most pressing economic and environmental perils haunting our society.
In the collection's title essay, Gerard volunteers at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, a world renowned bird refuge. There she meets its founder, who once modeled with a pelican on his arm for a Dewar's Scotch campaign but has since declined into a pit of fraud and madness. He becomes our embezzling protagonist whose tales about the birds he "rescues" never quite add up. Gerard's personal stories are no less eerie or poignant: An essay that begins as a look at Gerard's first relationship becomes a heart-wrenching exploration of acquaintance rape and consent. An account of intimate female friendship pivots midway through, morphing into a meditation on jealousy and class.
With the personal insight of The Empathy Exams, the societal exposal of Nickel and Dimed, and the stylistic innovation and intensity of her own break-out debut novel Binary Star, Sarah Gerard's Sunshine State uses the intimately personal to unearth the deep reservoirs of humanity buried in the corners of our world often hardest to face.
--KirkusRoxanne says: Fascinating, amazed Gerard lived to tell it. A product of dysfunction absorbed but recreated her on life. Florida history as well!
landscape and the region s position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico made Florida key in the early expansion of American trade routes, but the state s several capes and dangerous reefs, rocks, and shoals made travel quite perilous to unwary mariners. When commerce and traffic began to grow between ports on the East Coast and along the Gulf of Mexico in the nineteenth century, it became necessary to construct aids to navigation along the state s long and treacherous coast. Lighthouses were the solution. Constructed in a variety of styles and sizes, Florida s lighthouses were erected on what, at the time, were some of the most desolate regions of the southeastern United States and included lonely offshore islands. Manned and inhabited by vigilant keepers and their families, these towers illuminated the dark seas and provided the beacon that guided lost travelers. Large brick structures watched over St. Augustine, Pensacola, and Ponce de Leon Inlet; iron skeletons towered over Crooked River and Hillsboro Inlet; and screwpile lighthouses stood as sentinels in the waters off the Florida Keys."
opening the door for others who would eventually find their way to the island. Over time, Sanibel was visited by European explorers, slave traders, pirates, and Seminole Indians, all of whom added to
its colorful and intriguing history. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the original settlers of modern-day Sanibel arrived on the island. These pioneers were a contrasting group of individuals, comprised of diverse ethic origins and cultures, yet all seemed to share a common goal of using hard work, resourcefulness, and determination to make the island their home. Their efforts and sacrifices greatly contributed to the growth and rich history of Sanibel as we know it today.
Published annually by dineSarasota, The Little Sarasota Dining Book offers information on over 200 of the best restaurants in Sarasota, Florida. This book is essential for locals and visitors trying to navigate Sarasota's crowded dining scene. It features restaurants in every imaginable cuisine category. It also contains interesting articles written by local chefs and delicious recipes from some of Sarasota's best known restaurants.
Along Florida's Expressways
Unlike the typical Florida guidebook, Along Florida's Expressways is not a "destination" travel guide. Instead, author Dave Hunter helps anyone drive around the state with the ease, comfort and safety, using "local knowledge" as if they've lived there for many years.
Known and respected for his award-winning travelbook, Along Interstate-75, Dave's Florida driving guide picks up where his other book leaves off. Featuring seventy-seven 25-miles-per-page full-color maps, this book includes detailed information for all of Florida's interstates, expressways and toll routes, along with Dave's personal observations and suggestions . . . not to mention his fascinating trivia.
Packed with information gathered from "locals" and accumulated over 48 years of Florida travel, Along Florida's Expressways useful road information not only includes gas stations, restaurants, and lodgings available at each exit (even which side of the road they are on), but also pinpoints rest areas and much more.
Every two-years, Dave and his wife, Kathy, drive over 5,000 miles to personally gather the material for the next edition of this book. That's every Florida expressway and toll route in both directions! Each current edition of the book is supported with a "reader's only" website where major updates to the current book's information are posted.
But the book is not only for those who drive to Florida via I-75, it is also for the Florida "Fly-Drive" crowd-those who fly to Florida and rent a car to tour the State. Whether from the Midwestern states or huge Florida-bound markets such as the UK or Germany-they love the local information this book provides and many make sure they pack a copy in their flight bag before leaving.
VISITFLORIDA(R), the State's official marketing organization endorses this book and counter staff use it at all its Welcome Centers. To quote VISITFLORIDA(R)
"Filled with Insider Tips, "Along Florida's Expressways" is an excellent resource for Sunshine State visitors and residents alike. As the state's official source for travel planning, VISITFLORIDA(R)'s staff know Florida well - and even we use Dave's driving guide."
Along Florida's Expressways is completely updated every even numbered year, Along I-75contains no advertising or commercial content.
Rest assured that with "Dave" in the car, any journey on Florida's expressways is guaranteed to be a safe, fun and informative drive.
Mary Lou Johnson's award winning fine art photography captures the unique luxury tropical island of Longboat Key in this coffee table book.
Anna Maria Island was once inhabited by Native Americans, but as the beauty became known to its first homesteader, George L. Bean, the island's destiny was to be a beacon to paradise.
In spite of mangrove forests and throngs of mosquitoes, people came by boat to enjoy the white sand beaches and the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico, with their cool onshore breezes and blazing sunsets. The Islander newspaper of the 1950s heralded, "Where life is good and the fishing is great." Anglers came from afar to test their skills against tarpon, the world's greatest game fish, and to hunt goliath grouper in the depths of Tampa Bay. Two modern bridges connected the island to the mainland in 1957, and with that the seven-mile-long island was on its way to becoming the jewel of Manatee County.
Florida is largely influenced by the illicit and fascinating activites of pirates. Authors James and Sarah Kaserman recount the stories, legends, and myths of piracy in Florida.
The coast of southwest Florida, with its shallow waters, inlets, and mangrove islands provides the setting and backdrop for a variety of pirates, privateers, and independents. Piracy has a long and rich tradition in this area dating from before the formation of America through the infamous prohibition era. Telling the tales of Anne Bonny, Calico Jack Rackham, Civil War smugglers and prohibition rum runners, the authors provide a compelling narrative of the historically dangerous waters around Southwest Florida and beyond.
A colorful look at a forgotten era of Florida tourism
Filled with rare photographs, vintage postcards and advertisements, and fascinating descriptions from over 100 years ago, Florida's Healing Waters spotlights a little-known time in Florida history when tourists poured into the state in search of good health.
Rick Kilby explores the Victorian belief that water caused healing and rehabilitation, tracing the history of "taking the waters" from its origins in the era of Enlightenment. Nineteenth-century Americans traveled from afar to bathe in the outdoors and soak up the warm climate of Florida. Here, with more than 1,000 freshwater springs, 1,300 miles of coastline, and 30,000 lakes, water was an abundant resource.
Through the wealth of images in this book, Kilby shows how Florida's natural wonders were promoted and developed as restorative destinations for America's emerging upper class. The rapid growth in tourism infrastructure that began during the Gilded Age lasted well into the twentieth century, and Kilby explains how these now-lost resorts helped boost the economy of modern Florida.
Today, these splendid health spas and elaborate bathing facilities have been lost, replaced by recreational amenities for a culture more about sun and fun than physical renewal. In this book, Kilby emphasizes the value of honoring and preserving the natural features of the state in the face of continual development. He reminds us that Florida's water is still a life-giving treasure.
Doug says: This is a beautiful book. A whole world of unexplored, alternative Florida. I was acquainted with the upstate New York and New England “Sans” and read John Harvey Kellogg’s biography years ago, but here is a piece that never came into focus, and I’ve been in Florida twenty-four years now. Good thing Kilby has presented us with his fabulous work!
As stories about "Florida Man" inspire wild headlines in the news, Florida's most beloved chronicler is here to show that the state is more than the stereotypes. Award-winning journalist Jeff Klinkenberg has explored what makes Florida unique for nearly half a century, and Son of Real Florida is a compelling retrospective of essays on the state he knows so well.
Klinkenberg tells what it was like growing up in pre-air conditioning Florida and becoming a newspaper reporter in mid-century Miami. He introduces us to the stout-hearted folks who have learned to live and even prosper among the insects, sharp-toothed critters, and serious heat. We meet beekeeper Harold P. Curtis and his prized orange blossom honey; frog whisperer Avalon Theisen; Sheepshead George of St. Petersburg; and Miss Martha, the oyster-shucking queen of Apalachicola.
This book also takes us to some of the most interesting, little-known places in the state. We travel to Solomon's Castle of reclaimed materials, the neighborhood of "Rattlesnake, Florida," and the smallest post office in the United States. Along the way, Klinkenberg stops to impart true Florida wisdom, from how to eat a Key lime pie to which writers and artists every Floridian should know.
Above all, Klinkenberg portrays Florida's people, places, food, and culture with a deep understanding that does not relegate them to cliche. He writes with warmth and authenticity of a state he still sees as wondrous in its own ways. Though some may think the real Florida is a thing of the past, he says, "Do not tell me Florida is no longer a paradise."
The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando 2020 by Seth Kubersky is packed with detailed, specific information on every ride, show, and restaurant in the resort. The guide includes info on where to find the cheapest Universal Orlando admission tickets, how to save big on Universal on-site hotel rooms and skip the regular lines in the parks, when to visit Universal Orlando for the lightest crowds, and everything else you need to know for a stress-free Universal Orlando experience.
OVER 6 MILLION UNOFFICIAL GUIDES SOLD!
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
--Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
--The New York Times
For centuries, the southernmost region of the Florida peninsula was seen by outsiders as wild and inaccessible, one of the last frontiers in the quest to understand and reveal the natural history of the continent. Seeking the American Tropics tells the stories of the explorers and adventurers who--for better and for worse--helped open the unique environment of South Florida to the world.
Beginning with the arrival of Juan Ponce de León in 1513, James Kushlan describes how most of the famous Spanish explorers never made it to South Florida, leaving the area's rich natural history out of scientific records for the next 250 years. It wasn't until the British colonial and early American periods that the first surveyors were commissioned and the first naturalists--Titian Peale and John James Audubon--arrived to collect, draw, and report the subtropical flora and fauna that were so unique to North America.
Moving into the railroad era, Kushlan illuminates the activities of scientists such as Henry Nehrling and Charles Torrey Simpson alongside the dabbling of wealthy amateur naturalists. He follows the story to the 1920s, when tourism was flourishing and signs of ecological damage were starting to show. Years of wildlife trade, resource extraction, invasive species introduction, and swamp drainage had taken their toll. And many of the naturalists who had been outspoken about protecting South Florida's environment had also played a part in its destruction.
Today the region is among one of the most thoroughly studied places on the planet--but at a cost. In this absorbing and cautionary tale, Kushlan illustrates how exploration has so often trumped conservation throughout history. He exposes how much of the natural world we have already lost in this vivid portrait of the Florida of yesterday.
This collection of columns takes a light and entertaining look back at colorful past. Using many unique and archival images, LaHurd reminisces on the events and attractions of Sarasota s past, including the Ringling Brothers Circus Winter Quarters, the Prohibition Era, the local radio shows and the favorite restaurant hangout, the Smack."