Literary Tourism: Florida Archives

Gift from the Sea

by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Equal parts memoir, meditation, and practical guide, this one is worth coming back to again and again: you'll discover new insights with each reading. Lindbergh muses on womanhood, solitude, busyness, contentment, growing older, and more. This short book was first published in 1955 yet still feels fresh and relevant for today.

The House on Biscayne Bay

by Chanel Cleeton

Told in a duel timeline, The House on Biscayne Bay is a suspenseful tale about two women and the glamorous waterfront Miami estate that intertwines them.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

by Zora Neale Hurston

Hurston's classic is written in dialect, which is tricky for some readers—unless they choose the audio version. This atmospheric story about expectations, marriage, and unexpected love is richly atmospheric, set in the deep South's Florida Everglades in the 1920s. A classic for a reason, with well-developed characters and a thought-provoking story line.

With Love, from Cold World

by Alicia Thompson

Brigid says: "Florida is known for its many thrilling theme parks, big and small. And who hasn’t visited a theme park and thought it would be the perfect setting for a rom-com? Alicia Thompson’s lovely romance set at a kitschy winter snow theme park in humid Orlando does just that. Lauren and Asa are Cold World workplace rivals whose relationship goes from frosty to steamy (pun intended!) after being tasked to come up with some new ways to revitalize the attractions. Things really start to heat up when the two get locked in Cold World overnight. I really enjoyed the more touching aspects that deal with the foster system and mental health. Plus, I just adore the beautiful and very fitting cover. Set around the holidays with a secret santa exchange and office decorating challenges, this is a great read anytime of the year. (Open door.)"

Florida

by Lauren Groff

Lauren Groff has already written three bestselling novels (one of which Barack Obama chose as his favorite novel of the year in 2015). More than ten years ago she moved back to her home state of Florida, and many were surprised to hear that her Fates and Furies follow-up would be a collection of short stories centered around the history, ecosystem, and psyche of Florida through characters that are wives, mothers, homeless women. The publisher says, "the stories in this collection span characters, towns, decades, even centuries. Storms, snakes, and sinkholes lurk at the edge of everyday life."

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

by Jeff Lindsay

Brigid says: "If you are looking for a darker and more gritty side of Florida, this first in the Dexter series that inspired the popular Showtime adaptation fits the bill. Dexter is a blood spatter expert for the Miami Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer who only kills bad people. Perfect for fans of true crime podcasts and Butcher and Blackbird. The haunting audiobook is narrated by the author and Florida resident, Jeff Lindsay. Content warnings apply."

Annihilation (The Southern Reach Trilogy Book 1)

by Jeff VanderMeer

Brigid says: Annihilation is the first in The Southern Reach Trilogy set in the wild and haunting Area X, a fictionalized version of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge located about 25 miles south of Tallahassee, Florida’s capital city. VanderMeer, a Tallahassee local who has been called “the weird Thoreau” by The New Yorker, is also known for rewilding his own backyard, which he documents on YouTube. His vivid descriptions of Area X’s stark landscapes, sometimes frightening creatures, and active ecosystems paint a spot-on picture of how uniquely strange areas of Florida can be. I was completely enthralled by this tense and short novel on audio, chillingly narrated by Carolyn McCormick. Highly recommended to fans of books with unnamed narrators, think Rebecca and The Pit and the Pendulum.

Too Like the Lightning

by Travis Beaudoin

Too Like the Lightning is about Andrew, a down-on-his-luck professor who drives to Florida to spend the summer at his friend's rental house where he meets the groundskeeper full of sunshine, Coley. (Open door.)

No Words

by Meg Cabot

Brigid says: I adored this bookish and fun rom com from Key West resident, Meg Cabot. (Yes, The Princess Diaries Meg Cabot!) Set at a literary festival on a fictional island in the Keys, this follows middle grade author Jo Wright and her writing nemesis, bestselling author Will Price, who made horrible comments about Jo’s books in the past. Now they are stuck together at the same book festival! Inspired by a similar real-life situation and the lack of book festivals during the pandemic, Meg Cabot crafts a cute and swoony tale filled with authentic Florida keys vibes. (Closed door.)

Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades

by Rebecca Renner

Brigid says: This fast paced narrative nonfiction about alligator poaching reads like fiction. National Geographic writer Renner’s debut novel follows Jeff Babauta, an undercover Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer, alligator poacher Peg Brown, and the agency’s Operation Alligator Thief. This fascinating story could only happen in Florida, and dives into the fragile Everglades ecosystem and those who are trying to protect it from harm. Think Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief with a dash of Tiger King.

Mango, Mambo, and Murder (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery)

by Raquel V. Reyes

Brigid says: "Calling all cozy mystery fans, this first in the Caribbean Kitchen Series is fabulous! Mango, Mambo, and Murder features Miriam, a Cuban-American food anthropologist turned cooking show star who also happens to be a plucky amateur sleuth and loves Murder, She Wrote. After recently moving back to Florida with her husband and young son, Miriam finds herself too close to her in-laws in their small wealthy Miami village and extremely close to two very suspicious deaths. The audiobook narrated by the talented Frankie Corzo (who also performed Mexican Gothic) is so entertaining. And of course, there are delicious recipes at the end!"

A Lakeside Reunion

by C. Chilove

A Lakeside Reunion follows Reese Devlin who returns to Mount Dora after 10 years for her sister’s debutante ball and runs into her former flame, Duncan.

Last Train to Paradise: Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad that Crossed an Ocean

by Les Standiford

Brigid says: I was riveted by the historical account of the Key West Railroad’s construction and ultimate destruction during the Labor Day hurricane of 1935. The depictions of the Gilded Age of Florida and the deadly “Storm of the Century” made this a truly gripping read.

Squeeze Me

by Carl Hiaasen

Brigid says: "What a wild and absurd ride though Palm Beach Island and South Florida! I have always enjoyed native Floridian Carl Hiaasen’s quirky comedic thrillers. This is filled with vivid characters like the series’ namesake—Skink, the crusading environmentalist, road-kill cooking, off the grid Everglades living, ex-governor of Florida. Told in a zany alternate universe where an unnamed President is still in office and Kiki Pew Fitzsimmons, one of his top supporters, goes missing at the height of Palm Beach Island’s season."

Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland

by Dave Barry

Brigid says: "Dave Barry may just be one of Florida’s most famous humor writers. In this silly and fun non-fiction, he travels to some of Florida’s more quirky cities and attractions to show why Florida is truly the Best. State. Ever. I especially loved the chapters on the rather infamous town of The Villages, the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters, and the crown jewels of Florida tourism, the Weeki Wachee Mermaids. If you enjoyed the format of The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green but wished it had been about wacky stuff in Florida, this book is for you!"

Snow Falling

by Jane Gloriana Villanueva

Brigid says: Any Jane the Virgin fans out there? This sweet historical romance novel "written" by the show’s main character, Jane Gloriana Villanueva, is a tie in for the absolutely fantastic telenovela series. Set in Miami in 1902, Snow Falling is filled with details about old Florida hotels, homes, and railroads. And while that title about snow may seem out of place for a book set in South Florida but it is the perfect reference to the show.

The Thing about Florida: Exploring a Misunderstood State

by Tyler Gillespie

Brigid says: "In The Thing about Florida, Gillespie who was once embarrassed to be Floridian, interviews all types of Floridians including storm chasers, Civil War reenactors, cattle ranchers, drag queens, python hunters, and pet smugglers in an effort to make his home state less misunderstood. His writing delves into deep topics and issues with hilarious wit and quick pacing. And as a bonus, the book led me to discover Gillespie’s engaging and descriptive poetry from his Florida Man collection."

Literary Tourism: Florida