10 books about Florida

This guidebook features hundreds of Florida's best destinations organized by theme, so readers can decide what to do and then find where to do it.

Forget what you think you know about visiting Florida--Backroads of Florida will lead you to explore lush forests, pristine lakes, and otherworldly swamps! Can you still find untouched stretches of velvety sand and warm waves in the Sunshine State? Yes! More than ever! From the funky, timeless charm of Key West to the haunted history of Amelia Island, veteran travel writers Paul M. Franklin and Nancy Mikula will introduce you to another side of Florida, where quiet rural byways and quirky roadside charm lie just beyond the glittering coastal cities and trendy beach resorts. This is the second edition of Backroads of Florida, and it contains all-new routes along timeless roads with new, vibrant photography and pithy stories of what can be found on your drive through bucolic backroads. As you explore the roads less traveled, you'll follow in the footsteps of the Spanish explorers, pirates, and cowboys who shaped Florida's early history. Whether it's skimming across the Everglades in an airboat, snorkeling with manatees in a crystalline river, or paddling your kayak through a cypress swamp teeming with alligators, orchids, and tropical birds, there's a world of excitement and beauty waiting for you. Leave Disney World and the hectic bustle of Miami Beach to the tourists. With this book, you've got a one-of-a-kind trip in store.

Identifies one thousand types of Florida's plant and animal life, offers an overview of its natural history, and describes the state's beaches, parks, preserves, and forests

324 species of birds are grouped and color coded for quick identification, with a 12 page comparative reference guide at the beginning of the book.

"An homage to the rugged 'swamp rats' who were largely overlooked or scorned by the region's historians, naturalists, and adventurers."--Miami Herald "Documents an aspect of Florida history and culture of which far too little has been written. . . . [Gladesmen] is alive with South Florida history and spiced with Simmons' understated humor and world view."--Folk Winds "Contains interesting tales of outlaws, moonshiners and other characters--some who lived on the edge of right and wrong--and roamed the inhospitable backcountry prairies of soft muck and massive mosquitoes."--South Dade News Leader "We Floridians sometimes . . . long for the simple life of pioneers and wonder how we would manage 'living off the land.' This book serves as a slap in the face of such fantasy."--St. Petersburg Times "Simmons tells us that he is no hero, but he is the stuff of Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett, Jim Bridger, and Alfred Wallace."--Florida Frontier Gazette "Simmons is Florida's answer to Huckleberry Finn."--Georgia Historical Quarterly

Florida has a history as diverse as its residents. And much of that is still hidden. Since the arrival of the Spanish in 1513, the state has played host to strange stories. A heartbroken senator entered a mental institution over unrequited love for an heiress. Thousands of British pilots trained in flight schools across the state. And the true, and darker, story of Pocahontas is linked with the "first barbecue." Author and historian James C. Clark unearths a history hidden beneath swamps and sand for years.

Want to learn more about the state of Florida? Sure, you know it's home to Disney World, but what else do you really know about the Sunshine State? From the strange to the scary, there's so much to learn about Florida that even natives of the state don't know. In this trivia book, you'll learn more about Florida's history, pop culture, folklore, sports, and so much more! In The Great Book of Florida, you'll discover the answers to the following questions: How did Florida get its name? Which former U.S. president helped the country gain control of Florida? Which city in Florida was the only city in America to be founded by a woman? How did spring break get started? What famous pirates buried treasure on and off the coast of Florida? How did Walt Disney keep his plans to build Disney World a secret? Which of the Disney World attractions is said to be haunted? What lighthouse is thought to be one of America's most haunted? And so much more! This book is packed with trivia facts about Florida. Some of the facts are entertaining, some of them will be tragic, and some of them may even scare you a little, but all of them will be interesting! This book is full of everything you've ever wondered about Florida and then some. Whether you're just learning about Florida or you already think you know everything there is to know about the state, you're bound to learn something new in each chapter. Your friends will be amazed at your knowledge during your next trivia night. You'll even impress your history teacher! So, what are you waiting for? Get started to learn all there is to know about Florida!

"In 1858 Tobias MacIvey abandoned his Georgia farm, loaded his meager possessions and his wife and infant son in a wagon and headed south into the Florida wilderness to search for a new life. What follows in A LAND REMEMBERED is a big rough-tough, folksy Florida saga -- three generations of the MacIvey family (1858-1968) from a dirt-poor cattle-droving cracker to a Miami real estate tycoon."--Front flap.

Describes the remarkable and challenging efforts of ambitious entrepreneur Henry Flagler to construct a railway that would connect Key West to the mainland, following the design and engineering of the project, the thousands of workers who brought Flagler's vision to life, and the 1935 hurricane that destroyed the railway. Reprint. 75,000 first printing.