Finding Florida

The True History of the Sunshine State

By: T. D. Allman

Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin

Over its long history, Florida has been many things: a native realm protected by geography; a wilderness that ruined Spanish conquistadors; a place to start over; "god's waiting room". With a native population as high as 900,000 (who all died), it became a pestilential backwater with a few thousand inhabitants, but today is our fourth most populous state, with 19 million. The site of vicious racial violence, including massacres, slavery, and the roll-back of Reconstruction, Florida is now one of our most diverse states, a dynamic multicultural place with an essential role in 21st century America.

However, the remarkable story of Florida has been distorted and whitewashed. In Finding Florida: The True History of the Sunshine State, journalist T. D. Allman reclaims this remarkable history from the mythologizers, apologists, and boosters.

Allman traces the discovery, exploration, and settlement of Florida, its transformation from a swamp to a paradise. Palm Beach, Key West, Miami, Tampa, and Orlando boomed, fortunes were won and lost, land was stolen and flipped, and millions arrived.

The product of a decade of research and writing, Finding Florida is a highly original, stylish, and masterful work, the first modern comprehensive history of this fascinating place.

©2013 T. D. Allman. Recorded by arrangement with Grove/Atlantic, Inc. (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Narrator James Patrick Cronin leads listeners on a journey that seeks to dispel the many myths surrounding Florida's history, development, and present-day tribulations. Cronin's narration is engaging and varied." (AudioFile)

More about opinions than facts. Disappointed

Did not realise this would be a book that puts down Florida and Republicans. I was excited about this book, but i would not reccomend.

Loved the facts. Hated the sanctimonious tone.

What did you like best about Finding Florida? What did you like least?

I found the historical facts about early europeans in Florida very interesting and educational. I enjoyed hearing about the early explorers and what happened to them.

I didn't like the author's seemingly endless assertions that the deeds and events involving important people in the history of Florida had been "wiped from the history books." He cites sources and references, so obviously, it has not been "wiped from the history of Florida." If he could just dial it back so he doesn't make that assertion more than a few hundred times in every chapter, the book would be more enjoyable.

What was most disappointing about T. D. Allman’s story?

I didn't like his sanctimonious tone. I quickly tired of hearing the author's disdainful denigration of "white" settlers. Also he prattled on about the evil deeds of U.S. Presidents and others trying to acquire and then settle early Florida. At one point, he seems to suggest that Spain wasn't involved with slavery in the Florida Territories after the Revolutionary War because the Spanish were too far away to enforce their policies and that it was just those greedy white US citizens who wanted to move into Florida and put all the free living people of color into chains.

Which scene was your favorite?

I enjoyed the first few chapters that dealt with the early exploration of Florida. After that, I found the sanctimonious tone off-putting .

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed his writing style in the one or two places he writes about events and doesn't make his writing a billboard for how morally superior he is. If you can put up with a heavy dose of sanctimonious stink-eye, then I recommend this book to anyone wanting to become familiar with what actually happened verses the fictional accounts of early Florida's exploration and settlement generated by marketing schemes.

The author has a beef with almost everyone

Although I have no reason to believe that the book is based on anything but well research, the author seems to have an attitude with most people in Florida’s history. It actually extends beyond Florida. I really felt like I learn something but I also felt like the opinions were extremely strong.

Thick Layers of Smug Obscure Historical Narrative

Florida has a fascinating history, and Allman claims to set out to present that history in a user-friendly way. He aimed to combat dated pop-cultural narratives created by roadside attraction advertisers, and others who stood to profit from a different version of the past. Unfortunately, like so many before him, his ego gets in the way of the truth. Readers are forced to slog through snarky commentary and sloppy attempts to connect hundreds of years of history to the modern meme-borne contemning of the Sunshine State proliferated on social media. This commentary is well narrated by Cronin, whose performance leans into the story's smug tone. As a native-born Floridian and relatively progressive history buff, I found the fumbling critiques throughout this book insufferable, and disappointedly stopped listening after giving it a full 3 hours to prove itself. Do not recommend.

Venomous rant

Florida is historically a pivotal state and I wanted a deeper insight, but regardless of the research and enlightening facts, the tone of this book has turned me off the subject completely. I expect to find rants like this online but not in books from a reputable publisher. The Amazon.com listing shows glowing editorial reviews but I can’t imagine how it received any positive press at all.

The last part undermines the rest

What would have made Finding Florida better?

Objectivity

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of James Patrick Cronin?

Someone less glib and sarcastic

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment and anger.

Any additional comments?

The rabbid bias that the author showed in the last third of the book raised doubts as to whether one could trust the material in the first two thirds. In the few incidents in which the author commented on matters I was familiar with, the facts were incorrect. This is good raw meat for any angry rabble raiser with an axe to grind in today's world.

Florida without the fluff

Attacks the common beliefs on what the history of Florida has been and uses that as a air up call for all of us. He deals with everything from Ponce De Leon not really searching for the fountain of youth to the negative financial and civil rights impact of Disney World on the state. I didn't not agree with all of the author's conclusions but it was a very thought provoking read.

Left Slant

Book started off great, very interesting. Ended up being how Florida is full of white racist.

Not a biased history of florida.

more about the authors anti slavery views than overall history of florida. I grew board listening to the same thing for hours. could not finish it.

Author was hurt by florida

Addresses some good points on florida history but is a bit dismissive of other works.