Florida Books

I remember and you will remember the Naples of long ago. Just looking at the pictures in this wonderful book brought tears to my eyes. A real treasure of a book for anyone who lived in and loved Naples in it's early days. My father, Ted Brack, was also a native coming to Naples in 1923. A treasure too for those who want to know the early beginnings of a fabulous city today.

I am thrilled to see this book so readily available. Rob Storter was my Great Grandfather and was a wonderful man. His experiences and stories were remarkable. Although most know him as Rob Storter, we all refered to him as Papaw. As a family member I received a paperback copy of the original release and enjoyed reading it repeatedly. Not only because it is regarding my heritage, but because it was educational and entertaining. I highly recommend this to everyone!

I have not had the opportunity to meet Peter Mathiessen, but I could relate to his mention of sitting and listening to Captain Rob's tales, because I, too, have had that privilege. The book, Cracker in the Glade, is a collection of his ledger and it is written in his conversational tone. It is a recount of how Captain Rob saw the evolution of the growth in population in south Florida and the consequential degredation of the environment as he knew it. He is not judgmental in his description, rather it is matter of fact. Just as he viewed the hardships of living in Florida in the early 1900's as matter of fact. The reader is left with the sense that he knows the history of the Collier County area, and the inhabitants that endured the hardships together. While they were separate families with their own trials, they were one as a family of pioneers in area that was as rife with dangers as it was beautiful in the pristene sense of the tropical paradise. Betty Briggs is to be complimented for her sharing of her grandfather with the rest of us, so that we, too can know the adventures and evolution of this part of the Everglades.

capt. rob storter never owned a camera, so when he wasn't fishing or working on a boat he drew or painted pictures and wrote a note netx to it telling about the scene. this book was compiled with those photo's and drawings by my friend betty briggs savage, the granddaughter of capt. rob. it is a testament to hardships of the mullet fishermen, local hunters and the women that lived in a time before manatee and wake zones fishing & hunting permits and the park put an end to a much better way of life. is a look at south florida before it was all gone and told by a man that lived it. thank's robert

This book exceeded my expectations. Being from Hialeah, what I consider to be the current heart of Cuban Miami - as the book mentioned, Little Havana, the old enclave of the Cuban exile, is slowly being overtaken by Central Americans - I was pleasantly surprised to see several pictures of Hialeah included (and not of the racetrack like many other books focus on, but of actual shopping centers and streets that residents can recognize).

The book does a good job at summarizing the exile experience in Miami, from the first wave of the 1960's to the Balseros of the 1990's. I wish that they would have spent as much time studying the Marielitos as they did with the first wave of exiles, though. I also like how they mention not only successful Cubans but those of the lower and working classes, though more attention should be given to them as well, as not every Cuban is living the "American Dream" and owns their own business, or even their own home. Studying poverty in the Cuban community is essential, and not just the poverty of the recent Balseros but of older immigrants who just never assimilated enough to succeed. Success stories are great and all, but there are other realities to explore as well.

I also enjoyed that the book is not just a study of Cuban immigrants but of how they have changed the culture of Miami. I especially liked how it mentions our traditions and products. As a Cuban-American, I found myself relating to a lot that the book had to say and recognizing many of the traditions, places, personalities, foods/restaurants, and stores mentioned.

I would have liked that the pictures be in color, as they were all in black and white, but this is a minor gripe.

A personal suggestion to the authors: you should write a book about Cubans in Hialeah, they are a case study onto themselves! I would also love to see an updated version showing all that has changed since the book was published in 1999, though it can still be considered current.

This book by one of the authors of Secret Missions, offers a pleasant and often poignant glimpe of the history of Miami's Cuban community. Rather than books of this kind, the author shows his respect for Miami's Cuban community although he does not emphasize the glittering success of its most powerful indivuduals. Rather, the book covers everyone from Peter Pan arrivals to Mariel boat people and rafters. A model study, and illustrated with wonderful cartoons and photographs.

Excellent! This book manages to provide a comprehensive textual documentary of the Cuban exile experience in Miami in an easy-to-read manner. It accomplishes this with its great visual exposition of photographs ranging from the early 1900's to the present time, as well as a thorough analysis of this group's migration to this country.

For those interested in understanding the Cuban-American experience, especially after the Elian Gonzalez events, this book is a must. Ironically, and it gives it more credibility, this book was written prior to the Elian saga. Yet, I think it can help answer to others why this group of opinionated, passionate, and often stubborn Cuban-Americans have reacted the way they have on the Elian debate. It indeed answers a lot of questions regarding the political, economic, and social idiosyncrasies of Cuban-Americans. Answers to such questions as why Cuban-Americans are the only Hispanic group (and probably only "minority" in this country) with an overwhelming Republican Party affiliation? Why economically Cuban-Americans have been such great implementers of the "American Dream" in such a short amount of time? Why socially Cuban-Americans are closer to the American family and religious values held in the 1950s in this country?

The authors have done a wonderful job of capturing and reporting a sense of a Cuban-nostalgic state-of-mind that only exists in the Cuban-Americans' psychic, almost frozen in time. It is a testimony of perseverance and survival to the older and first generation of Cuban exiles that arrived in this country. Their main accomplishment has been to be able to pass this "dream" or state-of-mind to the next generations. The book's last page states - "In Miami, but not in Havana, you can buy a "Cuban sandwich" and "Cuban bread," Bacardi rum and Hatuey beer." This I find ironic and hopefully fitting. Who knows? It is, I think, in the end this kind of Cuban-American capitalistic mentality which might bring back to Cuba itself a sense of Cuban identity at some point in time. Not to mention of course a sense of family and religious believes kept alive by that first generation of exiles. A sense of family and religious believes that unfortunately no longer exist in that island.

Like other groups of immigrants to this country, this book shows the Cuban-American experience as homage to the human spirit, survival, and a great tribute in itself to this great country of ours. If you're of Cuban descent and live in exile, this book will make you proud, sad, and also hopeful. If you're not of Cuban descent and living in this country, this book will make you better understand that other group of Americans residing in "Cuban Miami". And yes, it should also make you very proud of this country.

The Authors Asis and Levine have created an excellent documentary of the Cuban immigration to Miami-Dade county. The book takes one from the 1930s to the present. It explains ins and outs the Cuban life in Miami. It is a very neutral book which neither glorifies nor demeans the Cuban immigration to Miami and Florida. It simply explains the reasons of Cuban behavior which might seem somewhat confusing to a non-Cuban as well as other races and nationalities from Latin America.

Miami and Cuba had a long relationship way before the revolution came to the island nation. Many of the wealthy sugar barons, rum distillers and tobacco kings kept their cash in South Florida. Miami was the playground for the rich and famous of Cuba usually occupying more hotel space than the rather well known northern snow birds of today.

The politics of dislocation is discussed indepth to help one understand the often hostile position of Cuban-Americans toward Castro and Cuba today. Something of a surprise for me was the way the first wave of exiles often viewed the newcommers of the second wave commanly known as the Marielitos with suspicion.

The influence of wealthy Cuban businessmen of yesterday and today are felt in many places of the US in Finance, Educational Scholars, Politics and Government. They superficially touch base on this without going into a lot of detail but it still one understand from where they have come from to where they are going.

The Catholic church plays a very important role in almost all Cubans' lifes. Many of the cultural and religious specific traditions are explained in great detail. All of the refugees from the first wave and operation Pedro Pan were mainly cared for by Catholic charaties, which also reinforces their beliefs and support for the church.

Gloria Estefan, Willy Chirino, Silvio Fontanellas and other Cuban-Americans who have contributed to Cuban culture in the area of music and arts is only briefly discussed on several pages. As a passionate listner of Cuban music, I thought it would have been great if they would have introduced other Cuban musicians in South Florida but then again, this is not a publication about Cuban music.

Exiles love to dream about the Island but I think this chapter is a little bit niave as most of the Cubans think that once Castro is gone they will all return home. I have been in Europe during the fall of the wall and many of the former East Germans dreamt about going back to their former country and rebuilding their homes and reuniting their families. This all turned out to be falacy. Those that tried to come back and claim their property were detested by their families who remained in the Communist part and saw their relatives from West with a lot of suspicion. Many family reunions didn't last long and the their dreams were shattered. Things will be different when Castro is gone but it will not be like most Cuban exiles think. Family members who have stayed in Cuba the entire time will want to have their property as well, citing the suffering they have endured under Castro as their rights to the deeds. More important is that exile Cubans understand what caused the revolution and that they try to avoid the pitfalls of their predecessors.

Most companies prepare a business plan and if it is not bearing fruit after a certain amount of time they decide to try something else. Perhaps the Cuban exile community should try and persue a dialogue with Cuba. Fourty years of isolation hasn't worked guys.

This was the first time I had ever ordered anything from the web and I found Amazon's service to be very good, the item arrived within 10 days, well packaged. The item itself is of the best quality and I am very pleased with the service I received. Indeed I ordered another book recently which arrived within 48 hours. Full marks!

If you have any space left on your coffee-table, this is the perfect art book for you! Rarely do you ever find a more complete presentation of Dali's works, both popular and private, in a single volume. This collection presents both the whimsy and the nightmares that are characteristic of his work, giving an accurate depiction of his range. If you thought Dali was just another haunted artist, the paintings in this book will reveal his gift for humor as well. Filled with insightful comments by Lubar, this book is a great compilation for anyone interested in Dali.

i bought this book at the amazing salvador dali museum in st.petersburgh florida which i strongly recommend in itself.this the book of some of salvador dali's works on display at the museum is a detailed look into the life of the man and the myth. with each work is a detailed explanation describing their meanings and what dali was up to during the time of their production.i am grateful for having read this book as dali is my all-time favorite artist.with this book i've learned more about him and his works' meanings,in which i'm sure all of us have taken for granted.i knew that alot of dali's work is based upon sexuality but never knew before how freudian it all really is.the book explains dali's deep fascination with sigmund freud's writings and beliefs and they come out within his work.if you've never experienced THE man before and appreciate art than this is a good source.if you have the chance visit the salvador dali museum in st.pete,fl.with any look they will be showing the brilliant short film that dali made with another brilliant mind luis bunuel called,"Un Chien Andalou."

On a recent family visit I had the great fortune to visit the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. This excellent book cataloguing the museum's collection then makes for a very nice souvenir, of course--but it easily stands outside of this immediate context as a fine art book in its own right.

The main feature of the book is definitely the 94 large, carefully reproduced color illustrations of Dali's paintings held by the museum. These range from some of his earliest works in the late 1910's to his large scale masterpiece "The Hallucinogenic Toreador" of 1969. I had never seen the earlier works before, and these show some of his first halting steps and experiments as an aspiring artist and the gradual evolution of his distinctive style. Among all 94 illustrations there is a good mix of famous classics you've seen a million times and lesser known gems that are equally intriguing. And each illustration comes with a commentary by Robert Lubar that clarifies the painting, its significance and symbolism, and its context and place within Dali's artistic development over the years with great eloquence without explaining the picture away.

Lubar's Introduction (with 9 interesting black & white illustrations) makes for a nice, brief overview of the artist's life and career, and the Biographical Chronology in the back includes several photographs of Dali through the years (including him with the founders of the museum). There are other useful tidbits too for the serious art historian and Dali specialist.

In short, even if you haven't been to the Dali Museum, this is an excellent coffee-table book of weird, whimsical, and wondrous surreal art by one of the twentieth century's greatest and most eccentric artists.

This is a great book covering a lot of diving sites in FL, including springs and ocean sites. The only "problem" that I have with the book is the inclusion of advertising (dive shops, etc) but at the end of the day it actually helps when trying to locate a diveshop, etc.

Great book with the best dive sites in South Florida, especially if you don't have a boat (nor the money) and can only do beach dives, very simply written, with excellent descriptions of the sites.

i have used the book about a 100 times for dive sites
starting with the old 2nd. edition. it is very good book
to have to ref. dive sites boat, beach, springs. too bad the fl.
gov. has a steep fee on everything. when you say diving
the price goes up. keep up the good work deloach.
thanks capt. rob

The book gives the location to several of Florida's hidden springs and offshore reefs, wrecks. There is also a dvd on the Florida springs available from amazon, called "Florida Springs-The Unexplored Florida." It lets you see the springs underwater. A must have book.

Mohja Kahf's poetry collection is better than prozac. Her poems link classical Arab characters with current day capitalistic trends ("Zuleika meets the Marlboro man across a delayed green"), and are punctuated, in the book's first half, with sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant Hijab Scenes, where the author encounters everyday prejudice but moves beyond self-pity and anger to humor and celebration. The result is charming and ultimately empowering. The first third of the book tells the plight of the immigrant- the Arab Muslim in particular- and uses the metaphor of landing on the moon. The second third is an ode to women and womanhood, and made me lift my head a little higher when I left the bookstore (this book under my arm.) The last third is a beautiful dialogue on political currents and events, and the poem in which Matisse characters come to life is jaw-dropping. The poetry collection offers something rare and brilliant as a stone: an intellectual journey from which one emerges with voyager dust.

Mohja's work is a joy to read, even when it is bringing tears to our eyes. Her impressions are unique and quirky, her use of language superb. I can't say how much I enjoyed emails. I read the entire thing in a single sitting and have returned to it many time to digest it more thoroughly. Hope to see more from this wonderful poet.

Pamela

"E-mails from Scheherazad," by Mohja Kahf, is an excellent addition to the multiethnic body of U.S. poetry. A short bio at the end of the book notes that Kahf was born in Damascus, Syria, came to the U.S. as a child with her family, and has attained the rank of associate professor at the University of Arkansas.

Kahf's poems cover a number of themes: the immigrant experience in America, cultural difference, women's issues, war, violence, and poetry itself. There are several poems that deal with the issue of the veil traditionally worn by Muslim women. A good representative poem is "My Grandmother Washes Her Feet in the Sink of the Bathroom at Sears," a striking story of cross-cultural tension.

Kahf's language is passionate, sometimes witty, and always clear and accessible. Her poems are richly spiced with many cultural references: to Wal-Mart, Robert Frost, Lt. Uhura, the "Rubayat" of Omar Khayyam, MTV, etc. She is particularly searing when reflecting on living in a post-9/11 world. Her compassionate but critical eye captures both the joy and tragedy of life. Highly recommended for college classes, book circles, or individual reading.

This is a beautiful, moving, witty poetry collection which I recommend to all readers, and to women readers in particular. Mohja Kahf's language, her voices, her characters move seemlessly upon the page, stopping once in a while to adjust their scarves or flip us the intellectual bird. A Badass first collection; Kahf wins my vote for poet laureate.

I enjoyed this novel very much and recommend this book for the person who enjoys contemplative efforts. It is the kind of book that needs to be meditated on and goes far beyond the niceties of a mere entertaining novel. The story itself took me a couple of nights sleep to sink in to attempt to see the forest from the trees, the realism from the fantasy, from the nonfiction from the fiction and this book is apropos for the violence, the wars, the so called noble causes of humanity which have far more significant meanings in human existence than just reading a mere novel of entertainment with the hero's victory, the writer's box office smash and the happily ever after desires of story pleasure. The very pleasure principle of Freud is the result of repression of the realty principle and yet is that all we have? Is Sartre's nausea all there is in a meaningless void? Or is there despite our most grueling and empty life, a life full of higher meaning even so in the very death of our lives as we fight for such noble cause with war and bloodshed that in realty only benefit evil and futile cause of more powerful men in the chain of command in human existence? Despite such utter futility, we may still look to God at the end and pray not only for our souls but for the very souls of all humans, animals and life itself.

Hear are the heroes and higher purpose which in realism, act in contradiction in the existential angst of futility and yet somewhere in higher meaning beyond the logic of religious absolutism and the empty blind patriotism of nationalistic pride, the distant noble hope still lives in subjectivity. As if in hope, there is really only the the Freudian repression of realty in the desires of man which hide in the existential realism of life's empty meaning, the void of emptiness. And yet what if there is some higher teleological meaning? An even much higher noble purpose which exists out of the sight and logistic understanding of man and his so called higher purpose of religious dogmatism and nationalistic pride?. As the madness of quantum physics, which defy all Newtonian logic, in reality still exist in organized structure far beyond the physicists insight and understanding, as the very hope of man, despite the futile existential void, exists in the interdependence of a transpersonal reality, a web of relational links which exist in both subjective and objective meanings, in both individual and collective subjective values and empirical realty beyond human empiricism into the very hope that man exhibits despite all meaninglessness of his human goals? And here is one of our heroes, who despite the tortures of his individual life, the cruelties of the leaders, the frailties of the body, the sadism of fellow travelers, stills "sees" the beauty of higher purpose and religious value in subjective being far beyond empirical science and political mathematics. So here is our end. Do we rest in ignorance, hiding in the certitude's of man made securities and answers. Or do we vomit in existential emptiness and cold painful menace? Or do we venture beyond both in a transpersonal or in an integral psychology of multiplicities where diversities, despite contradictions, rest in an interdependence of relational wholeness beyond human understanding which in essence is the religious hope and higher meaning of uncertainty and faith?

I recommend this book, mostly for the contemplator, the thinker, the realist and yet the one who can walk in what seems meaninglessness, in the desert without the water and yet "know" without sight, rest without rescue in the ambiguity of vision which exhalts higher and profound depths of being, stripping the surfaces of majority in superficial existence.

This is an intriguing book. It reads almost like an alternate-universe scenario science fiction book. What if Rome had not fallen when it did? But this really isn't science fiction. In some ways, it reads like a gnostic text or the scriptural text of another land or tradition, and relies heavily on some biblical allusions - even the title stands out, being the title of one of the New Testament epistles. But this isn't a religious text, either.

At the heart of the book is a letter from Galatia, a Roman province, that contains a prophecy about a dying emperor and three men who will save him. The key figures of Vicena, Rinaldo and Danilo have stories that intertwine in mysterious ways. One gets the sense that fate or divine force is driving them on at some points, but at others, they seem to be adrift. Rinaldo in prison, Danilo in conditions just as bad in the army, scenarios that seem hopeless yet give way to hope.

The emperor is ill. In this modern rendition of the eternal city (which apparently lived up to its name) the emperor is a hallowed figure if still human; the former hopeless characters seek out their fame and fortune in the centre of the empire, the city of Rome, by becoming medical students, hoping to cure ailments that have plagued them and those around them, and somewhat unwittingly become involved in plots beyond their ken. Their drive to cure the emperor is not always a direct, intentional process, nor does it turn out for any of the three men the way they intended for themselves.

Another character, Jose Alkorta, is key in setting up the situations that the healers need, but himself falls victim to foul play and a cover-up. One might think that the more things change, the more they stay the same, even in alternate universes. Alkorta is a minister of state, for education (one might not think this an assassination-worthy post, but when in Rome...). However, Alkorta's influence was not over here, as an enigmatic encounter with his painting later in the story will prove.

The plot line is intricate and meshed together in intriguing ways, but for the careful reader, there is an interesting development of ideas. Kazic's descriptions are full of detail and clear; the sensory and emotional impact of events, sights and people are readily apparent in the narrative. The ending continues in the same vein as the story - while there is something eternal about Rome and the empire, the same in not true for the people involved, even those fulfilling a prophecy.

Emperor of the Galatians is a disarmingly profound novel that operates on a number of levels. Even after a second reading, I'm not sure I have a perfect understanding of the novel as a whole, with its allegorical treatment of good and evil, but it really is an intriguing novel. The setting is most unusual, in that it takes place in a modern-day Roman Empire, a sort of netherworld with aspects of the long ago existing side-by-side with modern technology. The sociopolitical situation of Rome and its second-class provinces adds complexity to an enlightening story possessed of an almost mythic quality.

The novel largely revolves around four individuals. Jose Alkorta, Minister of Education, comes into possession of some seemingly Galatian papers that indicate three young men will come to Rome and cure the emperor Bonifacio of his recent sickness. Although Alkorta is secretly a Galatian by birth, he is unable to translate any of the papers apart from the accompanying letter found with them. Still, he does his part to pave the way for these young men to make their way to the city, even soliciting the erstwhile help of the stern Security Minister, Vicena. The medium for the strangers' arrival is the new university in Rome, a school that will be Alkorta's primary legacy. The young men do not know each other, although they cross paths in meaningful ways on several occasions. Danilo is a soldier charged with securing an innocent Rinaldo's release from a notorious prison, and both come to enroll in the new medical school in Rome. These two young men are pawns of a dizzying array of forces, including Alkorta, Vicena, and seemingly those of Fate and prophecy themselves. For his part, the suspicious Vicena is determined to find out what these young men are up to. In time, both Danilo and Rinaldo find useful jobs for themselves and begin to converge on a common mission unbeknownst to either of them. Rinaldo finds himself led to a storehouse of information and a scientifically intriguing substance that may well hold the key to Rome's future stability - and Danilo comes to hold the key to Rinaldo's future.

There is an extraordinarily human quality to these characters and their situations. Several of them hide their true provincial origins in a metropolitan Rome that welcomes but does not really embrace foreigners. Rinaldo faces a number of human struggles - having lost everything, really, when he was subjected to wrongful imprisonment, his Roman sojourn subjects him to emotional issues such as love and loss, fear, duty, and just a general desire for happiness and fulfillment. Danilo was himself rescued from a potentially dangerous situation in his military unit before embarking on a civilian student life in the big city, and he initially struggles to find a suitable place for himself in this new life he has suddenly been granted. Alkorta, however, is the most intriguing character of all, a leader possessed of a mysterious past and unsuspected secrets that slowly emerge as the story progresses.

Emperor of the Galatians was originally published in Germany in 1993 and is the first of author Mihajlo Kazic's three novels to be published in English. This isn't like reading a novel from an American-born writer, particularly in terms of the author's writing style. Characters sometimes make declarations rather than merely speak, the flow of the writing seems a little bit uneven on occasion, and the whole cultural milieu of the story does have a foreign feel to it. I don't mean to say these are weaknesses, however, as they actually piqued my interest even more and made the read a much more distinctive one than it might have been otherwise. Emperor of the Galatians is truly a fascinating book - partly because it is "different" (in a good way) and reflects a cultural outlook that differs somewhat from my own. Kazic's reverence for words and their power is made manifest loudly and clearly, as he possesses the ability to communicate a great deal in only a few words. Emperor of the Galatians isn't just a novel; it's a reading experience that will stay with me for some time.

This is indeed a fascinating book. It is very easy to read, however every sentence has a much deeper meaning. Contrary to wide spread belief that "everyone can achieve everything" this book infers that every person has a mission to fulfil in his life. Their personal goals are interrelated with devine providence.

The story of three young men who left their province for the capital, they were to fulfil their destinies that they were not aware of. This book may read like a fairy tale with hidden depths and with new meanings appearing each time. Highly recommended.

I love how one reviewer here is comparing this book to _Heart of Darkness_: that's probably a little bit over the top, but I can see some of the connections--the book's dark, meditative, heavy on language, dense, and very, very fine. Quite unconventional in its methods and its meditations, Everyday Psychokillers is extremely enjoyable provided you're open to what it's going after. If you're looking for a crime novel, this isn't it, but if you're looking for something beautiful and moving exploring the mythology of this thing we call the psychokiller especially from the perspective of a girl, then this should--rightfully--blow you away. For those who are familiar with the press, FC2, this is more conventional than you'd expect given their editorial interests while still not exactly being straightforward narrative. For those more used to the bigger presses, this will be a surprise for you, a gem, something to covet and keep close to you for years. Creepy, lovely, forceful, excellent.

I teach literature so I never get to get drunk on novels the way I did before I got my Ph.D. (it's always, how can I teach this?). However, this one got me and kept me up far too late into the night. It perfectly gets the self-referential world of preteenhood and adolescence, where everything is life-sized and there is often no "out" except your own stubborn sense of what makes no sense. Holden Caulfield's genuineness always struck me as incredibly phony; Corin's narrator interacts with her often deadened surroundings not by pointing out their pointlessness but by animating them from within. Yes, read Corin before the media makes her into something other than the precious dork her narrator suggests she is.

This has to be the most compelling novel I've read since *Heart of Darkness.* Asked "what's it about?", I find myself groping for words and coming up with hopelessly scopey responses like "the ethical dilemma of being human," "the meaning of "civilization" and what it does to ourselves and our planet," or "the ambivalent character of love, heroism and madness in our culture and history." Definitely not light reading, this book is unflaggingly intense, often as hilariously funny as it is horrific or tender, and poetry throughout.

Look, some novels are instant classics, and then the writer never achieves the same success. Salinger, Heller, etc. This isn't one, BUT: Did I like this book? Yes I did. Should you buy it? Yes you should. Am I being Rumsfeldian via my answering my own questions? Yes, I am. But this is an author who won't be limited by a novel that shows off her prowess immediately. She will continue to delve into her subject matter, psychologically and aesthetically. This is a feminist novel in its currently most developed state, and will lead to a further exploration of truly groundbreaking themes. There is much in this book that forces the reader to recognize a literary talent, and then obligates the reader to wait for more. I didn't like this book as much as I've liked some others by "canon" authors, but if you don't read it now, you'll regret it later. Tolstoy and Nabokov are better, but this is gold and deserves to be read. I was happily amazed by the constant reinvention of everyday scenarios and the gravity of the intricate plotline(s). It was a pleasure. You might as well save yourself the effort of catching up with Lucy Corin later and read this now; so just buy the book, read it, and wait, as opposed to breathlessly catching a bandwagon later. It's rare to be able to follow the development of a talented writer with the current economic conditions, so you might as well pick a really good one such as Lucy Corin, right? You'll enjoy "Everyday Psychokillers...," and you'll enjoy her later releases as well, I'm sure. Perhaps not a classic, but a "must buy" for fans of literate literature.

Overall this book is quite good, I think it is geared more toward people living in Florida than people like me who are planning a trip. I wish it had more travel info and maps. I also wish it had more pictures than it does, so you could see the places it talks about which would help out a lot.

As a person who has spent a good deal of time in many of the places listed in "Exploring Wild South Florida: A Guide to Finding the Natural Areas and Wildlife of the Southern Peninsula and the Florida Keys" I can say that it is a thorough, accurate, and informative guide to the South Florida area. This book is specifically made for the person who likes to explore areas that are still predominantly in their natural condition. If you are looking for a landscaped park to hike through then you will be disappointed. If you are looking for places where you are likely to see endangered species, the only air conditioning may be a breeze, and you may see very few people (if anyone) during your hike then this is the book you are looking for.

Some places are truly remote and you may be on your own finding your way around (like the Florida Everglades) and some are less remote and may even have boardwalks through the forest to make your trip easier. The book starts with an extensive overview of everything you need to know about southern Florida - weather, what to wear, animals and plants to be cautious of, information on the various park systems, and anything else that you might have a question about when planning a trip.

One of the nicer features of the book is a section on the various habitats that you are likely to encounter in south Florida. The author does an excellent job of explaining estuaries, coral reefs, cypress stands, mangroves, marshes, hammocks and other habitats. She covers what qualifies them as a specific habitat, what you should look for and expect in each of them and general educational information on each of them.

She then covers special wildlife and unwanted pests before moving into the Federal Lands part of the book that actually starts the information on each site. When she gets to the specific sites she provides all the information that you will need to plan a trip there. She covers the local habitats you might find, wildlife, facilities, and complete contact information (worth the price of the book by itself).

A highly recommended read for those who think camping equipment should not involve the word Winnebego.

My title sums the book up rather well. If you are going to South Florida with viewing nature and wildlife as one of your goals, you'll find the book extremely useful. If seeing the show at the Alligator Farm and the Seaquarium fills your need for nature, you probably won't need the book. Assuming you do use the book, you will appreciate the amount of detail it includes, though you'll probably wish for better maps and more illustrations! Despite this, highly recommended if you really want a book of this type.

We used this excellent book before and during our birdwatching trip to South Florida this spring. It was a useful complement to Bill Prantys 'A Birder's Guide to Florida'. In comparison to the latter book, you get more general information about the wildlife at different locationts and especially about facilities (e.g. bathrooms, food) at different wildlife refuges and parts of the Everglades National Park. In addition, there is a good introduction about different biotopes and 'special' animals and a stirring depiction of the passage of hurricane 'Andrew' over South Florida.

In a sea of dismal travel books, the Eyewitness Travel Guides published by Dorling Kindersley stand out like a lighthouse. Last year we traveled to Florida and relied heavily on this guidebook. Not only were the maps, directions, and recommendations absolutely perfect, but the high quality of this book and its absolute comprehensiveness (especially in light of its price) make it a must-buy. The best are its beautiful images in this guide easily recall some of our best moments, making it a keepsake even after the trip. The flexible, plasticized cover also means it stays looking nice, even after spending all day in a crowded backpack. All told, the perfect travel guide and another in a long line of excellent Dorling Kindersley books.Since then, I have bought this guide wherever I travel ( New York, Paris), and I am now buying it to give as present to my family and friends

This guide is excellent in getting you to the most interesting places in Florida. It has many great photos and descriptions that help you decide where you want to go, especially when you don't have as much time as you would like. I really like the overall format.

Having never been to Florida, I needed help. This book is fabulous, not only does it give you maps from one end to Florida to the other, the pictures are beautiful. It even has pictures of the food served at various restaurants.
I spent hours looking through all the travel guides at my local book store and this is the one I decided on.
Let me say that it difinitely made our stay in Florida a much more enjoyable experience. With the help from this wonderful book, we knew where to go, what to expect, with maps galore, suggestions on museums, national parks, wildlife,hotels, the whole shooting match............this book is unbelievable!

I bought this book for relatives that are "snowbirds" spending the winter in Florida for the first time. Have used the Insight Guides series but this book is just as good or better. Excellent information, great maps and illustrations and very up to date. Having travelled in Florida, I found its information to be highly accurate. I also received a couple of "thank you" cd roms from the publisher. Highly recommend the book

A true-crime account involving the brutal murders of a wife, her parents, and a by-stander, this book could also fall into the cold case category as unsolved. The convicted, William Thomas Zeigler, is presently on death row, appeals exhausted, but still hoping for justice. Through the years he has had a large number of supporters, legal, forensic, and others interested in his appalling situation who believe he should be exonerated. The reader will be shocked at the magnitude of the crime, the investigation(s), and the astonishing conclusions.

That Southern justice can be an oxymoron is no surprise. But this book lays out in stunning detail how the system can close ranks to create an impenetrable thicket of corruption. It methodically deconstructs the state's case to reveal a disturbing array of official misinformation, mistakes and misconduct. The case is no less pertinent today, almost 30 years later, for the defendant still resides on death row. Perhaps the most stunning aspect is that the case has never been successfully appealed as it wended its way North through Federal courts. One suspects that the trial of a wealthy white businessman who killed his wife and three bystanders for insurance hardly makes even the most strident card-carrying ACLU member's heart race. Indeed, a drug dealer who murdered a policeman has more success in the courtroom - overturning a case on nearly identical grounds under which the defendant's is not. How did he find himself in the Kafkaesque struggle? He broke perhaps the highest law of the deep South one year earlier by coming to the defense of a black man. The guilt in this frightening indictment of our legal process does not end with the defendant: It does not even begin there. Unfortunately, however, neither does it end with the original perpetrators of the crime. If you liked "The Thin Blue Lie", you will love this book.

Have you ever stopped to think that cases such as Tommy's, whose innocence I believe in, the person or persons that committed a murder are still free to kill again?

After being involved in a case of someone I care about and having the police, prosecutors, and the judge betray that person, I started reading stories of other real life people who had also been betrayed by the police, prosecutors, judges, well... the whole "justice" system. One of the first books I read was "Fatal Flaw". After reading this book, with my heart breaking for Tommy and his mother, I contacted Tommy. He became a very dear friend of mine, as did his precious mother. Tommy has lost both his father and his mother while being in prison. I cannot think of a more hurtful thing in the world than to be in prison, an innocent person, and to lose someone you love. Not to mention Tommy's wife having been murdered, and not by him.

This book is the most wonderful book about the way the lack of justice is allowed in our country. It is easy to read, easy to follow and understand. Phillip Finch is a wonderful author who did not go into the telling of this story because he believed in Tommy's innocence. Because of his ability to do research and his honesty, he had to come to the conclusion that Tommy is innocent. If you read this story, you will see why he and others thought Tommy could be guilty. You will think... wait! I thought he is suppose to be innocent. Keep reading.

You might also think on this while reading. Other facts have come to light since the book was written to prove even further that Tommy is not just "not guilty" but totally innocent. Where are those who committed these murders? Not in prison! Does that worry you? Does it make anyone safer because "someone" is in prison for the murders? Sadly that does satisfy too many people.

Does it bother you that this can happen to anyone? Maybe you or someone you love? You might think that it never would, but if you are in the wrong place at the right time for the police, you could have evidence put together to make you or someone you love look guilty. Think about that! Read this story. You can read this book online at no cost. Do a search for Tommy Zeigler.

One thing that I would like to tell you about this book that was most shocking to me is concerning the jury. Did you know that other than physical abuse, a jury can do or say just about anything to get other jurors to change their mind. Nothing is suppose to leave the jury room about what is said or done during the trial. Nothing is recorded. In this book you will learn how a juror was allowed to hold a gun to another juror's head and pull the trigger. This woman was a hold out for "not guilty". The juror wanted her to change her mind. The woman tried to tell the judge, but he would not allow the woman to talk. He did not want a mistrial. Finally the woman managed to get a message to the judge. He had a doctor write her a prescription for Valium and she was told to take the medication. She finally could hold out no longer, and caved in from the pressure, never believing Tommy was guilty.

Tommy is innocent. The system is flawed. Real killers are going free. Is that okay with you? What if you are the next person that gets murdered because of a case like this, convicting an innocent person, especially when the state knows the person on trial is innocent. How sad and scary! How unfair for the innocent and it brings no justice for the victims that are killed.

In 1975, Winter Garden, Florida was a small, one-horse migrant labor and truck stop town bypassed by the supposed prosperity brought to Central Florida by the Disney Company. Spared the rapicious raping of the Kissimmee-St Cloud area, with its swamp draining killing of animals, Winter Garden remained as it had been--a lower class white working community dependent on trucking and citrus for its existence.

Enter William Thomas Zeigler who, by the author's own description drove oldsmobiles and detested rock and roll music. Unknown to many residents, the Zeigler family wealth stood at just over one million dollars--a princely sum in the 1970s. The quiet, modest veneer of the Zeigler family was broken by the existence of sexual problems between Tommy and Eunice Zeigler. Two weeks before the murder of Eunice, the couple stopped having intercourse with Eunice threatening to go to a fertility specialist in Orlando. Rumors abounded that Tommy was homosexual and a member of a sex ring of important local men. The author points out that Zeigler commited two unforgiveable crimes. One, he helped a black man retain a liquor license in the face of local and state opposition. Two, he helped break up a loan sharking ring manned by members of the Orange County (Orlando) Sherrif's Department. Later that year, the Sherrif, Dave Starr, resigned under pressure and his chief deputy, Leigh MacEachern, wne to jail convicted of charges of official corruption.

Finch outlines in great detail the malfeasance of police and prosecutors. First, sherrif's deputies trampled evidence at the crime scene. Later, judges and FBI authorities joined in to complete a fait accompli ensuring the swift journey of Mr. Zeigler to Florida's death row, where he remains to this day. Despite having two of the finest criminal defense lawyers in orlando--Ed Kirkland and Terry Hadley, Zeigler stood no chance of even getting a routine continuance or investigator access to the crime scene. Additionally, Finch outlines how key witnesses were not interviewed nor called to trial leaving the reader no doubt that the fix was in. Finch leaves the reader wondering an age-old question--how can a nation that calls itslef a democracy allow such malfeasance in its criminal justice system?

I have a special interest in this book having lived in Orlando at the time of the crime and having visited the crime scene as recently as last year. Finch has written an important, readable indictment of southern justice.