Michael Gannon's History of Florida in Forty Minutes

by Michael Gannon

In this creative and engaging project, the author of the widely popular A Short History , offers a brief, stirring invitation to the state’s history in both audio and print formats. Gannon, a longtime researcher and teacher, packs thousands of years of history and change into a concise, authoritative 40-minute cruise through Florida’s centuries. Spanning millennia from Florida’s earliest inhabitants to the 2004-5 hurricane seasons, Gannon highlights ten watershed periods in the state’s history. Appropriately, in a state widely known as a cultural melting pot, the first four of those periods, covering nearly 12,000 years, were shaped by a different dominant population and the original inhabitants; Spanish settlers and missionaries; British colonists; and the Spanish restoration and American territorial populations. Political and social strife dominated the next two periods, early statehood, and Civil War and Reconstruction. Then, beginning near the turn of the last century, themes that have driven the emergence of the megastate—innovation, investment, and technology—came to characterize the final four the Flagler era; the land boom; the Second World War; and finally, the age of air conditioning, mosquito control, and VA home loans. From the Timucua to Disney, Spanish explorers to Canadian tourists, and indigo plantations to sun-drenched beaches, Gannon recalls the people, places, and key events shaping the longest recorded history of any of the American states. Presented in a personable, conversational style for all readers and listeners, Florida in Forty Minutes is entertaining history, suitable for classroom useor as a gift for anyone who loves, or ought to know more about, Florida history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

80 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2007

About the author

(1928-April, 10, 2017)

Michael Gannon was a University of Florida history professor who was also a recognized expert on Florida history, particularly from its Spanish colonial founding through the Civil War. He spent most of his career in Florida.

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Ruth]

This is a solid, if very compact, overview of Florida history, including indigenous peoples, black history, and - of course - lots about the Spanish, early European settlers, and 19th-20th century developments like land booms and environmental changes. Little snippets about each era whet the appetite for further focused study. I originally picked this as a hopeful candidate to read with Podling 5, who studies Florida state history this year, but it's pitched to adults and would go straight over her head.

[Kathie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief introduction to the history of Florida. It piqued my interest and will serve as a prompt to further reading in certain areas of the state's history.

[Amy Bodkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice summary for children, but his Short History is much much better!

[Thomas Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In short, an excellent short quick history of Florida without the pie-in-the-sky cheerleading of the current governor.

[Sue (booknbeachbag)]

Between this and the Sunshine State tourism history, I known a little bit more about my adopted state than I knew before. I guess you really can't learn that much in 40 minutes - but yup, that's what it took!

[Nancy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. I like that it comes with a CD that has the author reading the book.