The New History of Florida

Rating:
Summary: An extremely interesting and readable book
Review: As I told my wife yesterday, I never thought I would be reading a history book for pleasure but since I bought this great book, I cannot put it down. There are so many interesting stories in here, it is able to hold it's own with great fiction pieces and has captivated my interest for my adopted home state.

From the last ice age to the present, it is all in here. Did you know that when Ponce de Leon was sailing along "La Florida's" coasts in the early 1500s there were 350,000 natives living here? By the late 18th century they were all gone, either dead from European diseases or sold into slavery.

Rating:
Summary: An extremely interesting and readable book
Review: As I told my wife yesterday, I never thought I would be reading a history book for pleasure but since I bought this great book, I cannot put it down. There are so many interesting stories in here, it is able to hold it's own with great fiction pieces and has captivated my interest for my adopted home state.

From the last ice age to the present, it is all in here. Did you know that when Ponce de Leon was sailing along "La Florida's" coasts in the early 1500s there were 350,000 natives living here? By the late 18th century they were all gone, either dead from European diseases or sold into slavery.

Rating:
Summary: Overall a wonderful history of the Sunshine State
Review: Overall this was a wonderful history of the Sunshine State. Having have lived in Florida for 10 years (dating from 1990 through 2000, and being a University of Florida alumnus) I had the chance to witness a lot of economic, cultural, and developmental change. The final chapter of this book was more along the lines of what I was looking for...a history of modern Florida (1920-2000). While I did enjoy the book and it was very informative, I was hoping to hear more about recent events. Development and change in the State of Florida has happened at such a rapid rate since 1950 that about three quarters of this book seemed to be about another place! I guess what I was hoping for was more detail about land development and the growth of cities: Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and the fall of the Everglades.

Rating:
Summary: Overall a wonderful history of the Sunshine State
Review: Overall this was a wonderful history of the Sunshine State. Having have lived in Florida for 10 years dating from 1990 through 2000, I had the chance to witness a lot of economic, cultural, and developmental change. The final chapter of this book was more along the lines of what I was looking for...a history of modern Florida (1920-2000). While I did enjoy the book and it was very informative, I was hoping to hear more about recent events. Development and change in the State of Florida has happened at such a rapid rate since 1950 that about three quarters of this book seemed to be about another place! I guess what I was hoping for was more detail about land development and the growth of cities: Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and the fall of the Everglades.

Rating:
Summary: Overall a wonderful history of the Sunshine State
Review: Overall this was a wonderful history of the Sunshine State. Having have lived in Florida for 10 years (dating from 1990 through 2000, and being a University of Florida alumnus) I had the chance to witness a lot of economic, cultural, and developmental change. The final chapter of this book was more along the lines of what I was looking for...a history of modern Florida (1920-2000). While I did enjoy the book and it was very informative, I was hoping to hear more about recent events. Development and change in the State of Florida has happened at such a rapid rate since 1950 that about three quarters of this book seemed to be about another place! I guess what I was hoping for was more detail about land development and the growth of cities: Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and the fall of the Everglades.

Rating:
Summary: Overall a wonderful history of the Sunshine State
Review: Overall this was a wonderful history of the Sunshine State. Having have lived in Florida for 10 years dating from 1990 through 2000, I had the chance to witness a lot of economic, cultural, and developmental change. The final chapter of this book was more along the lines of what I was looking for...a history of modern Florida (1920-2000). While I did enjoy the book and it was very informative, I was hoping to hear more about recent events. Development and change in the State of Florida has happened at such a rapid rate since 1950 that about three quarters of this book seemed to be about another place! I guess what I was hoping for was more detail about land development and the growth of cities: Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and the fall of the Everglades.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating look at Florida's past by the best in the field.
Review: The New History of Florida is the first full-length history of the Sunshine State in over twenty years. Micheal Gannon, professor of history at the University of Florida, assembled the very best historians working in Florida's past, and each has contributed a chapter on his or her speciality. Perhaps because these historians have worked together in an out of academia for years, there is an consistancy of tone usually not found in a collaborative effort. But this is no textbook history -- rather, each chapter sparkles with insights into Florida's past, from the paleoindians of 12,000 years ago, through almost four hundred years of colonial rule, to the urban and evironmental concerns of today. Nearly a hundred maps and illustrations accompany the text. Anyone interested in understanding one of America's cutting-edge states should read this book

Rating:
Summary: The New History of Florida (Edited by Michael Gannon)
Review: This is an extraordinary compilation of work by some of the best historians in Florida. Each of the 22 chapters is written by specialists of the particular topic covered. Over the years, I've encountered their works individually. Now their stories are in a cohesive volume which is, from beginning to end, a fascinating and eye-opening learning experience. The book puts Florida history in chronological order with seamless transitions to each new chapter. Instead of learning little snippets of Florida history from scattered sources, you can read this book to help piece it all together in context. Then the little snippets make more sense. This book is well-written and avoids the cumbersome, self-important language of specialists. If you want to know about Florida's history, begin with this book. If you already know details of Florida's history, this book will bring your knowledge up-to-date with new scholarship.

Rating:
Summary: The New History of Florida (Edited by Michael Gannon)
Review: This is an extraordinary compilation of work by some of the best historians in Florida. Each of the 22 chapters is written by specialists of the particular topic covered. Over the years, I've encountered their works individually. Now their stories are in a cohesive volume which is, from beginning to end, a fascinating and eye-opening learning experience. The book puts Florida history in chronological order with seamless transitions to each new chapter. Instead of learning little snippets of Florida history from scattered sources, you can read this book to help piece it all together in context. Then the little snippets make more sense. This book is well-written and avoids the cumbersome, self-important language of specialists. If you want to know about Florida's history, begin with this book. If you already know details of Florida's history, this book will bring your knowledge up-to-date with new scholarship.