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Southern Florida Related Fiction Recommendations?

franklen

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My wife and I are taking a road trip through South Florida (Miami, Everglades, Key West) at the end of February, and would like to take some relative fiction along for the read. The only person I know of off-hand is Hemingway, but don't know which of his pieces pertain to that area, plus I've ready him in the past and would like the opportunity to branch out to others. Would like a variety of short stories or a novella that we can finish in a week. And a variety of authors too. Can anyone help? Thanks alot.
 
I believe Alice Hoffman wrote a book that was set in that area, but I'm damned if I can remember the title....
 
franklen said:
My wife and I are taking a road trip through South Florida (Miami, Everglades, Key West) at the end of February, and would like to take some relative fiction along for the read. The only person I know of off-hand is Hemingway, but don't know which of his pieces pertain to that area, plus I've ready him in the past and would like the opportunity to branch out to others. Would like a variety of short stories or a novella that we can finish in a week. And a variety of authors too. Can anyone help? Thanks alot.

What is absolutely perfect and fun and a great read are the Travis McGee books by John D. McDonald. If you are looking for that Jimmy Buffet experience, these are quick reads full of Florida. buffet even mentions him in his songs.

McGee is a detective who lives on a boat called The Busted Flush. He's a great character. If you walk in his shoes you'll get a real down-home Florida milieu, minus the gross suburbs and shopping malls. The books were written from the 1960s till McDonald died in 1986.

The Deep Blue Goodbye, The Long Lavender Look, The Green Ripper, The Empty Copper Sea . . . .


I also want to mention one of my favorite books, The Paper Boy by Peter Dexter, another mystery set in south Florida. But I think McDonald may be what you seek.

Have a great trip!
 
Carl Hiaasen writes books based in Florida - they're mystery capers featuring some outrageous characters (my favorite was "Sick Puppy"), written with such wit and social commentary it was hard to put down even after a long tiring day.
Enjoy :)
 
Thanks for everyone's input. Another author I came across that interested
me is Marjorie S. Douglas, can anyone give me input about her and the collection Nine Florida Stories? It appeals to me because it covers all the areas I will be travelling through (Keys, Miami, Glades) and is written by the woman
who led the charge to save the Everglades with her non-fiction
writing (I think). Oh yeah and it is Short Stories, and is cheap used online
(under $2) : > )

Also, can anyone comment on what would be good to read by Zora Neal Hurston, a Florida resident, specifically pertaining to South Florida. Thanks again.
 
novella said:
The Deep Blue Goodbye, The Long Lavender Look, The Green Ripper, The Empty Copper Sea . . . .I think McDonald may be what you seek.

Excellent suggestion(s).
Charles Willeford (_Miami Blues_) also has some books set in/around Southern Florida, and many of Elmore Leonard’s zany tales involve Florida.
j
 
Jbug said:
Carl Hiaasen writes books based in Florida - they're mystery capers featuring some outrageous characters (my favorite was "Sick Puppy"), written with such wit and social commentary it was hard to put down even after a long tiring day.
Enjoy :)

Hiaasen would put me off going to Florida. Although he's very funny, he doesn't make it sound an attractive place.
 
I'm sure this is too late to help with your trip, but another south Florida author is Randy Wayne White--haven't read him, but his books sound very interesting (action/thrillers, I think). Zora Neal Hurston's classic is Their Eyes Were Watching God--a wonderful and important novel, though I don't remember what part of Florida is is set in.
 
Jilianne Hoffman's two books are set mainly in Miami and southern Florida. They are grisly crime thrillers though :)
 
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