Children's author Sita Singh discusses her award-winning book, Mango Memories—a beautifully illustrated story about a young girl participating in a family tradition of harvesting mangoes. Earlier this year, Florida Humanities Center for the Book selected Sita's book as one of two titles to represent Florida literature at this year's National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Sita's work will be featured alongside fellow Florida Book Award winner Aracelis Gonzalez Asendorf and her book, Dressin...
Author Aracelis Gonzalez Asendorf discusses her award-winning book, Dressing the Saints— a series of short stories that vividly explore the everyday lives of Cuban Americans. Earlier this year, Florida Humanities Center for the Book selected Asendorf's book as one of two titles to represent Florida literature at this year's National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Asendorf's work will be featured alongside fellow Florida Book Award winner, Sita Singh and her book, Mango Memories. ...
Journalist Isaac Eger discusses his story, Consider the Cow—a brief history of the placid beasts' importance in Florida's economy and ecology. Isaac Eger is a freelance journalist and author of the new book, The Great Florida Cattle Drive. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/me...
Author Anthony Dixon discusses his story, The Saltwater Railroad—the network of routes that helped thousands of escaped slaves find freedom in Florida and the Bahamas. Anthony E. Dixon is the author of "Up From Incarceration: Dispelling the Myths of the Thug Life", "A Timeline of the African Diaspora Experience in Florida" and "Florida's Negro War: Black Seminoles and the Second Seminole War 1835-1842." To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And t...
Historian Jim C. Clark discusses his story, Close Encounters of the Presidential Kind—a look at how U.S. Presidents have visited, inspired, battled and shaped the Sunshine State. Jim C. Clark is a senior lecturer in history at the University of Central Florida. He earned a doctorate in Florida history at the University of Florida. He is the author of a dozen books on Florida history, including Presidents in Florida. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.onli...
Journalist and author Anne Hull discusses her story, Miami Vice—the story of how Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edna Buchanan became Miami's quintessential chronicler of crime in the '80s. Anne Hull is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and a fifth-generation Florida native. She began her career at the Tampa Bay Times before spending nearly two decades as a national reporter for The Washington Post. Her memoir, Through the Groves, appeared in our Spring 2024 issue. To read the dig...
Author Ryan White discusses his story, the Song that Changed the World—a look at how Jimmy Buffett's hit 1977 song "Margaritaville" reshaped the Florida folk singer's career. Ryan White is a feature journalist and the author of Jimmy Buffett: A Good Life All the Way and Springsteen: Album by Album. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a...
Writer Medeia Sharif discusses her story, Miami Nights — a short essay on Sharif's nightly excursions around her South Florida neighborhood. Medeia Sharif is the author of picture books Frizzy Haired Zuzu and Remembering Mom's Kubbat Halab, as well as several middle-grade and young-adult novels. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida...
Writer Brad Edmondson discusses his story, Betting on the Farm—an essay on Edmondson's memories growing up on a family farm in Nokomis, Florida. Brad Edmonson is a writer who currently resides in Ithaca, New York. His latest book is A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed the Adirondacks. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Flo...
Writer Charlie Hailey discusses his story, On Marjorie's Porch—a short personal essay about a winter morning outside the home of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Charlie Hailey teaches architecture at the University of Florida and is the author of six books, most recently The Porch: Meditations on the Edge of Nature. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your doo...
Author Jason Vuic discusses his story, Nowhereland—a look back at how developers created faceless communities during the lot-sale booms of post-World War II Florida. Jason Vuic is the author of four books, including Florida Book Award gold medal-winning The Swamp Peddlers: How Lot Sellers, Land Scammers, and Retirees Built Modern Florida and Transformed the American Dream. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest iss...
Author Rebecca Renner discusses her new book, Gator Country—the true story of a Florida wildlife officer who goes undercover to infiltrate the world of illegal poachers in the Florida Everglades. Earlier this year, Florida Humanities Center for the Book selected Renner's book as one of two titles that will represent Florida at this year's National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Renner's work will be featured alongside fellow Florida Book Award winner, Sara Echenique and her book, Our Roof ...
Meteorologist Jeff Masters discusses his article Flight into Fury— a retelling of a daring flight Masters was a part of as a hurricane hunter for NOAA. A flight Masters says he almost didn't return from. Jeff Masters is the co-founder of the Weather Underground website. He is currently a meteorologist and blogger for Yale Climate Connections. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered ...
Children's author Sara E. Echenique discusses her new book, Our Roof is Blue—a heartfelt story about two siblings who work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Maria destroyed their home in Puerto Rico. Earlier this year, Florida Humanities Center for the Book selected Echenique's book as one of two titles that will represent Florida at this year's National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Echenique's work will be featured alongside fellow Florida Book Award winner, Rebecca Renner and her ...
Photographer Bill Yates discusses the story Age of Innocence—a look at the series of 1970s photographs from Tampa's Sweetheart Roller Skating Rink that made Yates "an overnight sensation." The popular images were originally featured in the art photography book: Sweetheart Skating Rink. Yates is currently working on a sequel to the book titled Sweetheart Nights which he plans to release later this year. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And t...
Food writer Dalia Colón discusses her new book, The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook. Colón’s more than 100 recipes and personal stories guide readers to discovering flavorful dishes that showcase Florida’s bounty of fruits, vegetables, herbs and grains. Dalia Colon is a frequent contributor to FORUM magazine. Her recurring A Taste of Florida column explores the stories behind some of the state’s most iconic recipes. Outside of her work with FORUM, Colon is also an Emmy Award-winning multi...
Writer Francisco Alvarado discusses his article, One More Serve, which looks at the history of jai alai—a once popular sport that is currently trying to revive its former glory. Alvarado is a Miami-based print journalist whose work has appeared in The Real Deal, Florida Bulldog, The Washington Post and The Daily Beast. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times...
Florida historian Gary R. Mormino discusses his article, Gridiron Glory — a deep-dive on the cultural history of football in the Sunshine State. With a personal essay from veteran journalist Bill Maxwell, the story explores Florida's fervor for football and the game's connection to some of its growing pains. Gary R. Mormino is the Frank E. Duckwall Professor Emeritus of History at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. He won the Florida Humanities 2015 Florida Lifetime Achie...
Writer Eric Barton discusses his article, Send in the Clowns. The story dives into the not-so-funny history of one of Florida's winningest baseball teams. Eric Barton is a freelance journalist who has written for publications like Outside, Food & Wine, and Flamingo. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at flo...
We're diving into the world of sports in Florida for the next season of FORUM: Beyond the Pages. Listen to revered writers and journalists discuss the stories featured in the Spring 2024 issue of Florida Humanities' award-winning magazine, FORUM. From Florida's deep-rooted passion for college football to the rise and fall of Jai Alai, every episode is a look at the state's sports lore. Stay tuned for new episodes coming in March. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to fl...