Well-researched, fascinating accounts of Florida Keys' life of the past two centuries.

INSULT to Our Planet & the Florida Keys Through the eyes of this psychiatrist and his raw, existential passion for the planet, a web of insult is untangled to expose environmental degradation we face today, and its impact on the human spirit. Fishing the Florida Keys was like a dream in years past, and in Key West there was always a story. Dr. Weinstock, as the only psychiatrist there, experienced many firsthand in the past fifty years. A prize-winning angler, he shares exciting stories of the past in this sport-fishing mecca. Through twists and turns and stories of the mind, he demonstrates the healing power of nature. Vivid tales of fishing join those of humanity in the presence of the mesmerizing beauty once seen in the Florida Keys. Marine life of great variety comes to life through informative descriptions and hundreds of brilliant photos from Key West to Alaska, exploring the uplifting and also the dismal view. At the helm are many years of research that uncover abuses of nature in the Florida Keys as a metaphor for global environmental tragedies. About Jerrold J. Weinstock, M. D. Dr. Weinstock was compelled to write this non-fiction on the decline of local ocean fisheries he has witnessed firsthand. Documenting his adventures with logbooks and thousands of photos; in the Keys and in Alaska he developed close relationships with many in the commercial fishing industry and sport fish chartering business. He relishes memories of the 1980s and before when he fished and swam aside marine life in water of striking, transparent clarity. His passion for fishing is matched only by his intense appreciation for our natural world.

The building of Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway extension over water to Key West from 1905 to 1916 was s triumph of engineering and logistics. The Keys were remote and with little means of communication. The massive amounts of materials had to be moved with steam power. This book tells the story of the planners and their plan and its execution. It has 250 old photos, most of which have never been published before.

The Florida Keys have witnessed all kinds of historical events, from the dramatic and the outrageous to the tragic and the comic. Join the authors as they delve into tales of treasure hunters, developers, exotic dancers, determined preservationists and more from the colorful history of the Florida Keys.

Today, on the Keys between Key West and the mainland, some 40,000 residents and thousands of visitors fish, swim, sail, and dive in the crystal clear waters off a tropical reef; relax in the sun and cooling trade wind breezes; and sleep in the air-conditioned comfort of their homes and hotel rooms. On these same islands, as short a time as 80 years ago, fewer than 300 inhabitants tried to eke out a living without benefit of electricity, running water, radios, or telephones. Tormented by clouds of voracious mosquitoes and no-see-ums, broiled by the tropical sun, they lived in thatched-roof homes regularly flattened by hurricane winds. Weeks would go by before some passing sailboat brought them news of the outside world or their relatives. The stories of these hardy pioneers and their predecessors, as far back as the Native Americans who lived on the Keys at least 1,000 years ago, are told, many for the first time, in this book. As vividly portrayed as if they were characters in a novel, these true-life inhabitants of the Florida Keys will capture your admiration as you share in the dreams and realities of their daily lives. Includes Don Diego, a Spanish-speaking native who led in shipwreck plundering in the early 18th century; Jacob Housman, an unscrupulous wrecking captain who amassed a fortune and lost it when Indians burned his town to the ground; Dr. Perrine, a scientist who was killed by Indians; the African Americans who made charcoal for the stoves of Key West; and the indomitable Lily Bow, who eked out a living on remote Cudjoe Key. Next in series > > See all of the books in this series