Florida Books

The book consists of many vignettes on real people who live, or have lived in Key West.

Each story touched my heart, made me laugh and sometimes cry.

June Keith is a powerful writer on the human condition. Simple, truthful, and to the point. Each story makes you think and reflect.

I also read Postcards From Paradise, in anticipation of my trip to Key West. The book, made me feel comfortable in a place I've never been before.

June Keith feels like an old friend, even though We've never met.

I half expected to meet her, and the many people she wrote about so eloquently in these two fine books. The photographs really made the stories come alive for me.

Solares Hill Newspaper 12/25/98 By Rosalind Brackenbury

June Keith's new book is a deceptively easy read. While you're being royally entertained by anecdotes, gossip and chat about Key West, what's really happening is that June Keith is sharing her own attitudes to life, which are extraordinarily kind, tolerant and intelligently liberal. More Postcards From Paradise is much more about the people who have lived and died here since the early seventies than it is about the tourist tattiness for which Key West has recently become known. If Paradise is a place that contains all of life, not some idealized destination, then Paradise is Key West. And June Keith is the perfect guide to it, because she committed herself to the place instead of just passing through; she lived and worked here as a waitress and a go-go dancer before she became a published writer, married a Conch and raised a son and made many friends. She came here in 1974 and like several other women I know (and like Goldie Hawn's character in Criss-Cross) found that topless dancing -may not be the most wonderful job in the world, but it sure beats hitting the road back to the mainland.' She has since put down her roots here, '-as one who doesn't leave.' She's also one who does not abandon people when they get sick, who puts in her word against prejudice of all sorts. The evidence of faithful friendships with old, young, black, white, gay, straight, living, dying people runs through these pages and was for me the most striking aspect of the book. It isn't written as a memoir or autobiography, but when you've read it you truly know this warm-hearted, principled and funny woman who has been entertaining you for 255 pages with her unpretentious snippets of Key West life. The wit and toughness, as well as the optimism of this book, show Keith as a survivor; but the lightness of tone doesn't quite conceal the fact that the road less traveled has at times been a hard one. Buy this book for friends, family and out-of-town visitors. It's impossible not to enjoy it.

Because this book's story plays out in NW Florida's panhandle, it made it even more interesting due to my own familiarity with that locale. The author weaved a plot that kept me wanting to continue reading to learn "who dun it" which is what mystery writing is supposed to do. An excellent book and highly recommended. You definitely will want to read her first novel, Murder on the Prairie, before reading this one. This latest book keeps referring back to events and people from the first book so it makes for a much more interesting read by knowing the background.

This new whodunit by M.D. Abrams, like its predecessor environmental parable, is impossible to put down once you read the Prologue. It immediately grabs you by the scruff of the neck and drags you happily through its several hundred pages of intrigue and sheer delight. The plot is ingeniously unique, the main character (Lorelei Crane, an actress) interesting and well delineated, the conclusion surprising. The author clearly knows and loves the lakes, springs, and wetlands of North Florida, and understands the perennial threat from human encroachment on natural habitats.
The book's plot, which revolves around the desire of several locals to develop some pristine land for profit, parallels the plot of Henrik Ibsen's play An Enemy of the People, in which Lorelei has a starring role. In Ibsen's work a scientist insists that scientific truth must be told even if it hurts his family and the perceived interests of his community. In the book's "real" life, a scientist who likewise insists on disclosing the threat to Wakulla Springs from proposed development ends up dead. Thus, the book, depicting as it does the eternal struggle between abstract truth (like survival of the environment) and short-term people needs (or greed) is really a morality play of sorts. It is subliminally educational while at the same time a fast-moving entertaining read.

John Hann's works are wonderfully accessible to both the specialized student of Florida history and the general reader, and this book is no exception.

Hann's studies of the Native American cultures of what today is the Florida panhandle and Alabama, particularly his study of the groups ancestral to the Creek Confederacy, is particularly helpful in understanding the dynamics of the struggles between Spain and England in the Southeast during the colonial period, as well as giving us a glimpse of the personalities, Native American (such as the "Emperor" Brims), Spanish, and English, that helped to shape the world we know.

An excellent read and very well researched. I highly recommend this book.

I got this book for my husband for Father's Day. The book was a tad pricey but learned quickly that it was well worth it. I was excited to find that this book had finally been written seeing as there is not one to my knowledge that has the unique approach that John Hann has used. He touches on many aspects of the Native American culture in the west Florida area making the book informative in many different historical aspects. In my opinion it is well written in the sense that it is informative but not "over my head" as someone that is far from an expert in this area. Besides the new knowledge it provides, it is simply good, interesting reading. We are lucky to have people like Mr. Hann that dedicate so much time to bring us new knowledge and answers to the treasure that is the history of the Native Americans. Also, thank you for focusing on such a localized area of Florida (I live in Quincy, FL)!

This book is a must have for anyone interested in native trees of south florida.

This book is truly a classic and a must-have for anyone interested in identifying and enjoying the trees and shrubs of the Keys. This wonderful guide was written and photographed by a brilliant and engaging naturalist who first saw the Florida Keys in the early 1900's from the caboose of Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad train. For more than 50 years Paul Scurlock studied the flora of the Keys and condensed his work into this colorful, easy-to-read and use field guide. Paul Scurlock was a classic old-school naturalist and this book is a fitting testament to his work.

I like this book because it breaks down the different types of ecologies we see in Florida, unlike other books. Florida has so many different ecological niches that a one size fits all approach doesn't work. This book will show you how to fine tune "Florida Natural". It is the most complete book available, but is lacking in information on some wild plants, such as the pawpaw tree and its edible fruits and lovely blooms. (A real favorite in my garden.) In spite of these shortcomings, it is the best book on the market. I was able to use this book along with a Florida Aududon guide to collect seeds from the wild and harvest some plants at building sites about to be razed. This was a big savings over a nursery. Further, besides the savings in water bills, the upkeep is minimal. We have 4 acres and went natural and were able to get rid of our gardener. We have noticed and influx of butterflies and birds in our yard, along with other woodland animals. This book will help you create your own Eden the natural way. Highly recommend.

This little book is deceptively slim. Actually, it provides a compact but comprehensive overview of the significant differences between creating a natural landscape with native plants vs. a conventional contemporary Florida landscape of decorative exotics. It will give you a context within which the other native plant books can become useful to you.

I've been poring over books about building stuff (cabinets, furniture, built-ins, etc) on and off for years now, but rarely buy any. You can buy full-book advertisements like the books from Black and Decker (which aren't bad, actually), but you kind of need to buy the tools too.

Same goes for all the other books: they generally assume you'll somehow magically acquire a shop full of tools (not to mention plenty of space to put your shop), as well as all the materials.

Mr. Frost is a wise old dude, who has put in a lot of years of living and knows a lot of good stuff. If you're afraid power tools like me--I've known way too many people over the years with fewer than average fingers due to them--then this is a great introduction.

But if you're interested in graphic design (Mr. Frost designed the Gilbey's Gin bottle long ago), this is an awesome book as well: throughout, the illustrations illustrate not just the projects but also how to do illustration and graphic design.

And if you just feel inadequate because your dad never showed you how to use a saw or gave you positive feedback when you were learning something, well, you should get therapy--but also get this book. Mr. Frost is a gentle and sensible teacher, and his common sense comments (on using a power jigsaw: "Very little skill is needed to operate this saw, except to *remember not* to put your other hand *under* the board to feel the blade when it's running!") are more sincere than condescending.

Watch out, though, because someone forgot to proof read the manuscript (or else left lots of boo-boos in); it doesn't matter, it's still a great book.

So turn off "Yankee Workshop" (anyone could make *anything* with a 20x40 workshop and a hundred thousand or so in tools). This book will take you from the simplest of projects (a pair of sawhorses) to more challenging projects without breaking the bank.

I bought this book after buying his, "Whacky Toys, Whirligigs & Whatchamacallits" book. His writing style is truly clever and engaging, and his knowledge of the subjects he writes about is deep and beyond well rounded.

Even if you never actually pick up some tools and craft all the projects in this book, it's a great read, and Mr. Frost shares his wisdom on many topics, not just woodworking. It's philosophical without being ponderous or windy, and extremely practical. I can't praise this book enough, and consider myself blessed to have both of Mr. Frost's books. They fill in so many little gaps in my woodworking and tool knowledge (like the other reviewer, I have read tons of other woodworking books). This book has real "soul", and I urge anyone even remotely interested in this topic to buy this book ASAP! It's truly amazing what one can do with a few simple tools and a little bit of practical knowledge.

The book is a good reference source for Reconstruction in Florida. The author covers the subject well, and the bibliography is excellent. It's the place to begin.

This first book gives us an expectation of the great work to come from this historian of Reconstruction Negroes in the South. Dr. Richardson has been cited by many of his fellow historians as an expert in this field and many of his students will attest to this fact. Any scholar or student interested in this era of our history can use this volume as a jumping off place for the books that followed: the history of Fisk University, the study of the Amer. Missionary Assoc., et. al. Beginning with this wonderful book Joe Martin Richardson has set the standad by which we can judge subsequent works on this area of history. It proves itself as well researched, well writter and well thought out from inception to conclusion. Keep wtriting for us, Professor Richardson.

This book fills a much-needed gap in the literature on circuses, which for the most part have only examined three-ring circuses--despite the fact that circus in the United States had one ring before it had three. These books focusing on three-ring spectacles have also been, for the most part, rather dry histories that take all of the excitement out of a topic that is (to me) very stimulating. This book treats circus as the art form that it is, and puts interesting individuals and characters back into the story of the American circus with its excellent personal interviews. I wish other literature on the circus could be as engaging.

In America circus books come in two categories: Children books, giving an infantile look at a kind of circus which exists, most of the time, only in the author's imagination; and "circus history" books, usually compilations of previous works on the subject repeating the same anecdotes, collection of trivia, and "facts" whose sources are often mysterious (and thus make these facts often arguable).

Ernest Albrecht's work is different: It is a knowledgeable study of the state of the American circus today -- more specifically, its recent evolution from a three-ring, commercial spectacle often disconnected with the reality of the modern world to a contemporary form of performing art.

This evolution -- or revolution -- didn't happen in one day, and its pioneers (Pickle Family Circus, Big Apple Circus and, of course, Cirque du Soleil) were not born out of thin air. When and where did their creators find their inspiration? Who were these revolutionary creators? Why did people who, by in large, had originally nothing to do with the circus decided to reinvent it? And did they actually reinvent anything?

Ernest Albrecht, a theater critic who came to develop a keen interest in the "new circus" movement, asked himself these questions and went on to find answers.

Here is a rarity in this country: a book on the circus that dispenses with the usual nostalgia attached to anything regarding the American circus and treats its subject seriously, as would be any other perfornming art. As such, it is a must read for anyone interested in the theater, the performing arts in general, and (evidently) the circus arts. It is also a must read for any curious mind -- any one who wishes to see the circus from a point of view different from what P.T. Barnum wanted us to believe when he launched his "Greatest Show On Earth" as a uniquely American commercial venture more than one and a half century ago.

Dominique Jando

This book is truly an interesting read for anyone that may have been a victim of abuse as well as someone that is furtunate enough not to have had gone through such an ordeal. I was captivated by the story from the beginning of Nina's journey all the way through, I found myself not wanting to put Nina's Corner down.

As one of the co-authors of Nina's Corner, I wanted to clarify that this novel was written by TWO Florida authors. It seems there are limitations in the publishing process that are preventing both authors names from showing up in the product description area that identifies the author(s), therefore, only my name, Joyce Marie Taylor, is being listed. My apologies to Kathleen and I hope Amazon will resolve this issue soon.

If it weren't for Kathleen's vision behind this story and her relentless dedication to completing it in record time, this book would not have been published. When she sent me the photo of her painting, so I could design the book's cover, I was blown away. She is an awesome photographer and painter and the cover is simply spectacular.

We both spent an equal amount of time developing, writing and editing this compelling story of abuse, and although it is fictional, it drives home a powerful vision of the enormity of mental anguish and pain a woman must endure when a horrid act of abuse is committed against her while an innocent child. The memories never go away.

We ask that you purchase a copy and also tell everyone you know to buy a copy of Nina's Corner because proceeds will be donated to Art for A.C.T., an abuse and counseling treatment center in Fort Myers, Florida. Kathleen has donated her beautiful artwork to this worthy cause in years past, as well.

Please help us and do your part to stop the abuse, as well as help its victims.

Joyce Marie Taylor, Author & Poet

If you enjoyed The DaVinci Code, you will surely be fascinated by this book, which demonstrates that the Gawain-Pearl poet "encoded" mathematics, music, architecture and more within the expertly crafted pages of his manuscript.

One need not be a medievalist to find this book compelling. Mathematicians will enjoy this book's demonstration that mathematics and language can work together toward a poet's goal. Yet one need not be a mathematician to appreciate the Gawain-Pearl poet's stunning artistic triumph, which this book so masterfully illustrates.

If you enjoy finding "codes" and patterns and symmetries in literature, which not only challenge the reader but also enrich the meaning and enjoyment of the text, you will surely appreciate this book. Professor Condren has unlocked the rich mysteries of a little-known medieval manuscript with this thought-provoking book, which may even change the way you look at literature.

Though a dense and academic-oriented work, Professor Edward Condren's The Numerical Universe of the Gawain-Pearl Poet also opens a lay window into the medieval mind as important and accessible as Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror. This may not have been the Professor's intent, to appeal to a non-academic audience, but the book's conclusions are immensely appealing and compelling. The author strips away 600 years of modern thought and filters, and in the process manifests the fourteenth century intellectual and spiritual mind.

Together, the four poems in the Cotton Nero A.x manuscript are a literary, pre-decimal attempt at using irrational numbers, arithmetic and harmonic ratios, and their link to infinity to describe The Infinite. The Indescribable can have metaphors via mathematics and the rest of the quadrivium that effect God's true values and instruction for man.

Professor Condren layers direct observation, a history of academic criticism, as well as directly leaning upon Plato, Augustine, and Boethius to fix the primacy of math in the medieval philosophical consciousness. Mathematics was seen "to bridge the worlds of flesh and spirit." (p. 3) This should not be a stretch when we reconsider the "belief" in alchemy.

Professor Condren has to ride multiple analytic horses to build his case. He combines Phi expansions implying infinite growth, concentric rings implying spiritual growth, to iconoclastic textural analysis to build his argument and coordinate disparate disciplines well enough to convince readers who may only have knowledge in one of the disciplines that he relies upon.

The Pearl Poet uses the medieval quadrivium as Umberto Eco uses semiotics and James Joyce used Shakespeare. By grounding his four poems in the quadrivium, the poet makes use of a known system for better explicating his world. Just as readers should not attempt Joyce's Ulysses without the New Bloomsday Book, one should not begin any of the poems of the Cotton Nero A.x manuscript without The Numerical Universe of the Gawain-Pearl Poet.