The Big Bubble: A Novel of the Florida Boom

by Theodore Pratt

230 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

Theodore Pratt (1901 - 1969) was an American writer who is best known for his novels set in Florida. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1901 to Thomas A. and Emma Pratt. The family later moved to New Rochelle, New York, where Theodore attended high school. After completing high school, he attended Colgate University for two years, and then Columbia University for another two years, but did not graduate. He worked in New York City as a play reader, a staff reader for a movie company, and a columnist for the New York Sun. He also free-lanced articles for The New Yorker and other national magazines.

Theodore Pratt published more than thirty novels, including four mysteries under the pseudonym of "[author=Timothy Brace|21712110]", two collections of short stories, two plays (adapted from his novels), a few non-fiction books and pamphlets, and numerous short stories and articles in periodicals such as Esquire, Blue Book, Escapade, The Gent, Manhunt, Guilty Detective Story Magazine, Coronet, Fantastic Universe, Space Science Fiction, and The Saturday Evening Post. Some of his novels had strong sexual content by the standards of the time. The Tormented (1950), a study of nymphomania, was turned down by thirty-four publishers. It eventually sold more than a million copies. Five of his works were made into feature motion pictures.

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

This last book of the “Palm Beach Trilogy” by Theodore Pratt is a fitting end to the development and growth of Southeast Florida. “The Big Bubble” recounts the story of how architect, Adam Paine (loosely based on famed architect Addison Mizner), moves to Palm Beach with his wife, Eve, to find opportunity to make his dream homes a reality. Palm Beach is the perfect canvas that Paine finds to build his Mediterranean-style of architecture. While the old elite wants to prevent any form of modernity to hit this exclusive, old-world paradise, Adam Paine comes in like a bulldozer to bring something new to the table. What I liked most about this novel was the dialogue, the language between the characters. Pratt has evoked the twenties in all their splendor by the way he wrote his characters, their speech, their motivations, their way of thinking. At times hilarious, at others tragic, this novel concludes the era of the way things were in Florida and keeps the future up to interpretation. I admire this work and I loved all three of Theodore Pratt’s books concerning the Palm Beaches. Pratt became one of my favorite authors during this journey and I hope many people will read his books because they are unique and engaging.

[Donnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much enjoyed making the connections between the characters and the real people on whom they are loosely based. Such as: Adam Paine as a married Addison Mizner but both are over 6 feet tall, hover around 250 pounds, wear white and have a pet monkey. Wise guy sharpie and ladies man Jerry Vance for Wilson Mizner, both skip town--and the state--just as the lawsuits enter. Michael Sumner--the rich manufacturer who first hires Adam--stepping in for Paris Singer though his product is cereal rather than sewing machines and his club is named the Flamingo rather than the Everglades. Then there is Mona Oakes for Myra Yerkes--though Mona has two ex-husbands, rather than one, is several years younger and goes after Adam/Addison before she gets to Jerry/Wilson.

More: Artisan Arts for Mizner Industries and, of course, Roca Faro for Boca Raton, the Roca Faro Develpoment Company for the Mizner Development Company and the Posada for the Boca Raton Resort, formerly, the Ritz-Carlton Cloisters Inn.

It was fun and much better than I thought it would be.

[Lynette Lark · Rating 5 out of 5]

South Florida's big bubble. Somewhat historical.