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NEW FALL TITLES HIGHLIGHT UNIQUE VIEWS OF FLORIDA

by Andrea Dzavik

Gainesville, FL - This fall, the University Press of Florida charts a course for making new discoveries in the Sunshine State.

Experienced outdoorsman Johnny Molloy is back with an easy-to-use, accurate, and thorough guide to hiking the state's more than 2 million acres of federally-owned wilderness. The Hiking Trails of Florida's National Forests, Parks, and Preserves traverses through some of Florida's most spectacular scenery--from pristine beaches and emerald oceans to towering pine forests and sparkling spring-fed lakes. Detailed profiles of 63 trails provide expert information for the successful planning and execution of one's own adventures. For hikers, vacationers, outdoor enthusiasts, and wildlife watchers alike, this guide will be indispensible.

Want to to get your feet wet? Paddler's Guide to the Sunshine State by veteran canoe instructor Sandy Huff is the most comprehensive and up-to-date source of information on paddling in Florida. Whether you're a first-time paddler or a whitewater master, whether you're looking for an easy going two-hour tour with your family or a week-long solo adventure, this book lists the most delightful destinations to explore in a state famous for its scenic waterways.

While you're out there, don't forget to stop and smell the…....orchids? Wild Orchids of Florida draws upon more than 100 years of research to become the first field guide ever published for this orchid-rich state. Distribution maps, detailed descriptions of each species, and more than 400 color photos as well as line drawings by Stan Folsom (whose work was recently exhibited at the Appleton Museum, Ocala) will enable even the novice to easily identify any of the orchids found growing in the wild.

From nature's art to the man-made version arrives the much-anticipated story of The Highwaymen: Florida's African-American Landscape Painters, a group of young black artists who painted their way out of the citrus groves and packing houses of 1950s Florida.Working quickly with inexpensive materials, this group produced an astonishing number of landscapes depicting a romanticized Florida. With paintings still wet, they loaded their cars and sold their images up and down the state's east coast. Author Gary Monroe offers the first authoritative account of their lives and work through a critical look at the paintings and the movement's development, personal reminiscences by some of the artists, and a gallery of 63 full-color reproductions of their paintings.

Florida's Golden Age of Souvenirs, 1890-1930 reveals more unique Florida history. More than 500 color illustrations in this lavish book showcase an incredible array of travel treasures purchased by Florida's first tourists-primarily wealthy northerners-during the years 1890-1930, the golden age of Florida tourism, when souvenirs were works of art. Larry Roberts, a consultant for the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee, provides expert insights into the artistic quality of the items, elevating them above the category of mere collectibles and shows how souvenirs can be a source for interpreting and appreciating the artistry of the past.

Native tradition comes alive in A Seminole Legend: The Life of Betty Mae Tiger Jumper. This inspiring autobiography is the story of the most decorated member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida--a political activist, former nurse, and alligator wrestler, who today has her own web site. A beloved story-teller, Jumper is renowned for passing along tribal legends. In this book she describes her family's early conversion to Christianity and discusses such topics as miscegenation, war and atrocities, the impact of encroaching settlement on traditional peoples, and the development of the Dania/Hollywood Reservation.

Setting a standard for the newspaper column as social criticism, Bill Maxwell of the St. Petersburg Times interprets the forces that define a diverse America. In Maximum Insight, a collection of his most provocative columns, Maxwell takes on controversial issues many columnists avoid and a wide spectrum of national figures.With insights that are deep and passionate, Maxwell asks hard questions that courageously attempt to understand hatred and injustice in America.

In vivid, comprehensive, and often grim detail, Invisible Empire charts 130 years of Ku Klux Klan activity in Florida, one of the Klan's most violent and enduring realms. Author Michael Newton addresses the critical question of how the group continues to survive--a bitter, marginalized extremist movement that is still marching in what is arguably the Deep South's most progressive and ethnically diverse state.

One of Florida's greatest attributes is its biodiversity. Two newly revised and edited volumes by Henry Nehrling (1853-1929) present a remarkable record of Florida's botanical history. First published in the 1940s as My Garden in Florida, Nehrling's Early Florida Gardens and Nehrling's Plants, People, and Places in Early Florida give first-hand accounts of the environment in his time, descriptions of natural conditions, and observations of areas no longer undisturbed. His association with writers, scientists, and travelers presents a window into the gardening community of his era. Passionately written, rich in detail and free from technical jargon, Nehrling's plant descriptions and horticultural information are as valuable today as when first published.

Books are available at full service book stores or call toll-free at 1-800-226-3822.