Florida Authentica: Your field guide to the unique, eccentric, and natural marvels of the real Sunshine State

I read this book before taking my kids to Florida. We did not visit many of the places but this book gave me great understanding of the florida and I fell in love with it. The only thing is missing from the book is a map with all the places marked so you can have an idea where they are located.

I'm a third generation native of this freaky state (Sometimes proud of that, sometimes not - #FloridaMan) and I learned PLENTY from this little guide. I now keep it in my glove compartment so when driving around the state I've got a quick go-to guide for the region I might be in. BUY IT!!!! You'll discover new nooks and crannys in this nutty place you never knew existed. All presented to you in that lovable style that only our dear Ron Wiggins was able to convey.

This book is exactly what it says it is. It has a unique perspective and stories by the author. I have left it by the beside for guests to peruse. Each loved it!

Ain't no big never mind.

This is a book of stories and anecdotes - interesting enough, but that's not why I ordered it. I was hoping to discover more weird and quirky places to see in Florida. (For that, "Weird Florida" was a far better choice, and I'm glad I ordered it at the same time.)But, if you live or vacation in a specific area in Florida, you'll find many well-told stories about off-the-beaten-path (and some popular) places the author has visited.If you like reading travelogues, you may absolutely love this book. I wanted more from it - perhaps unreasonably - so it wasn't my cup of tea.

I have been a Florida resident for about 8 years and want to get to know the state better. The book was purchased to help me achieve that goal. There are 48 destinations discussed in the book. But, sadly, the book has no understandable organization. To make the book useful, I just spent about 2 hours posting the locations of each destination on a Florida map. Their order appears to be completely random -- as if determined by putting the names into a paper bag, shaking it, and then pulling them out one at a time while blindfolded. Why would an author not think of the reader who will be using the book while organizing it? Why not organize it by geographic areas? Or, why not include one or more maps showing the locations of the destinations? I just don't understand what the author was thinking...or not thinking! Anyway, my map is now prepared and the book -- with the map -- will accompany me on my travels. Hopefully, my efforts will be rewarded! Some of the destinations sound as though they may be worth visiting. So, the book gets 2 stars instead of just 1.

One common complaint is the overall organization of the text but if you follow the index at the beginning (arranged by region), it's not much of a problem. I found the book eminently readable and filled with relevant facts. A solid addition to any "All Things Florida"library for those of us who did not grow up anywhere close to the Sunshine State!

Interesting places to go. I live in Florida and found exciting placed to visit in my own backyard.

Hard to follow up where places are. Better books out there