Download or read book Salvaging the Real Florida written by Bill Belleville and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2011-04-03 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Modern life has a tendency to trap people in cubicles, cars, and cookie-cutter suburbs. Thankfully, someone comes along now and then to remind us of the beauty that presents itself when we turn off the information feeds and turn away from the daily grind. Bill Belleville’s enchanting Salvaging the Real Florida invites readers to rediscover treasures hidden in plain sight. Join Belleville as he paddles a glowing lagoon, slogs through a swamp, explores a spring cave, dives a "literary" shipwreck, and pays a visit to the colorful historic district of an old riverboat town. Journey with him in search of the apple snail, the black bear, a rare cave-dwelling shrimp, and more. Everywhere he goes, Belleville finds beauty, intrigue, and, more often than not, a legacy in peril. Following in the tradition of John Muir, William Bartram, and Henry David Thoreau, Belleville forges intimate connections with his surroundings. Like the works of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Archie Carr, his evocative stories carry an urgent and important call to preserve what is left of the natural world.
Download or read book Losing It All to Sprawl written by Bill Belleville and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2006-03-27 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Losing It All to Sprawl is the poignant chronicle of award-winning nature writer Bill Belleville and how he came to understand and love his historic Cracker farmhouse and "relic" neighborhood in central Florida, even as it was all wiped out from under him. Belleville's narrative is eloquent, informed, and impassioned, a saga in which tractors and backhoes trample through the woods next to his home in order to build the backbone of Florida sprawl--the mall. As heavy machinery encircles Belleville and his community--the noise growing louder and closer, displacing everything Belleville has called home for the past fifteen years--he tells a story that is much older, 10,000 years older. The story stretches back to the Timucua and the Mayaca living in harmony with Florida's environment; the conquistadors who expected much from, but also feared, this "land of flowers"; the turn-of-the-century tourists "modernizing" and "climatizing" the state; the original Cracker families who lived in Belleville's farmhouse. In stark contrast to this millennia-long transformation is the whiplash of unbridled growth and development that threatens the nearby wilderness of the Wekiva River system, consuming Belleville's home and, ultimately, his very sense of place. In Florida, one of the nation's fastest growing states (and where local and state governments encourage growth), balancing use with preservation is an uphill battle. Sprawl spreads into the countryside, consuming not just natural lands but Old Florida neighborhoods and their unique history. In Losing It All to Sprawl, Belleville accounts for the impacts--social, political, natural, personal--that a community in the crosshairs of unsustainable growth ultimately must bear, but he also offers Floridians, and anyone facing the blight of urban confusion, the hope that can be found in the rediscovery and appreciation of the natural landscape.
Download or read book River of Lakes written by Bill Belleville and published by University of Georgia Press. This book was released on 2011-07-01 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First explored by naturalist William Bartram in the 1760s, the St. Johns River stretches 310 miles along Florida's east coast, making it the longest river in the state. The first "highway" through the once wild interior of Florida, the St. Johns may appear ordinary, but within its banks are some of the most fascinating natural phenomena and historic mysteries in the state. The river, no longer the commercial resource it once was, is now largely ignored by Florida's residents and visitors alike. In the first contemporary book about this American Heritage River, Bill Belleville describes his journey down the length of the St. Johns, kayaking, boating, hiking its riverbanks, diving its springs, and exploring its underwater caves. He rediscovers the natural Florida and establishes his connection with a place once loved for its untamed beauty. Belleville involves scientists, environmentalists, fishermen, cave divers, and folk historians in his journey, soliciting their companionship and their expertise. River of Lakes weaves together the biological, cultural, anthropological, archaeological, and ecological aspects of the St. Johns, capturing the essence of its remarkable history and intrinsic value as a natural wonder.
Download or read book Sunshine Paradise written by Tracy J. Revels and published by Florida History and Culture. This book was released on 2020-03-17 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How tourism shaped the Sunshine State "An enlightening journey through Florida's diverse and evolving tourism history, illustrating the changing face of tourism over the years, and how Floridians have coped with these changes. An informative look at Florida's past efforts to woo tourists, and the mixed blessings that tourism has brought to the Sunshine State."--Brian Rucker, author of Image and Reality "At last--a readable, concise history of Florida tourism from the earliest European discovery to the present. Revels's prose sizzles. Her ability to summarize and analyze more than 300 years of Florida tourism in just over 200 pages is truly stunning. It is a remarkable achievement. Sunshine Paradise both entertains and informs on every page, and it should be required reading for policy makers and everyone else who needs to know how current Florida came to be."--James M. Denham, professor of history and director, Lawton M. Chiles Jr., Center for Florida History, Florida Southern College For nearly two hundred years, Floridians have eagerly exploited tourism as the key to economic prosperity. As a result, the state has constantly reshaped and remodeled itself as different types of tourist heavens, and many aspects of its history have become inseparable from the fantastic images created by the tourism industry. From spa retreats to nature preserves, from riverboat rides to roller coasters, and from railroads to theme parks, the state's dependence on tourism has greatly shaped its identity. Sunshine Paradise is the first book to focus exclusively on how--and why--tourism came to define Florida. Offering a concise look at the subject from the 1820s to the present, Tracy Revels demonstrates tourism's relevance to all other major aspects of Florida history, including the Civil War, the land boom, and civil rights. In this enjoyable and well-written history, Revels shows how Florida's tourism industry has remained adaptive and expansive, ready to sell the next version of paradise to northerners hungry for sunshine. She also explains why the state's business and political leaders must consider the history of tourism development as they plan for the state's future. Tracy J. Revels, professor and chair of history at Wofford College, is the author of Grander in Her Daughters: Florida's Women during the Civil War.A volume in the Florida History and Culture Series, edited by Raymond Arsenault and Gary R. Mormino
Download or read book It Happened in the Florida Keys written by Victoria Shearer and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2008-02-01 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Salvage of a sunken slave ship, devastating hurricanes and the odd doings of locals such as Jimmy Buffett and Hemingway's cats.
Download or read book Florida Studies Review written by Marcy L. Galbreath and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2018-04-18 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains a variety of essays about Florida literature and history by scholars from across the state representing every kind of institution of higher learning, from community colleges to small liberal arts institutions to large universities. The essays in the first section, “Florida Studies”, focus on the rich literary, historical, and cultural traditions of the region. The contributions in “Literary and Cultural Studies” offer readings and analyses of diverse texts and critical lenses. The final section, Pedagogy, explores strategies for and challenges within institutions of higher learning in Florida.
Download or read book Homegrown in Florida written by William McKeen and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2012-09-23 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Florida can seem like a child's dream of paradise: endless sunny days, trips to the beach to swim and build sandcastles, bike riding without a jacket in the middle of January, and magical themeparks only a short drive away. But what was life really like for those who grew up here? During a recent reunion, writers Bill McKeen, Tim Dorsey, and Jeff Klinkenberg found themselves lamenting that so many of their childhood memories were fading away. For them, and for many, Florida is not just a place people go to, it’s where they come from. That can mean many things to many people, as the stellar cast of writers, journalists, and musicians eloquently reveal in Homegrown in Florida. This utterly satisfying and powerful anthology aims at the heart of the glories of childhood and the pain of growing up. Both a celebration of the exotic, untamed wilderness of a youth filled with moss-draped oaks and citrus fields, evergreen winters and palmetto fronds, and a reminder that innocence often gave way to experience as bike paths became private developments, and swimming holes were paved over by interstates, Homegrown in Florida is filled with tears and laughter alike. Featuring contributions from Carl Hiaasen, Tom Petty, Zora Neale Hurston, Michael Connelly, and many more, this is a book for every child of old Florida, and every child at heart.
Download or read book Naked Came the Florida Man written by Tim Dorsey and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2020-01-07 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Can it still be hurricane season? Must be, because here come Serge A. Storms and his perpetually stoned bro, Coleman, in Tim Dorsey’s gonzo crime caper.” –The New York Times Book Review The “compulsively irreverent and shockingly funny” (Boston Globe) Tim Dorsey returns with an insanely entertaining tale in which the inimitable Serge A. Storms sees dead people and investigates a creepy urban myth that may be all too real. Though another devastating hurricane is raking Florida, its awesome power can’t deter the Sunshine State’s most loyal son, Serge A. Storms, from his latest scenic road trip: a cemetery tour. With his best bro Coleman riding shotgun, Serge hits the highway in his gold ’69 Plymouth Satellite, putting pedal to the metal on a grand tour of the past. Beginning in Key West, the sunshine boys’ odyssey includes a forgotten mass grave in Palm Beach County holding the remains of African Americans killed by the Great Hurricane of 1928, and the resting place of one world-famous television dolphin (RIP Flipper) from the 1960s. But one deadland—a haunted old sugar field—holds more than just the bones of those who’ve passed. For years, local children have whispered about a boogeyman hiding among the stalks. Could it be the same maniac known as Naked Florida Man, who’s been raising hell all over the place? There are few things Serge loves more than solving a good mystery and bestowing justice on miscreants who sully his beloved home’s good name. With his partner Bong Man, Florida’s psycho superhero will find the truth in this hilariously violent delight—packed with history, lore, and plenty of motel antics—from the insanely ingenious Tim Dorsey.
Download or read book Key West written by Maureen Ogle and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2006-07-01 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Ogle captures this island city in all its quirky charm. Her story breezes along in typical Key West fashion--full of gossip and humor, with the jolt of a good cup of Cuban coffee."--Lee Irby, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Parrotheads, Hemingway aficionados, and sun worshipers view Key West as a tropical paradise, and scores of writers have set tales of mystery and romance on the island. The city's real story--told by Maureen Ogle in this lively and engaging illustrated account--is as fabulous as fiction. In the early 1800s, the city's pioneer founders battled Indians, pirates, and deadly disease and created wealth beyond their imaginations. In the two centuries since, Key West has nurtured tragedy and triumph and has stood at the crossroads of American history. When Florida joined the Confederacy in 1861, Union troops seized control of strategically located Key West and city residents spent four years living under martial law. In the early 1890s, Key West Cubans helped Jose Marti launch the revolution that eventually ended Spain's control of their homeland. A few years later, the battleship Maine steamed out of Key West harbor on its last, tragic voyage. At the turn of the century, Henry Flagler astounded the entire country by building a technological marvel, an overseas railroad from mainland Florida to Key West, more than 100 miles long. In the 1920s and 1930s, painters, rumrunners, and writers (including Ernest Hemingway and Robert Frost) discovered Key West. During World War II, the federal government and the military war machine permanently altered the island's landscape. In the second half of the 20th century, bohemians, hippies, gays, and jet-setters began writing a new chapter in Key West's social history. All of these personalities and events are wrapped in Ogle's unique and candid history of the island, an account that will fascinate past and present citizens of the Conch Republic, history buffs who like a well-told tale, and the millions of tourists from all over the world who love this colorful island city. Maureen Ogle is retired from the University of South Alabama.
Download or read book Mostly Dead Things written by Kristen Arnett and published by Tin House Books. This book was released on 2020-04-21 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The celebrated New York Times Bestseller A Best Book of the Year pick at the New York Times, NPR, The New Yorker, TIME, Washington Post, Oprahmag.com, Thrillist, Shelf Awareness, Good Housekeeping and more. What does it take to come back to life? For Jessa-Lynn Morton, the question is not an abstract one. In the wake of her father’s suicide, Jessa has stepped up to manage his failing taxidermy business while the rest of the Morton family crumbles. Her mother starts sneaking into the taxidermy shop to make provocative animal art, while her brother, Milo, withdraws. And Brynn, Milo’s wife—and the only person Jessa’s ever been in love with—walks out without a word. It’s not until the Mortons reach a tipping point that a string of unexpected incidents begins to open up surprising possibilities and second chances. But will they be enough to salvage this family, to help them find their way back to one another? Kristen Arnett’s breakout bestseller is a darkly funny family portrait; a peculiar, bighearted look at love and loss and the ways we live through them together.
Download or read book Along the Wekiva River written by Jim Robison and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2009 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Meandering through Orange, Lake, and Seminole Counties, this "purest form of Central Florida nature," as described by one of its champions, is also bordered by some of the region's most densely populated suburban sprawl. The Wekiva River makes up some of the best protected waters in the state with laws designed for its preservation, as it is recognized as a regional "jewel" and a resource worth saving in public trust as parks, preserves, and forests. Today visitors who paddle, boat, and hike here discover a sanctuary that seems unchanged since its earliest history, when ancient tribes piled fresh water shells, sand, bone, and pot shards to create midden mounds, and when Clay Springs and other early settlements helped draw river traffic and railroads hauled out its forest products. Its cooling springs have provided recreation for generation after generation.
Download or read book Salvage Secrets Design Decor Transform Your Home with Reclaimed Materials written by Joanne Palmisano and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2014-05-20 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A visually sumptuous idea book, showcasing an eclectic array of interior design possibilities using salvaged goods. Following up on her celebrated first Salvage Secrets book, which Fine Homebuilding called “An invaluable first step in the salvage-for-design journey,” here salvage design guru Joanne Palmisano takes readers further, exploring a wealth of smaller-scale interior design and decor concepts. Bottle caps turned into a kitchen backsplash, old bed springs reinvented as candle holders, and a recycled shipping container-turned-guesthouse are just a few examples of the innovative repurposing of second-hand items that readers will discover. From retro and modern to classic, “cottage,” and urban chic, Palmisano takes readers on a sumptuous visual journey featuring unique salvage ideas in an eclectic array of styles, for every room in the house—kitchens and dining rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms, living rooms and dens, and entryways and outdoor areas. The journey continues with a sampling of cutting-edge retail spaces, hotels, cafes, and boutiques across the country that incorporate salvage into their designs, such as Industrie Denim in San Francisco, Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, Vermont, and Rejuvenation in Portland. Profiles of thirteen “salvage success stories” are also included, showcasing the imaginative designs of creative homeowners. And lastly, fourteen easy, do-it-yourself projects are included at the back of the book (with step-by-step instructions), not to mention a comprehensive “Where to Find Salvage” resource section. Packed with over 350 color photos, Salvage Secrets Design & Decor offers a trove of salvage ideas to inspire, proving that you need look no further than your local rebuild center, architectural salvage shop, or flea market to transform your living space.
Download or read book Famous Shipwrecks of the Florida Keys written by Robert Weller and published by Ebsco Media. This book was released on 1990 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Thirty Florida Shipwrecks written by Kevin M. McCarthy and published by Pineapple Press Inc. This book was released on 1992 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sunken treasure, cannibalism, prison ships, Nazi submarines, the Bermuda triangle--all are tied into the lore of shipwrecks along Florida's coasts. There are as many shipwreck stories as there are thousands of Florida shipwrecks. This book offers thirty of the most interesting of them--from the tale of young Fontaneda, who wrecked in 1545 and was held captive by Indians for 17 years, to the story of the Coast Guard cutter Bibb, which was sunk off Key Largo in 1987 to provide an artificial reef and diving site. In between there is the Atocha, flagship of a Spanish treasure fleet, which sank in a hurricane in September 1622 and was found, along with its $100 million worth of gold and silver, by Mel Fisher in July of 1985. Each shipwreck story has a map pinpointing its location and a full-color illustration by renowned artist William L. Trotter. There is an extensive bibliography and a foreword by Florida state underwater archaeologist Roger Smith.
Download or read book Sex Salvage Secrets Must Be Pr written by Reef Perkins and published by AbsolutelyAmazingebooks.com. This book was released on 2022-03-23 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the year 1620, when the Mayflower washed up on the beach at Plymouth Rock, there has been a Perkins on the loose in this country. This is the story of one such Perkins. Born when he was very young Perkins came to fruition in the rural cow pastures and swollen swamps of southern Michigan. From volunteering to be buried in the mud on the bottom of the Potomac River to casually leaping out of helicopters and into the slippery Tongue of the Ocean, Perkins takes the reader through a life of adventure, bad licks, bold naiveté and random happenings. Time spent in Vietnam destroying other people's property, life as an experimental diver, smuggler, prisoner, Key West salvage captain and several marriages have only served to further confuse the young Perkins. Driven by series of absurd experiences to the strangest calling of all, an author, Perkins now makes that sincere confusion available to the public in this mildew-resistant, soft-bound, edible edition. Written by ear, Sex, Salvage and Secrets (sub-titled Must Be Present to Win) is the rapid-fire journey of a young man thrust into premature adulthood and forced to pretend he understands what is happening and, even more befuddling—why. Colorful characters and dubious language mix with unanswered questions and cutting edge punctuation to bring to life the tropical meanderings of a man, who with great enthusiasm and limited intellect, ended up being here and-Present to Win.
Download or read book In Peril written by Skip Strong and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2003-11-15 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Skip Strong, the thirty-two-year-old Captain of the 688-foot oil tanker Cherry Valley received the call, all he knew was that an ocean going tug with five men aboard was in distress off Florida's east coast. Caught in an unusually powerful storm, the tug's engines failed, and as the winds gusted to more than sixty miles per hour and the sea whipped into a frenzy, the tug--and the barge it was towing-- were in danger of being swept ashore. Captain Strong also knew that he would follow the age-old tradition of sea rescue. Coming to the aid of the crew, the tug, and its cargo, he would have to maneuver his ship--laden with 10 million gallons of oil-- in extremely hazardous conditions. One mistake and Strong would be responsible for an ecological disaster on Florida's beaches equal to that of the Exxon Valdez. What Captain Strong didn't know was that the tug was carrying a 150-foot aluminum fuel cell worth upwards of $50 million. And that in the instant he decided to rescue the tug and its crew, he was opening the door on a dramatic and tense legal struggle that would pit him against the United States Government for salvage rights.
Download or read book Jonathan Dickinson s Journal written by Jonathan Dickinson and published by . This book was released on 1961 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
