No comments about Dozier's Waterway Guide Southern 2008: Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and Bahamas (Waterway Guide Southern Edition).

3 comments about Pilgrim in the Land of Alligators: More Stories about Real Florida (Florida History and Culture).

1. Found this great article from Jeff's paper, the St. Petersburg Times.
   
   Regaling us with real Florida
   By Gregory McNamee, Special to the Times
   Published Wednesday, March 26, 2008 5:54 PM
   
   When I was very young, no more than 5 or 6, I saw an alligator eat a poodle right out of a Tampa back yard. It dawned on me at that sanguinary moment just why it was that my grandmother had forbidden me to play near the canal behind her house, where, naturally, I spent my time playing, and it gave me a lasting, nicely traumatic memory of Florida to nurse over a lifetime.
   
   Had he been on hand, I suspect Jeff Klinkenberg would have been cheering for the gator. After all, one of the heroes of Pilgrim in the Land of Alligators, his new collection of newspaper columns turned into essays, is an ubergator -- something on the order of a dragon, really -- named Mojo, once resident in Kanapaha Botanical Gardens near Gainesville.
   
   "You know how alligators will roar at other gators?" remarks the director of the gardens, who, suggestively, is missing his right hand. "Mojo was so dominant that when it thundered, he'd roar back at the thunder."
   
   Long familiar to and even beloved by St. Petersburg Times readers, Klinkenberg is a fan, defender, student and denizen of what the great pop culture historian Greil Marcus has called "the old, weird America," the country that hasn't yet been absorbed into the monoculture of chain stores, cookie-cutter houses and mass-produced taste.
   
   Preferring the confines of the Sunshine State, which is plenty weird enough, Klinkenberg has devoted decades to chronicling the wide spots on Florida's blue highways -- and, for that matter, the places where, improbably, no highways have yet been located, despite Florida's incessant growth.
   
   Take the Loop Road, for instance, an hour from Naples on one end and an hour from Miami on the other, a century from either in real time. Klinkenberg knows every inch of the road, and he knows as well its dozen-odd full-time residents, folks who have found it expedient to disappear into the Big Cypress for reasons of their own.
   
   One of them was Ervin Rouse, the fiddler who wrote Orange Blossom Special, and who passed away some years ago. Another, still with us, is a park ranger who might be singing with Ervin in the choir celestial had she not been ornery enough to shake off a load of pygmy rattler venom injected into her foot by said creature. "I was wearing flip-flops," she allows. "Somebody should have written D-U-M-B on my forehead."
   
   If there is a theme in Klinkenberg's genial wanderings down the Loop Road and other roads like it, it is that many of Florida's more interesting venues conspire not just to relieve the visitor of excess cash, but also of life and limb. There are the storms, of course, which Klinkenberg praises as allowing rare opportunities to enjoy the beach by oneself, sans loudmouth neighbors bearing boom boxes and drunken grudges.
   
   There are the bull sharks, which liberated an arm from another of his interlocutors. There are the snakes and skeeters behind every rustling blade of grass, the occasional wild-eyed outlaw, and, of course, the snowbird oblivious to the norms, physics and laws of motor traffic.
   
   But then there are treasures worthy of the dangers, and Klinkenberg has a rare gift for finding them. One is a backwoods type named Spook, who likes nothing more than to bring down a wild hog or two with his bare hands. Another is a pair of more pacific, indeed Thoreauvian swamp dwellers who have made their own version of paradise on the aptly named Peace River.
   
   There are the ghosts of hard-drinking, hard-smoking, hard-writing Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who turns up at several points here, and, to keep the otherworldly theme going, a Tampa eccentric who makes elaborate sculptures of animal bones, as well as the recently departed Gill Man, Ricou Browning, who scared us all to death half a century ago with his visage in Creature from the Black Lagoon -- if you look at it sideways, a Rawlings story gone terribly astray.
   
   And then, by way of a celebration of life, there is a visit to "the best place to eat pancakes in Florida, if not the world," which by Klinkenberg's estimation is the Old Spanish Sugar Mill and Griddle House in De Leon Springs State Park, up by Daytona Beach. (For my money, that honor goes to the Ranch House near Montpelier, Idaho, but de gustibus . . .)
   
   These are treasures to be sure, fine exemplars of an old and weird legacy. It's clear on every page that Klinkenberg has lived several worthy lifetimes in Florida, that he loves the place immoderately, and that he laments the state's transformation, along with the rest of the nation, into a land of tatty strip malls and soul-killing cul-de-sacs.
   
   Jeff Klinkenberg comforts himself with the thought that, come the apocalypse, the gators will still be here. It's a thought that ought to bring solace and a smile to the rest of us as well. So will this gracefully written, endlessly entertaining book, a gift for all who love the real Florida.
   
   Gregory McNamee lives in Tucson, Ariz. The University of Nebraska Press has just released his book ''Moveable Feasts: The History, Science, and Lore of Food'' in paperback.



2. If you'd known Jeff Klinkenberg in the '60s you would know that today he's a boy living his dream. There is no better guide to the 'real' Florida than Jeff, not because he knows Florida history, but because he loves it and he's lived it. He speaks to you as if you are sitting in the restaurant at his table, or having your sandwich with him on the ancient indian mound. His stories capture your interest and spur your sense of adventure. They inspire you to embrace the beauty, uniqueness, and sheer mystery of this land. There are Florida travel and interest guides galore, but none that match Jeff's depth or personal knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of a State that represents not only a land growing faster than any other (and yet clinging to the past with a steel-like grip) but a state of mind as well. These are not stories from someone's imagination, they entertain you with real people and places that, but for Jeff Klinkenberg, would fade into a distant past. Jeff is a time traveler who will take you on unbelievable journeys through centuries of archeological and human history with humor and curiosity. His is a guide that you want to bring with you when you visit because it is so far off the beaten path that you will feel right at home on the Loop Road. Indeed, I have known Jeff since the '60s, and witnessed his expertise first hand. If you are a true adventurer, I invite you to read 'Pilgrim in the Land of Alligators' and experience the 'real' Florida on behalf of barefoot children everywhere. You will not regret the trip through time.



3. This humble story teller of real people & real events make sense of Florida. Reminds me of Carl Hiaasen without the crazy humor. Jeff warms your heart.

4 comments about Good Luck and Tight Lines: A Sure-Fire Guide to Florida's Inshore Fishing.

1. If your looking to get into the wonderful world of Florida's inshore fishing, this book is a must. It's fun, easy reading and the author gives you what you need to know. I moved to Florida from Ohio and was an avid bass angler. When I moved to Florida's Cape Coral and started fishing the Pine Island sound area I quickly realized I was out way out of my league. This book helped me to understand and read the water. How, when and where to look for certain fish and how to fish for them. It has an excellent chapter on flats fishing which anyone fishing FL inshore needs to know about. The reason I gave a 4 star instead of 5 is that the book does not show how to's on using the tackle that is needed for these waters. For instance, how to throw a cast net would be nice or how to tie a certain type of rig. He does however cover tackle, just not in the depth that I would have liked. Some "secret spot" information would have been nice to. Overall however, the book is outstanding and has helped me to do some of the best fishing ever. If you live in FL or just come down for vacation and want to do some inshore angling this book is a must!



2. I think this book is awesome. If you're looking for an informative guide to Florida's inshore. this is it. It really focuses on the how's and why's which will make you a better fisherman. If you want to be knowledgeable about what you're doing, buy this book.



3. Before a recent trip to Florida for some inshore fishing, I purchased several guide books of which this was the best. In what other Florida fishing book does the author bother to provide an entertaining background on the geological history that produced the Florida coastal flats? There is a light dusting of cornball humor, but it only makes a very informative book a bit more fun to read. Highly recommended.



4. I purchased this book before a vacation trip to the Panhandle. I followed the instruction on beach fishing and caught a variety of fish on artificials every day on every outing. The book covers most if not all types of fishing well enough to put success well within reach for anyone. An excellent book with practical and unique insights. I highly recommend this book for anyone planning to fish the saltwater of Florida.

5 comments about Fish Florida Saltwater: Better Than Luck--The Foolproof Guide to Florida Saltwater Fishing.

1. This book helped improve my angling skills and helped me catch the fish I always wanted in and offshore.



2. I have been fresh water fishing for 50+ years and am now retiring to Florida. I needed a quick start on Florida saltwater fishing and this proved to be invaluable. Very well organized to learn about all or only the species desired. I went on a back bay flats fishing outing and not only impressed the other fishermen on the boat with my knowledge of fish, technique and baits, but the guide as well. I am now ordering copies for friends who have been fishing Florida for several years because they wanted to know where they could get it. Worth more than the price.



3. Good information;however, would have been nice to have the pictures in color to better id the fish.



4. I was looking for a book that was more specific to places and techniques I could use for inshore fishing. This book didn't satisfy me for that application. It's not badly written, just not what I was hoping for.



5. Well written and illustrated. Plan to use it for the first time on a fishing trip to the Florida Keys in June. Will keep me legal with the Fl game and fish enforcement officers who patrol randomly and often. They expect each fisherman to know the rules of the legal size and creel limit of each type of fish. This will be in our fishing boat the whole time as a ready reference and will be studied prior to the trip and used as lunch and dinner conversation among the 3 fisherman who are making the trip together. I think it will prove to be worth much more than the price I paid for it.

2 comments about Key West Houses.

1. This book is full of wonderful photographs of Key West homes. I have not been yet, but would love to go and this book really inspires me.



2. Not only does this book capture the beauty of Key West architecture, it is very informative of the styles as well.

1 comments about Beach and Coastal Camping in Florida.

1. I have always enjoyed the beach, and when I saw Johnny Molloy's book I bought it immediately. It did not disappoint. With the book as my guide I made a grand tour of Florida's marvelous coastline. First, I started at St. Joe State Park, where I walked the wilderness beach backed by huge dunes. Then I headed south to Cayo Coasta State Park, whsere the ferry took me out to the quiet island getaway. After that, I crossed the peninsula and went to Sebastian Inlet, where the surfers entertained me as much as the excellent fishing. My final stop was at Fort Clinch, up near the Georgia border, where I toured the brick fort and enjoyed the beach here and on nearby Big Talbot Island. The best part was the smoothness of my vacation-it went off without a hitch, mostly due to the accurate research of Johnny Molloy. I plan to make another beach tour soon. Francisco Meyer, Atlanta, GA

3 comments about Florida's Paved Bike Trails, Second Edition.

1. Thanks to this book we had a vacation of a lifetime. The author's knowledge of bike routes is unsurpassed. He took us to the Everglades where we counted 137 aligators as we rode by them. Also, he knew all the great parts of the bike lane from Key Largo to Key West. We traveled on all of them using his recommendations. When we got to the end of the good parts we did a reversal and it was just as enjoyable. His information was 100% accurate.



2. This book has very detailed descriptions and good maps of Florida's paved bike trails. It's great for anyone who is looking for places to ride, whether you're trying to stay away from traffic or planning a trip.



3. I only went on 2 paths described in this book. Both descriptions were adequate, interesting, with historical background,and the trail maps were nice and clear. The West Orange Bike trail has a beautiful nature preserve going to Lake Apopka accessible by foot from the trail, which surprisingly was not mentioned. Also, there was no map of Florida to show where the different trails were.

5 comments about Secrets of Disney's Glorious Gardens.

1. This is quite a nice book to have, but it's not a must-have unless you are fond on gardening and/or would love to have or have a garden. Pics are very nice, but if you're looking for new pictures with unusual points of view, you may find yourself a little disappointed.



2. As a Disney-holic I can never get enough information on DisneyWorld. This book is beautifully laid out with awesome pictures and great information, even for someone like me who "kills" silk! Great book!



3. But, I wanted to know more about specifics that take place in the Disney's horticultural arena. Also, why talk about the oldest specimen on property (a yucca in the Mexico pavilion over 250 years old) and then not have a photograph. I am a serious gardener and an avid Disney fan. As an annual passholder I travel down to Walt Disney World 4-6 times a year. As much for their gardens as anything else. I was really hoping for more in depth knowledge of horticulture at Disney. A lot of information in the book is very basic. If you love Disney and love plants then I would still recommend this book for your collection. Just be prepared that you are not going to receive the "inside look" that I anticipated.



4. I have thoroughly the book Secrets of Disney's Glorious Gardens. The pictures are gorgeous and the text is very informative. It is a great book.



5. I thought I'd be getting some wonderful back-lot adventure and instead it's just a bunch of nice pictures and garden tips. Why is there DIY project instructions for building a garden arbor? I can get that from the magazine rack at Home Depot. Why is there a topic on the temperature zones of the United States? I bought this book because I was interested in Disney, not my backyard. There are a few good tidbits of what goes on behind the scenes but nowhere near what I was hoping for.

5 comments about The Florida Keys: A History & Guide Tenth Edition (Florida Keys).

1. an excellant compendium of information; easy to use and well researched; enjoyable reading; loved the added value of flora and fauna information (did not find in other books)



2. This book was a great information source. It is a must read for anyone planning on vacationing in the keys. It has things you need to know about every spot in the keys. It doesn't just mention the good things. The book will tell the good and bad spots of the keys. After reading this book, you would have thaught that you had been to the keys yourself. The author has clearly spent alot of time in the keys. She must have done alot of research for the information in this book. The author must love the keys alot to spend this much time in writing and reading this book. This book is a very easy to read tour guide. It is fun to read and teaches you all of the history of the keys. This book has detailed descriptions of places to stay and places to eat. It will tell you fun things to do and has interesting facts about each place. It also has all of the history you need to know about all of the keys.



3. This 10th edition is Joy's last. In an Afterword written in 2003 and laden with sadness and disappointment, she says, that the commodification of Key West and the total takeover of the Keys by the tourist mongers, have killed it for her. The book, however, remains as good a guidebook as they get. It's ironic that its demise is an unfortunate consequence of the success it helped promote.



4. I have a trip scheduled for the Florida Keys this month. I finished reading this book last night and now I have the distinct feeling that for the good of the Florida Keys I should stay away from them. I can't believe all the hype and positive reviews, all the "best guidebook ever" stuff. As far as the comments about how well written the book is, I won't argue with that. It is a well written book. But it's also cynical, negative, and disdainful of the tourists and visitors who vacation in the Keys. If you are planning a trip to the Keys and have already purchased this book, I'd recommend that you wait and read it after your trip. Otherwise, you're going to be in the same situation as I am - still looking forward to my vacation but not sure if I can get over the guilty feeling that I'm yet another horrible tourist contributing to the ruin of paradise.



5. Joy Williams' tenth, and apparently last, edition of "The Florida Keys - a History and Guide" maintains its Gold Standard status as the best Florida Keys and Key West guide ever written, and one of the best guide books ever, period.
   
   Why? Joy discusses the Keys, and Key West in particular, as one would recount one's long affair with a lover -- the initial attaction and beauty, the magnetic strangeness and appeal, some history and anecdote, fascinating facts and details, humor and sadness. Yes, the Everglades, the Keys, and Key West have become polluted, commercialized, and Key West something of a parody of itself. But this is also true of the mountain west and all our other favorite places--but not a reason to quit going there. It is still wondrous and strange, beautiful and fascinating.
   
   Visitors who discover Key West now will love the place, but will come to dislike it as time and tides morph and erode both it and themselves. And Joy's book should be required reading before they go.
   
   Marsh Muirhead -- author of "Key West Explained -- a guide for the traveler."

5 comments about Visiting Small Town Florida.

1. This book depicts a side of Florida rarely seen. Although in the last 50 years or so Florida has experienced unparalled growth at the hands greedy developers and susceptible politicians, this book proves that some of what makes Florida great still exists. Small towns such as Arcadia, Cedar Key, and LaBelle are mirrors into Florida's past, preserving the diverse history of our state while retaining their small-town character. One of things that surprised me the most about this book is the fact that there are still some small towns on the Florida coast. Towns like Boca Grande and St. George Island prove that a sustainable coastal community can be retained without high-rise condos and tacky tourist shops. Nonetheless, most of the towns depicted here are in the interior of the state, which for the most part has retained its small town character (with the exception of Orlando, a true eye-sore smack dab in the middle of the state). Tourists should buy this book to appreciate the true Southern flavor of a state taken over by Yankees. I should know--I'm a fifth-generation Florida cracker!



2. I took this book along when we went to Florida over Thanksgiving. While we did the usual Orlando stuff, we also visited several of the towns listed in the book. It was a great experience to see what is "off the beaten path". Small towns with everyday people going about their daily business, much like our own home town. It was nice to walk through shops and sit down at restaurants that didn't have a "theme". If you are going to Florida, I highly reccomend it as a travel guide.



3. Be sure to look for the newer edition (2003) as it covers 70 small towns. I started out thinking I would just dip into this, and read a few pages here and there. Then it turned out to be so interesting with Florida history, local tidbits, interesting people and architecture, that I read it straight through.
   Now I can't wait to visit Havana to see the antique shops or to see the 36 murals in Lake Placid.
   Some of the towns merely have interesting names (Yeehaw Junction) or a single sight, but many sound worthwhile for a day trip or longer visit. Probably should keep this book in the car while in Florida and check it occasionally to see if you are near any of these interesting places.
   It is arranged by regions (north, central and south),



4. Be sure to look for the newer edition (2003) as it covers 70 small towns. I started out thinking I would just dip into this, and read a few pages here and there. Then it turned out to be so interesting with Florida history, local tidbits, interesting people and architecture, that I read it straight through.
   Now I can't wait to visit Havana to see the antique shops or to see the 36 murals in Lake Placid.
   Some of the towns merely have interesting names (Yeehaw Junction) or a single sight, but many sound worthwhile for a day trip or longer visit. Probably should keep this book in the car while in Florida and check it occasionally to see if you are near any of these interesting places.
   It is arranged by regions (north, central and south),



5. For the past three summers we have taken this book with us, along with our 2 young boys-6 and 9, and have visited many of the places Bruce writes about and highlights in the book-the historical facts and tidbits of information he provides is very interesting and makes you feel more connected to the place you are visiting. My idea of a vacation is not trekking it to Orlando and all the theme parks! I grew up in South Florida, but was not aware of many of the places he talks about in Florida and how beautiful they are. In each new town we visit, we try to eat in at least one restaurant that he mentions-they have all been excellent recommendations! I love how at the end of the book he talks about his favorite all time places-we make a special point to try these out. We just returned from a 2 week vacation where we travelled the west coast of Florida and the Panhandle. We went all the way from the beautiful west coast beaches to Seaside, FL, traveling the backroads instead of taking the interstate. Everytime we visit somewhere I check it off in the back of the book. I can't wait until they are all checked and I can go back to the ones I loved the most!