Florida A Short History

by Michael Gannon

As if Ponce de Leon, who happened on the peninsula in 1513, returned today to demand a quick reckoning ("Tell me what happened after I was there, but leave out the boring parts!"), Michael Gannon recounts the longest recorded history of any state in the nation in twenty-seven brisk, fully illustrated chapters. From indigenous tribes who lived along spring-fed streams to environmentalists who labor to "Save Our Rivers," from the first conquistadors whose broad black ships astonished the natives to the 123,000 refugees whose unexpected immigration stunned South Floridians in 1980, the story of the state is as rich and distinctive as the story of America. And it's older than most people think. As Gannon writes, "By the time the Pilgrims came ashore at Plymouth, St. Augustine was up for urban renewal. It was a town with fort, church, seminary, six-bed hospital, fish market, and about 120 shops and houses. Because La Florida stretched north from the Keys to New-foundland and west to Texas, St. Augustine could claim to be the capital of much of what is now the United States." Gannon tells his fast-marching saga in chronological fashion. Starting with the wilderness of the ancient earth, he fills the landscape with Indians, colonists, pioneers, entrepreneurs, politicians, and the panorama of Florida today--"the broad superhighways that wind past horse farms, retirement communities, international airports, launch pads, futuristic attractions, and come to rest, finally, amidst the gleaming towers of Oz-like cities." This revised edition concludes with a look into the 21st century, including "in-migration," restoration of the Everglades, education, the work force, and the infamous 2000presidential election.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History

Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

About the author

(1928-April, 10, 2017)

Michael Gannon was a University of Florida history professor who was also a recognized expert on Florida history, particularly from its Spanish colonial founding through the Civil War. He spent most of his career in Florida.

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Conor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly this was a really quick fun read that gave a lot of really cool information about Florida.
I learned a lot and really liked it, but I also have some critiques.
The Good:
- Short (151 pages)
- concise (it explained things well but didn’t go into the weeds. If there was a fun story, it told that story, but it never dwelled on a topic)
- funny at times (the author had a fun way of writing that sometimes had tongue in cheek asides that I enjoyed)
- all inclusive (it talked about every point in Florida’s history, all of its people, and all geographic parts of Florida)
- enjoyable overall and great for giving someone a starting point (you can use Wikipedia or online sources nowadays to research a topic more in depth after first learning about it in this book)

The Bad:
- history as published in 1993 leaves a lot out for a reader in 2020
- author sometimes used run-on sentences
- author sometimes listed places/names that might’ve been commonplace to a Florida resident from 1990, but needed more explanation for a reader who did not grow up in Florida before 1990.
- author sometimes covered a topic too extensively and other topics not enough (3 sentences on the entire First World War)
- he literally walked you through the term of each Florida governor, which I concede helped to keep his book organized and chronological, but also there are definitely some governors who had less noteworthy terms in office that I probably didn’t need to read about

Overall there were certainly critiques to this book but I learned a boatload of stuff I wouldn’t have otherwise known and really found some of it fascinating. So 4 stars

[Jordan | Just A Book Collection · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just moved to Florida and thought of starting my dive into history, first starting with Gannon’s: “Florida-A Short History.” Usually part way through a book, I go through and read other people’s reviews. Someone else said it best... Gannon’s book starts of great. It’s brief, straight to the point, and short. It’s easy to read and full of information that is entirely new to me and makes me want to continue my dive into Florida history. However, something happens when he begins the discussion of Florida from 1900 on. Rather than discussing important events and turning points in the history, Gannon literally lists the Governors, one at a time, with a few brief sentences to explain while they were in office, including the Governors that weren’t all that spectacular. History teachers that focus on the people and dates have never been successful in making history interesting and exciting. Gannon was no exception. He should have stopped the book at the year 1899 and let someone else round out the most recent years.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am using this book for my Florida History class because it is cheap and brief and I don't have any better alternatives. It also allows me to add extra readings with no guilt since this book is so short. Initially it seemed an adequate brief history for people who want to know more about Florida, which was Gannon's intent. However, once he gets to the twentieth century, he focuses almost entirely on confusing lists of information about each governor and he fails to include important and interesting social and cultural history. Luckily, Mormino's book can help with that (Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams) but that covers mostly the post-WWII era. So, it is clear that a good Florida textbook has not yet been written if anyone needs a new project.

[Charles Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great intro to America’s Greatest State.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a fair job of providing a quick overview of Florida history until about the 1940s. After that, good luck trying to unravel those paragraphs that focus way too much on irrelevant politics, span multiple decades and then return to the previous ones in random order, and spew statistics like a sprinkler. It did what it set out to do, at least: informed me of some interesting topics and pointed me to some more in-depth sources.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A relatively short overview of Florida’s history. It gives you the broad picture and makes for an excellent summary of Florida’s history that many Floridian’s don’t even know. Gannon’s wry, subtly humorous writing style makes it less intimidating, and it made me disappointed that I didn’t even know the basics covered here.

My edition of this book is twenty years old, but still valuable and showing attention to certain historical issues that characterizes modern approaches to history. Sure, this small book doesn’t mention every historical figure, like A. Philip Randolph. But it is a superb jumping point and I wished this book was more widely read. Floridians don’t know enough about our state’s history.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a few segments of orange, this little history gives just a taste of the vibrant and interesting story of Florida from one of its (sadly recently departed) historians, one I had hoped to study with. I picked up a signed copy, so it will be going onto my shelf. Not that much here that I haven't already read about, but it surely doesn't hurt to brush up. The kind of book that should lead readers to more in-depth research if they find it interesting (and who wouldn't?).

[Antares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who is interested in Florida's rich history should absolutely give this book a read; it's an excellent introduction and overview of Florida, from pre-modern times to about the year 2000. I'm giving it four stars instead of five, because I was a little put off by Gannon's weird, apologetic tone in regards to untrammeled corporatization and industry ruining Florida's natural environment, and his little slight derisiveness towards environmentalist movements in Florida.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice brief overview of the history of the state....

This is an abbreviated yet nice consolidated history of one of the fastest growing economies in the US. Florida will successfully diversify it's economy as a pro business state that is now also making new key investments in technology, infrastructure and education...

[Carlos · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

The historian has a very milquetoast overview of Florida’s history, with the late 19th/20th century half of the book having significantly more compelling reading/material than the first half.

He’s also way too deferential to the capitalists/Florida’s elite.

[John Garcia- Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I was born and have lived all my life in Florida and learning many interesting things about my home state. I really enjoyed how this book is a condensed version of Florida’s history and is not like the boring textbooks I had to read in school.

[Aaron Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it a great deal. A little dry at times but well researched and detailed.

[Jim Bremser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short history is just what it is and by default simplistic. That being said, it does give a quick overview of The Sunshine State.

[Tim O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good brief history of Florida up to publication date of 1993

[Cyndy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was short history of Florida and was a pretty good book. I downloaded it from our local library and about half of the pages were blank but what I read was informative.

[John Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The description of the book and the existing reviews say it all.
A wonderful and joy filled adventure into our past.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up years ago when my friend Derek was still working at the University Press of Florida and gave this and another book of FL history to me for free at a history conference we were both working. If you’re looking for a short summary of Florida’s tangled, complicated history, this is a good overview to reach for. My copy IS the 2003 copy but it has a different cover, with a map of FL on the bottom half and a painting of St. Augustine on the top half. Anyway, Gannon is a competent writer with a conversational tone who makes it easy to hear about the stupid politics of the state and the terrible people who live there. Some things I learned: FL was the third state to secede from the Union after SC and Mississippi. The state had some of the harshest Jim Crow laws and LOTS of lynchings. The capital was put in Tallahassee because back in the beginning the only two cities were Pensacola and St. Augustine and the legislators had no other way of meeting up except to take a boat around the peninsula because there were no roads, so after one boat crashed on the way around they decided to split the difference and create a place in between to meet up. No other reason. They basically took over an Indian settlement that was already there. And, about education Gannon says, “In 1990-91 (coincidentally when I graduated HS), FL ranked 21st in state expenditures per pupil in the K-12 years. By 2000-2001 that ranking had fallen to 42nd; among the southeastern states only Alabama (43rd) and Tennessee (45th) rank lower.” And there you have it, folks. Florida has always been super-racist and terrible and it is only getting stupider. They really need to update this text if they haven’t in a while. I didn’t check on whether there is a new edition or not. It’s been 20 years since this edition was published and I’d love to hear what Gannon has to say about the shit show that is DeSantis and the Republican nightmare we are living with these days. Finally, just in terms of the publication quality of the book, I’m pretty sure my copy is a POD copy, and the layout and art quality is terrible. There are lots of interesting images, but they are laid out in such a way that the images and their long discursive captions interrupt the narrative flow and are sometimes on something completely different so it makes for a very choppy reading experience. The quality could be vastly improved. I’m giving this copy to my mother to read.

[Joe Halpern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this through a University of Florida course syllabus about the history of Florida. It was a survey of the overall history of Florida. It wasn't flashy, but it was more engaging than you'd expect out of a survey. The author appears relatively unbiased. Florida's history is sad: it concentrates America's worst impulses (indigenous removal, slavery, Jim Crow, environmental destruction, unplanned sprawl, etc) into the history of one single state. I think it was a pretty good read if you're into this kind of stuff, but not worth reading if you're not. It's wild to me that for thousands of years, Florida was sparsely populated swampland and jungle, and what we think of "Florida" today is just a moment in the land's overall history

[John Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy read for someone visiting in or living in Florida. The first two thirds is quite interesting and has a lot of old pictures. It gives a good perspective on what is the oldest city in the US. The part on civil war and reconstruction is also good. The last third is a drag as it is about a series of politicians and politics. The other drawback is the book is copyright 2003 so it ends about 2002 and makes one wonder if Florida is still in the bottom ten states for support of education. Also nothing about the effects of rising sea level on cities like Miami Beach, Overall I am glad I read it.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

So boring and dry. And I was a history major. I recently moved to Florida and wanted to read a good overview of the history of the state. I skimmed through this before reading A Land Remembered and that novel had pretty much the same historical information as this short history, but was way more engaging (obviously because it was a historical fiction--my point is that if you want to read a short history of Florida for fun, read A Land Remembered instead).

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is an older book, but up until the chapters on current events, it still history? I am from FL and learned a lot of things and enjoyed this easy read. One suggestion; on just about every page there are pictures with historical data, I read the book and then came back and read the captions, I found this more enjoyable and educational due to the pics and captions not exactly being in line with the book. Overall, you will enjoy the book.

[Diane Verhoest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this easy quick read. If you are new to the state, never paid attention while you were here for the last 70 years, or simply want the get a sense of 500 years of the Florida history that contributes to the mish-mash of today, this is a great choice. Filled with colorful character stories, photos and much more than I thought possible in a short history. Helpful.

[Josh Liller · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good short history of the state.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief overview of Florida history but doesn't really touch on the Calusa's, Crackers, the early 'glades inhabitants or the construction of the Tamiami. That's what I was looking for.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice overview if you want to know the basics.

[Bill Borden · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid basic history of Florida for the curious. I finished it during a car ride.

[Nicole C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very concise history on Florida, from Native American settlement to present-day.

[Patrick Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from Florida, I found this book to have a lot of informative information.