A die-hard Northeasterner meets the Sunshine State "A wonderful book about enjoying everything our state has to offer. It's interesting that a new Floridian is showing old Floridians what Florida is all about."--Jeff Klinkenberg, author of "Alligators in B-Flat: Improbable Tales from the Files of Real Florida" "Furman reminds us that nature is a part of everyday life. While showing us how to engage friends and family in enjoying and understanding the real Florida, he presents the stories behind the flora and fauna he encounters."--Sandra Friend, author of "Exploring Florida's Botanical Wonders" When Andrew Furman left the rolling hills of Pennsylvania behind for a new job in Florida, he feared the worst. While he'd heard much of the fabled "southern charm," he wondered what could possibly be charming about fist-sized mosquitoes, oppressive humidity, and ever-lurking alligators.
It wasn't long before he began to notice that the real Florida right outside his office window was very different from the stereotypes portrayed in movies, television, and even state-sponsored tourism advertisements. In "Bitten," Furman""shares his amazement at the beautiful and the bizarre of his adopted state. Over seventeen years, he and his family have shed their Yankee sensibilities and awakened to the terra incognita of their new home.
As he learns to catch snook--a wily fish that inhabits, among other areas, the concrete-lined canals that crisscross the state--and seeks out the state's oldest live oak, a behemoth that pre-dates Columbus, Furman realizes that falling in love with Florida is a fun and sometimes humbling process of discovery. Each chapter highlights a fascinating aspect of his journey into the natural environment he once avoided, from snail kites to lizards and cassia to coontie.
Sharing his attempts at night fishing, growing native plants, birding, and hiking the Everglades, Furman will inspire you to explore the real Florida. And, if you aren't lucky enough to reside in the Sunshine State, he'll at least convince you to unplug for an hour or two and enjoy the natural beauty of wherever it is you call home.