The Wilder Heart of Florida

In this captivating collection, Florida’s most notable authors, poets, and environmentalists take readers on a journey through the natural wonders of the state. Continuing in the legacy of the beloved classic The Wild Heart of Florida, this book features thirty-four pieces by a new slate of well-known and emerging writers.

In these pages, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Groff describes the beauty of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. Environmental writer Cynthia Barnett listens to seashells on Sanibel Island. Legendary journalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas records the sights and sounds of the Everglades in the 1920s. Miccosukee elder Buffalo Tiger relates traditional stories of his community’s deep relationship with the land. Presidential inaugural poet Richard Blanco muses on the shifting vista of the ocean in “Some Days the Sea.”

These writers and many others recount memories of how their lives have been enriched by the state’s varied and brilliant landscapes. Some tell of encounters with alligators, pythons, manatees, turtles, and otters, while others marvel at the unique character of flowing springs and piney scrub. Together, they highlight the need to protect pristine ecosystems and restore ones that have been damaged due to development. The Wilder Heart of Florida will inspire readers to explore and celebrate the Florida wilderness.

Contributors: Susan Lilley | Lauren Groff | Buffalo Tiger | Terry Ann Thaxton | Bill Maxwell | Jack E. Davis | Charles Lee | David McCally | Gabbie Buendia | Rick Campbell | Frederick R. Davis | Cynthia Barnett | Loren G. “Totch” Brown | Lee Irby | Isaac Eger | Anmari Alvarez-Alemán | Leslie K. Poole | Russ Kesler | Harriet Beecher Stowe | Margaret Ross Tolbert | Lars Andersen | Lucinda Faulkner Merritt | Claire Strom | Clay Henderson | Gianna Russo | Marjory Stoneman Douglas | Bruce Stephenson | Mark Jerome Walters | Erika Henderson | Nathaniel Pryor Reed | Richard Blanco | Betty Mae Tiger Jumper and Patsy West | Frances Susanna Nevill