Paradise Lost?: The Environmental History of Florida

The Florida History and Culture Series

by Jack Emerson Davis (Editor), Raymond Arsenault (Editor)

"From the earliest descriptions of the state's natural beauty to the degradation of the Everglades, virtually every facet of Florida environment is included in Paradise Lost? Nor have the authors neglected the human side of the story, from William Bartram, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and Archie Carr to various development boosters and bureaucrats. . . . A fine collection that will make an important contribution to environmental history generally and to the history of Florida in particular."--Timothy Silver, Appalachian State University

"A magnificent contribution to Florida's environmental history and a fascinating analysis of 'paradise lost' in the land of the pink flamingos and Disney."--Carolyn Johnston, Eckerd College

This collection of essays surveys the environmental history of the Sunshine State, from Spanish exploration to the present, and provides an organized, detailed overview of the reciprocal relationship between humans and Florida's unique peninsular ecology.  It is divided into four thematic sections: explorers and naturalists; science, technology, and public policy; despoliation; and conservationists and environmentalists. The contributors describe the evolving environmental policies and practices of the state and federal governments and the dynamic interaction between the Florida environment and many social and cultural groups including the Spanish, English, Americans, southerners, northerners, men, and women. They have applied historical methodology and also drawn on the methodologies of the fields of political science, cultural anthropology, and sociology.

Of obvious value to environmentalists and general readers interested in Florida's history, exploration, and development, the book will also serve as a solid introduction to the subject for undergraduates and graduate students.

Jack E. Davis is associate professor of history at University of Florida. Raymond Arsenault is the John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History and director of the University Honors College at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

438 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 1998

About the author

Jack Emerson Davis is Professor of History and the Rothman Family Chair in the Humanities at the University of Florida. He is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea.

Reviews

[Leo W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An edited academic volume. Such things are typically poor reading, but this is an exception. Well-edited and writing in a few of the pieces compelling.

[Anna-Grace Agnini · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Paradise Lost?” paints a clear picture of the two dominant views towards Florida’s environment; those who recognized it as the natural paradise it was originally, and those who saw it as an opportunity to create the “paradise” of their minds. Each chapter does an amazing job highlighting many of the state’s key environmentalists, and the numerous times they came face to face with the greed and ignorance that defined much of Florida’s growth.

Reading through this historical overview, I was able to gain a much better understanding of how Florida’s current environmental status came to be. Unfortunately, it also revealed that many of the mistakes made in the past are still being reenacted today, even though the science is clear of the destruction that will result.

Despite the frustration I often felt reading the decisions of the past, the book often made it clear that all hope isn’t lost, evidenced by the passionate environmental groups that evolved, many of which are still strong today.

“Paradise Lost?” is a must read for anyone who wants to help protect the real paradise that still remains in Florida, as it shows how easily we can lose it to those that only care about using the environment for their own gain.

[Leah Kinthaert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It made me wince in horror at how stupid humans are, the stuff we did in the 19th and 20th centuries with the environment in the name of progress or "improvement". It is completely free of opinion and bias in many cases, these are studies, so they can be dry. As a reader sometimes I was dying to know more - for example a law was passed, or something was done - how did it affect the environment in the years to come etc. Would love some sort of follow up to all of these studies. Definitely worth your time if you are interested in nature or the environment.

[Louis Brouillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It’s really a compilation of essays about Florida’s natural history from different authors. It’s academic but readable.