GARY R. MORMINO. Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida. (The Florida History and Culture Series.) Gainesville: University Press of Florida. 2005. Pp. xvii, 457. $34.95

Abstract

Florida is the tackiest state in the union. Who can forget the 2000 election, when the candidate's brother was governor and his state campaign manager, a really tacky figure in her own right, was in charge of election procedures? Pink flamingoes, coconut patties, tee-shirts with cheesy slogans, cute alligators, palm trees, and sun-decked beaches are the images of this unique state that stick in one's mind. Gary R. Mormino's book does a very capable job of chronicling the modern development of Florida and its bizarre popular culture(s). The time frame is the twentieth century, with primary emphasis on the period following World War II. Demographically, this is appropriate. In the first half of the century, Florida's population was thin and mainly concentrated in the northern part of the state, like south Georgia except more remote and parochial. The ascendancy of south Florida, especially Miami, and the development of coastal communities established the state's identity and modern economy. These forces also distinguished Florida from other southern states as a place of migrants and immigrants and a site of international commerce and tourism. Geographic proximity to Caribbean states and Central America has exerted a tremendous influence on Florida's culture and communities. A singular relationship with Cuba, both historical and contemporary, indelibly shaped both Miami and Tampa. Key West, the closest point, was effectively a Cuban colony from the mid to late nineteenth century, although little evidence now remains. Today Key West is a playground, exemplary of the tourist character of the state. Politically, the center of gravity and locus of power continues to favor northern sections near Tallahassee and Jacksonville. The panhandle, which most resembles the Deep South, was previously the site of heavy-handed political power all out of proportion to its mostly rural population, but not so much anymore. The real power in Florida resides with northern capital, urban/suburban electoral strength, and above all the actions of ambitious/rapacious developers. Mormino's account focuses heavily on these men (nearly all are male) and the infelicitous transformations they have wrought on a challenging but beautiful terrain.