Dreams in the New Century

A leading Florida historian explores one of the states most consequential eras. It was a time of stunning episodes of boom and bust, an era of extremes, a decade of historic changes that point to Floridas future. In this book, eminent historian Gary Mormino illuminates early twenty-first-century Florida and its connections to some of the most significant events in contemporary American history. Following Morminos milestone work Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams, which details the dynamic history of Florida from 1950 to 2000, Dreams in the New Century explores the states tumultuous next chapter, a period that included the Bush v. Gore election, 9/11, the housing bubble and Great Recession, and the election of Barack Obama. During these years the Elin Gonzlez story engrossed the country, Tim Tebow rose to football fame, and Donald Trump became a Florida celebrity. From hurricanes to Ponzi schemes, red tides, climate change, the Stand-Your-Ground gun law, demographic diversity, and more, Florida offered nonstop news fodder that reflected its extraordinary internal trends and its importance in the nation. As Mormino shows, Florida is a place of deep conflictsNorth and South, liberal and conservative, newcomer and local, growth and conservationwith histories that can be traced back centuries. In 20002010, Mormino argues, these tensions collided to produce a Big Bang that will continue to resonate in years to come. Mormino takes stock of this crucible of change and explains the social, cultural, and political intricacies of a state the world struggles to understand. Dreams in the New Century unravels Floridas complicated recent history in a gripping, informative, and fascinating narrative.