Florida Books

After almost a decade, Earle Bowden returned to writing about
rural Northwest Florida. "Embrace an Autumnal Heart" begins with
nostalgic rememberances of the author's childhood in the 30s and
40s in the community of Altha 16 miles south of Marianna, Florida.

His series of stories under the caption Fiction have some
factual basises.My two favorites areThe murder of federal revenue agent "Pistol Pete" Bowden (no relation to the author)and the story of the truck driver whose load was a coffin with a newly executed prisoner being transported to his home town for burial is a classic as the driver is arrested because the sheriff figured the coffin was loaded with moonshine whisky. It took the
Governor and a future Governor to come up with a solution.

Bowden is a master when it comes to simplifing complicated
Civil War Battles. Here he reviews Gettysburg and Chickamauga
not only from an overall perspective but also from a regimental
and ordinary soldier's view. Three of his ancestors had served in Alabama units in both battles.

Naturally he could not neglect the Battle of Santa
Rosa island. Ft Pickens is on Sanata Rosa Island and may have been the location where the war actually began. It is a cause celebre in Pensacola and since Hurricane Kathina will not be visted by car for a long time.

Other articles deal with memorable local people: historian EW Carswell, Pensacolia born General Danial (Chappie)
James and western singer Hank Locklin.

Other articles are entaining,either evoking a belly laugh,nostalgia or sadness. All are a social commentary on
Northwest Florida from Pensacola to Madison County and all from
the pen of an author who knows and is proud of his heritage.

Jesse Earle Bowden's latest book, EMBRACE AN AUTUMNAL HEART, is his bet yet. With the precision of the poet's quill, he captures the essence of life as seen from the J.W. Bowden Grocery Story in Chipola Country of Northwest Florida. He shares his memories of the down-home folks who always have time to invite you in to set a spell. From the backwoods gopher puller who catches land turtles for food, to the picutesque icehouse that provides 50-pound blocks of ice for those who don't have refrigerators, life flows like the currents of the Chipola and Apalachicola Rivers that run through the county.

His recollections of World War II from the vantage point of a country boy on the edge of his teens, will trigger your own long forgotten memories of that era.

In the historical section titled "Fatal Shadows" he writes from his lifelong study and knowledge of the Civil War. He mined the documented records to trace the lives of his three Alabama grandsires in the Gettysburg and Chickamunga battles. Using tools of fiction to resurrect the torment of the 1860s, he parallels novelist Shelby Foote's masterpiece, THE CIVIL WAR: A NARRATIVE. Bowden's account is a concise presentation of the Civil War that will intrigue history buffs of all ages. In writing nonfiction, he paints picture-making immediacy, and employs tools of fiction to good advantage in crafting nostalgic stories resonating with heart, spirit and universal remembrance.

You will chuckle as he reveals the foibles of real Cracker politics, including little known facts about Florida governors of the past half century, many of whom he knew personally.

He writes of the horror and anguish of a family member's murder, from the wife discovering her husband's butchered body, to capture and trial of the guilty perpetrators, and be haunted by the callous disregard for human life.

EMBRACE AN AUTUMNAL HEART has wide appeal because of its many facets, including nostalgia, the Civil War, Florida politics and murder, all presented in Bowden's distinctive style. The book is a literary enrichent and well worth your time spent reading it.

I am a great fan of J. Earle Bowden and have five of his books in my library. I feel that he has reached his writing pinnacle in his latest work, "Embrace an Autumnal Heart."
The 448 page novels starts with the excitement of a 13 year-old boy on December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and changed, forever, the world, awakening a sleeping giant and bringing the U.S. onto the worled stage as a super power.
The first seven chapters of the book tell of quickening changes in the life of a boy coming of age in a bucolic setting in Northwest Florida.
Then Bowden does some of his best fiction writing. He begins with a realistic rural hanging, tells of some of the Great Depression hardships, the story of a soon-to-be, Florida governor's part in getting the body of an electrocuted criminal's body home to his grieving mother.
He tells of now-gone Panhandle leaders such as Judge J.W. Carswell, General Daniel (Chappie) James, country music star, Hank Locklin and others whom Bowden knew personally.
The language of the book is classic Bowden, with descriptions and situations written so brilliently that you are actually transported there by the power of sentence structure that can only come from the pen of a master story teller.
I highly recommend this book to those who love history and especially those who lived during the last half of the 20th Century.

Adams' poetry rocks! Anyone who can appreciate traditional forms and witty allusions but who also wants poetry to be to voice of the cultural moment will want to get Adams' first collection.

In "For Pandemonium," for example, Adams juxtaposes, or, perhaps more appropriately, appropriates, the primal post-lapserian (Miltonic?) city with/for both an urban (industrial?) love gone wrong and the limits of poetry itself.

Adams' poetry is smart and touching, often funny but always witty. I really enjoyed reading it. It is diffcult today to find a modern poet that writes both meaningful and fun poetry.

"Epistles from the Planet Photosynthesis" is masterful in its use of traditional and free verse forms. From Sapphic stanzas to sestinas, from sonnets of extraordinary beauty to a canzone whose repetitions reunite a splintered family, Mary Adams' poems demonstrate the ideal marriage of form and content. Confident and versatile, the poet is capable of heart-wrenching intensity ("What I Should Have Told You"), rare compassion, and genuine wit (see especially "Cerberus at the SPCA," a poem of humor, grace, and metrical virtuosity). Perhaps my favorite poem is one of the best villanelles of recent memory, "Queen of Grieve," in which form, image, and sound combine with unforgettable results: "She ruled a ruin, did the Queen of Grieve..." In all, a first book of singular vision and most impressive skill.

I recommend this one highly! It's formal without being snobbish (in fact, sometimes the form sneaks right past you, a subtlety which more poets should only be able to manage), but it has free verse too, for those of you who are fleeing in terror from any of the sneers which occasionally characterize the New Formalism. There are no sneers here. The book contains a number of love poems (not sentimental even at their most painful, though), and a number of "epistles" from the incarnate ET's of the Heaven's Gate cult (both poignant and funny), and a number of--I guess they'd be called "other poems." On a purely mundane level, this is certainly the book I'd reach for after a betrayal in love, but it's much more than that too.

My personal favorites are among the "others", with my all-time favorite being "Cerberus at the SPCA." I can't think of another poet who could combine the three-headed dog guarding the way to hell with the concrete and urine of the animal shelter, and it's an incredible combination; an appropriate treatment for people who abandon or negelct their pets might be to be tied up, preferably in the animal shelter, and have this poem read to them until they understand what they've done...Cerberus surveys the ranks of the damned in hell in just the way that visitors to the shelter look upon the caged animals, before he's caged there himself; that it's in Dante-esque terza rima only adds to the power of the poem. Cerberus says "I recognize that terror and that trust." So do readers of Adams' poems.

There is no better field guide for South Florida flowering plants than this one. Photos are exceptional. Plant names are accurate. It is well-researched and easy to use (sorted by flower color). Perhaps it's best feature is references to pollinators that feed on the plants. Indispensible for anyone wanting to grow a butterfly garden or attract wildlife.

As you might tell from the above title I am quite proud of my professional attachment to the glades. I deeply love the glades and am angered by the deplorable condition that politicians, government and our American culture have allowed this unique ecosystem to degrade to. Americans, especially Florida residents, must be motivated to demand that politicians and government do whatever it takes to recover and nurture what is left of the Everglades. Anything less is shameful! Look for the book I am completing on the Everglades.

Roger L. Hammer's Everglades Wildflowers book is an outstanding work, both by him and the publisher The Globe Pequot Press (Falcon).

Knowledge of wildflowers is not a personal strength of mine. I needed a book that I was confident contained clear, accurate information on the wildflowers that are found in the glades. I'm very curious for any unusual characteristics that are not commonly known about species. Mr. Hammer gave me both. Example: The Horned Bladderwort is a very small yellow aquatic flower that is common to the Everglades marsh. But it was not until I got a copy of Mr. Hammer's book that I learned that this flower is a predator! It is the only aquatic carnivorous plant in North America.

This glossy paged book has color plates, a glossary and something that took me by surprise - a very informative description of Everglades natural history including habitat descriptions.

This is a book of unusually high quality. If you're an Everglades naturalist I think you'll want to add this one to your shelf.

I believe that this book will be valuable to the budding naturalist struggling to keep up on a wildflower hike and to the seasoned ranger in Everglades National Park. Arranged by color, the book is easy to use while giving a tour with interesting anecdotes that you can study beforehand. A great addition to anyones Nature Guides.

A WELL WRITTEN AND WELL ILLUSTRATED BOOK. I HAVE FOUND THIS BOOK VERY USEFUL FOR IDENTIFYING THE FERNS OF FLORIDA. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THE STATE HAD SUCH A VARIETY OF SPECIES.

Enhanced with more than two hundred color photographs, Gil Nelson's The Ferns Of Florida: A Reference And Field Guide showcases some 163 kinds of ferns ranging from norther species whose southern range extends into the uplands of Florida's norther tier, to tropical ferns spilling over Florida's southern tip. The text is thoroughly "reader friendly" with detailed descriptions and helpful identification tips, along with an invaluable selection of field observation based botanical keys for identifying plants in their wild ecosystems. There are extensive notes on each species growth form, as well as the botanical names, unique characteristics, garden use, and history. An essential and core title for any Floridian based gardener, as well as the professional and academic horticulturalist or botanist, The Ferns Of Florida also includes a glossary, a section on the fern life cycle and structure, a history of fern study in Florida, a discussion of some of the state's best natural ferneries, and an extensive bibliography for further study.

This book is for anyone who has an interest in ferns and wishes to be able to distinguish one from the other. Great color pictures so that you can compare the subtle differences and make these ferns you own. Ferns are wonderful plants that require little care and are almost impossible to kill even with kindness. Enjoy.

A well researched, organised guide. This books provides excellent color photos of each of FL's snakes. Goes into great detail about the various habitats of FL and provides a habitat table. Details on identification, habitat, behavior, reproduction, similar species, diet, etc. for each species. Excellent section on venomous snakes. A must for nature or snake lovers. A good reference for residents of the Southeastern US.

An excellent book for both the beginner and expert alike, Mr. Tennant provides excellent photographs of each species, including some photos of juvinelles. His text is highly informative and well written; he dispells myths about certain species, gives accurate distributional data, provides information on the status of each species, i.e. abundance, and has an excellent bibliography. A must for anyone interested in the snake fauna of Florida.

This book should be read by all Florida residents, not just those interested in snakes. It discusses the plight of these wonderful creatures in light of man-made and natural changes in their environment. It also goes into greater depth than the average field guide with respect to populations, breeding, personal encounters (always my favorite) etc.. I don't know the author personally but I sincerely hope he is researching field guides for snakes in other states as well. I ordered his book on the snakes of Texas before I finished the introduction to this book!

This is a brilliant book by a brilliant man (rank him up there with H. Belloc in my view. Check out "Cross in the Sand" as well). I recall sitting in Professor Gannon's class at the University of Florida way back, when I was just a wee lad, and just not wanting them to end. He was a wonderful lecturer. He made the history come alive. He was one of the great professors at the University of Florida. This is a great book on the history of my adopted state.

This is a wonderful book on the overall history of Florida. Loaded with little known facts on nearly every page, Gannon does an excellent job on taking the reader from the very beginnings of Florida (and consequently American history) to the present day. To the point but with adequate detail, Gannon not only avoids boring the reader but makes Florida history entertaining. Highly recommended for anyone looking to get a grasp on the state of Florida and its history.

Excellent introduction for any person that wants to have a good introduction to Florida history. Especially recommended for people who know nothing of this land before the malls, beachfront condominiums, and tourists arrived.

I use this book extensively, even though written specifically on butterflies of Florida. It is an all-encompassing study of butterflies, larvae, and host plants, most of which are also found throughout nearby states. The introduction contains caterpillar anatomy, biology and more. There is section for butterfly host plants, and it includes good color images fo the plants. An informative book for those who live in the Southeast.

If you watch butterflies in Florida, you need this book. You get lots more butterflies if you plant the right larval food, and this connects butterfly with caterpillar with caterpillar food!

Excellent book. My back yard garden is devoted to butterfly nectar and host plants and have found this book invaluable when I needed to identify a caterpillar that I had not seen before. Photographs of the caterpillar are opposite a sketch of the Florida peninsula that show the habitat range of that butterfly. Also photographs of host plants, their habitat and the larvae that eat them. This is an excellent companion book to have alongside "Butterflies Through Binoculars - Florida," by Jeffrey Glassburg.

The "Florida Fabulous" series is excellent, and this book is no exception. I keep this book by my living room window so that I can quickly identify new birds. It does not have all the birds of Florida, just the most common. All in all, a great book for quick reference and for new bird watchers.

Beautiful true to life photos of common Florida birds in their natural habitat. Very factual and informative.

This is an excellent book for the Florida bird watcher. It has large color photographs of the birds in their natural habitats. Often with more than one picture of the species! There is just enough information included to answer common questions. I use this book in my classroom and the elementary aged students find it useful and easy to use.

I have also used Florida's Fabulous Butterflies. Same excellent quaility!

If you like history, Native Americans and feel that part of you would like to live in the past, and especially Florida, this is a wonderful read. You can feel the excitement of carving wood with ancient tools made by the author and sense what it is like to make arrowheads from the earth. Another hands on book of high regard is Walking the Trail by Cherokee author Jerry Ellis. He was the first person in modern history to walk the 900 mile route of the Cherokee Trail of Tears. Inspiring, compelling and hard driven, this spiritual book was nominated for a Pulitzer and National Book Award.

Mr. Brown goes a long way to test his theories. Recreating the articles of every day life was at times arduous and demanding, but his work was not in vain.
What I liked most was the practicality of the author. Instead of writing from the lofty towers of "academia" and pure theoretical knowledge, he and his small band of peers proves the discoveries and findings at archeological digs are based on real events, not some kooky theory. The people described did exist, and after reading this book they will become more real to you.
The knowledge gained from reading this book is immense and is time well spent.

This is the best book I've read on Florida's Paleo-Indians so far, not only for identifying pottery, tools (both shell & stone) and other artifacts, but the author's details on reconstructing the methods of creating and using the same, are wonderful. The photos and drawings of hundreds of different potsherds are alone worth the price of the book. At last I can not only identify the many pieces I have picked up over the last several years, but gain a greater understanding of the people who created them.

For young people,parents and teachers, a "must have" on explorations of Florida's bountiful geological treasures. Many surprises await the reader as he is introduced to this trove of unique fascinating facts.

What a wonderful addition to Florida lore. A well written, well structured book that can add a lot of fun to a family vacation or inform the experienced rock hound. Ms. Comfort has written a useful and delightful book.

This a definite must for a Florida vacation and was an excellent substitute until I can get there in the flesh. From the data on Florida's earthquakes (few), to her lightning storms (many), to description of "braiding" rivers and such poetic formations of fulgurites (lightning strikes frozen in sand when the grains melt and fuse along the lightning's course), to the beautiful color photos of crystals (I am still OOOOoooohhhhing over the golden wavellites) this was a poetical but PRACTICAL guide to rock hunting and caving in Florida. I recommend it highly.