Draws readers into its difficult subject by resorting to the dirtiest trick in the journalist s bag of tricks: great storytelling. Creative Loafing

Uncovers what ought to rank among Florida s most notorious development scandals and that s something in a state infamous for swampland scams and subprime sprawl. . . . An infuriating, all-too-familiar tale of how powerful developers, shrewd lobbyists, and callow politicians shape public policy for private profit. Miami Herald

This is an exhaustive, timely, and devastating account of the destruction of Florida s...

2012 Florida Book Awards, Silver Medal for Florida Non-Fiction

"FANTASTIC. If I did not know most of the main players I would have thought the author had a vivid and twisted imagination."--Paul Martin Brown, author of Wild Orchids of Florida

"A fascinating true story of obsession, greed, and lust for the unobtainable. Reminds me a great deal of The Maltese Falcon. This rare flower is definitely the stuff that dreams are made of."--Ace Atkins, author of Devil's Garden and Infamous

"Pittman has captured the extreme competition, unique characters,...

A New York Times Bestseller

To some people, Florida is a paradise; to others, a punch line. As Oh, Florida shows, it's both of these and, more important, it's a Petri dish, producing trends that end up influencing the rest of the country. Without Florida there would be no NASCAR, no Bettie Page pinups, no Glenn Beck radio rants, no USA Today, no "Stand Your Ground," ...You get the idea.

To outsiders, Florida seems baffling. It's a state where the voters went for Barack Obama twice, yet elected a Tea Party candidate as governor. Florida is touted as...