What do you think?
Rate this book
Welcome to Florida: True Tales from America's Most Interesting State
A much-loved Florida writer chronicles the quirky, touching, and thought-provoking stories of the Sunshine State today
In Welcome to Florida,
award-winning investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling
author Craig Pittman introduces readers to the people, creatures,
places, and issues that make up the Florida of today. Through lively
stories told with cutting insight and always with a joke at the ready,
Pittman captures the heart of what he calls “The Most Interesting
State.”
From threats to Florida’s environment
to a hippo that became an official state citizen, these tales range
from the moving to the bizarre. Pittman follows the escapades of crime
writers, hungry predators, politicians, and developers across the state.
At the core of this collection is a deep sense of admiration for the
resilience of those who live here. Again and again, this book showcases
the power of “ordinary Floridians fighting to save some part of the
state that they hold dear.” Often, that means folks rallying to protect
the state’s unique natural landscape; sometimes it means former CIA
agents incorporating their own island community.
Welcome
to Florida is both a love letter to and hilarious deep dive into the
nation’s fastest-growing state. Imbued with Pittman’s characteristic
humor and undeniable fondness for both the weird and wonderful parts of
his home, this book shows why, despite some of its reputations, Florida
continues to prove irresistible.
In Welcome to Florida,
award-winning investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling
author Craig Pittman introduces readers to the people, creatures,
places, and issues that make up the Florida of today. Through lively
stories told with cutting insight and always with a joke at the ready,
Pittman captures the heart of what he calls “The Most Interesting
State.”
From threats to Florida’s environment
to a hippo that became an official state citizen, these tales range
from the moving to the bizarre. Pittman follows the escapades of crime
writers, hungry predators, politicians, and developers across the state.
At the core of this collection is a deep sense of admiration for the
resilience of those who live here. Again and again, this book showcases
the power of “ordinary Floridians fighting to save some part of the
state that they hold dear.” Often, that means folks rallying to protect
the state’s unique natural landscape; sometimes it means former CIA
agents incorporating their own island community.
Welcome
to Florida is both a love letter to and hilarious deep dive into the
nation’s fastest-growing state. Imbued with Pittman’s characteristic
humor and undeniable fondness for both the weird and wonderful parts of
his home, this book shows why, despite some of its reputations, Florida
continues to prove irresistible.
296 pages, Paperback
Published March 11, 2025
About the author
Craig Pittman
11 books218 followersCraig Pittman is the author of seven books about Florida, including "Oh, Florida! How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country," (2016) which became a New York Times bestseller, and "Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther" (2020). His most recent book is "Welcome to Florida: True Tales from America's Most Interesting State" (2025). He writes a weekly column for the Florida Phoenix and also co-hosts the popular "Welcome to Florida" podcast. He is a native Floridian and graduated from Troy State University in Alabama, where his muckraking work for the student paper prompted an agitated dean to label him "the most destructive force on campus." Since then he has covered a variety of newspaper beats and quite a few natural disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires and the Florida Legislature. In 2020 he was named a Florida Literary Legend by the Florida Heritage Book Festival and in 2022 the national Sierra Club gave him its Rachel Carson Award. He lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., with his wife and two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 14, 2026
Interesting book providing a lot of insight to all of what makes Florida so unique, and also about all the obstacles we face in making sure Florida is kept wild and green. I really enjoyed all the digs at Ron Desantis and Rick Scott.
April 30, 2025
Welcome to Florida: True Tales From America's Most Interesting State. Craig Pittman. University Press of Florida, 2025. 296 pages.
Freelance journalist Craig Pittman is definitely one of a kind. He's a true investigative journalist, the bane of every Florida politician's existence, revealing their hypocrisy, duplicity, greed, and downright evil shenanigans, especially as they affect Florida's greatest, and most vulnerable, asset, nature. He also spotlights really interesting, unique, and noteworthy Florida men and women who truly deserve the spotlight. And he is the master of reporting the "Florida Man (and Woman)" stories for which the state is world famous - the weird criminals and idiots who do incredibly stupid things. No matter which kind of story he's telling, he tells it with intelligence, a great sense of humor, and a reverence for his native state that shines through.
This book is a collection of his best stories from roughly the past four years. Whether you're a native, a resident, a visitor, contemplating the move to Florida, or recently moved to Florida, these stories will entertain and educate you. (And if you happen to have the slightest respect for any politician, these stories will eliminate that nonsense.)
Freelance journalist Craig Pittman is definitely one of a kind. He's a true investigative journalist, the bane of every Florida politician's existence, revealing their hypocrisy, duplicity, greed, and downright evil shenanigans, especially as they affect Florida's greatest, and most vulnerable, asset, nature. He also spotlights really interesting, unique, and noteworthy Florida men and women who truly deserve the spotlight. And he is the master of reporting the "Florida Man (and Woman)" stories for which the state is world famous - the weird criminals and idiots who do incredibly stupid things. No matter which kind of story he's telling, he tells it with intelligence, a great sense of humor, and a reverence for his native state that shines through.
This book is a collection of his best stories from roughly the past four years. Whether you're a native, a resident, a visitor, contemplating the move to Florida, or recently moved to Florida, these stories will entertain and educate you. (And if you happen to have the slightest respect for any politician, these stories will eliminate that nonsense.)
March 13, 2025
Perfect bedtime reading.
March 29, 2025
Fabulous book covering a wide range of topics with humor underlying the often serious issues. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews