Have I told you lately that I like Carl Hiaasen? I'm sure you're getting tired of me talking about my admiration for his work, but I do so to encourage you to check it out. If you do, you're in for a treat.
Last night I read the first several chapters of his most recent bestseller - Nature Girl. Hiaasen is gifted. He has a unique talent that can keep a story fresh, funny, but meaningful in a political sort of way - all at the same time.
I've been a resident of Florida for six years. Having grown up in the Midwest and lived in the Midsouth for several years, I've become an observer and enthusiast for studying trends in regional culture. Nowhere are these trends more evident than in literature, and Florida is certainly no exception.
Florida born and raised, Carl Hiassen is probably the most successful author of "Floridian" novels. His works offer a satirical look at the social, political, and environmental issues facing the state. Treat yourself to Tourist Season for a funny, but thought provoking look at how tourism has impacted the Sunshine State. If you like that one, you''ll also enjoy Double Whammy, Nature Girl, and Lucky You.
If you're looking for something serious and much more "literary", check out Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, an Oprah Winfrey favorite. Set in Eaton, near Winter Park, FL, the novel reveals a controversial and perhaps unflattering portrayal Florida life during the era.
According to Amazon.com, "...Their Eyes Were Watching God is arguably the best-known and perhaps the most controversial [Hurston work]. The novel follows the fortunes of Janie Crawford, a woman living in the black town of Eaton, Florida. Hurston sets up her characters and her locale in the first chapter, which, along with the last, acts as a framing device for the story of Janie's life."
If you've ever wondered where the most popular American novelists get ideas for their novels, you might want to read Carl Hiaasen's collection of newspaper columns he wrote for the Miami Herald titled Paradise Screwed or his other collection of columns titled Kick Ass.
