The State You're In: Florida Men, Florida Women, and Other Wildlife

by Craig Pittman

Jump into the wacky, wild world of Florida For more than 30 years, investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Craig Pittman has chronicled the wildest stories Florida has to offer. Featuring a selection of columns that have appeared in the Tampa Bay Times and other outlets throughout Pittman’s career, this book highlights just how strange and wonderful Florida can be. With a folksy style, an eye for the absurd, and a passion for the history and environment of his home state, Pittman describes some of Florida’s oddest wildlife as well as its quirkiest people. The State You’re In includes a love story involving the most tattooed woman in the world, a deep dive into the state’s professional mermaid industry, and an investigation of a battle between residents of a nudist resort and the U.S. Postal Service. Pittman introduces readers to a who’s who of Florida crime fiction, a what’s what of exotic animals, and an array of beloved places he’s seen change rapidly in his lifetime. Many of these stories are funny, some are serious, and several offer rare insights into the heart of the Sunshine State. For Pittman, Florida is both inspiring and dangerous―an “evolutionary test” for those who live in it. Together these pieces paint a complex picture of a fascinating state longing for an identity beyond palm trees and punchlines.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Humor, History

254 pages, Hardcover

Published September 14, 2021

About the author

Craig 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.

Reviews

[Craig Pittman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the best sixth book I've ever written! Certainly the one with the funniest cover, too. Thanks, Andy Marlette!

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t miss this fun look at Florida- filled with the whacky, history and tons of great information. I loved every word.

I’ve read all Mr Pittman’s books via the library, this one I bought. Glad I did, it is a treasure👍

Just a note - John D MacDonald must be turning in his grave - his beautiful old Florida home was demolished and a horrendous monstrosity more suitable to Saudi Arabia was constructed in its place. Has Sarasota no shame? It should have been preserved like Hemingway House.

[Mark Mathes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Florida grows wackier by the week, so we are blessed with Tampa Bay journalist, author and now podcaster Craig Pittman who has reported milestones and newsmakers for over 30 years. Some of these stories are fresh and others are vintage reports, interviews and profiles that longtime newspaper readers will recognize. As crazy politicians argue about what should or should not be taught, I suggest this book be required reading in Florida high schools. This book is so important, it should be required reading by new residents, snowbirds, condo commandos and amusement park junkies. This is the latest reason why #JournalismMatters and Pittman is a superb storyteller.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of 51 columns is better than any travelogue as it takes you through the state from the Panhandle to Key West, from the significant (Hurricane Andrew) to the obscure (the fastest gopher turtle.) It's also a great reminder of what a versatile and talented reporter and writer Craig Pittman is. He visits swamps and revisits the evidence in a police shooting. A lot of it is funny, although it is sometimes it's sad too.

I read many of these pieces when they originally were published as Craig and I were colleagues at the St. Petersburg Times (now Tampa Bay Times). But it's been fun to take a walk down memory lane and to discover new pieces I missed.
It's a great book for anyone who wants to understand Florida in all its complexity and insanity.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

And quite a state, indeed!

A collection of newspaper articles that reads a bit like a travelogue, all written by the author, taking you through the wild and wacky world of Florida. A fun and interesting read.

[Savannah Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining and educational collection of a Florida journalist’s best and personal favorite stories from a vast and impressive career. Thought-provoking and from the heart of a native Floridian, it is a wonderful blend of history and journalism, which for a history lover who has always enjoyed writing and is thinking about the importance of journalists in our always-changing society, makes for an enjoyable read.

[Savannah Bass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little stories that truly encompass the spirit of Florida

[Denise Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in Fl. many familiar places made it somewhat personal

[Emily White · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the many detailed descriptions of places and people of Florida, it has peaked my desire to create a Florida bucket list. In loving the descriptions I was sad that a book describing people from a reporter had to indeed provide me with a very elevated political bend. I really hope we can have neutral reporting, but I guess this a utopian ideal.

[Christina Bosworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this compilation of 51 of author Craig Pittman's newspaper articles from the 1990's through now. Although I have read most, if not all, of the ones published since 2011, it was a pleasure to reread them. My favorites were the articles from the 1990's, a time of which I did not have a great deal of knowledge of Florida's wacky people & history. It is a great read, and the perfect book to keep in your guest bedroom because each short chapter stands alone. This is a book I will likely reread in a few years.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book captures Florida perfectly! Loved the wild, wacky stories, many of which I remembered from when they happened. Especially enjoyed the updates. Thank you Craig for bringing all these great stories together in one place. A pleasure to read.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a great deal about the state I live in from this book. Some funny tidbits, some places I never knew existed and some interesting historical info all presented in short stories that were the authors previously published articles.

[Katie Hoskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is a collection of some of the author's favorite articles that he has written over the past 40 years as a journalist. I loved learning more about my home state and was very entertained by his comedic writing.

[Ken Heller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read, delves into the wacky world of being a Floridian. Pittman has a keen eye for the absurdity of life in the sunshine state and and where to find it.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pittman is my favorite Florida author (but I only know like three Florida authors)

[Keaton Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book fulfilled all my florida yearnings

[Madison Linnihan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun and interesting read and I especially love that the author is a Troy grad!

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun reading about the wacky place that is, kind of, sort of, my home.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fun. Really similar to Oh, Florida! so if you didn't enjoy that you probably wouldn't enjoy this one. Or you might find it repetitive. I still had a good time.

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

[Varrick Nunez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listening to Mr. Pittman's podcast "Welcome to Florida" led me to his writing. Mostly columns for the St. Pete Times/TB Times, he has a nice, easy style about telling Florida stories. Fun Reading!

[Anita Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the things I learned

We moved to Florida in 1978. We lived several places on the east coast with a three year transfer to Atlanta, GA. We've now been on the west coast for 17 years. As adventurous as I've been, traveling from Pensacola to Key West, I still learned a lot from this book. It was the adventure I haven't been able to take in the last few years.

[Ramon A Carabeo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterpiece of a life chasing Florida life !

Highly recommend this book to anyone, my thanks to NPR for promoting good reading , funny , enchanted and full of romp book !