Miami

Miami
$12.95

This is a complex and detailed history chiefly of Cuban exiles in South Florida and the influence they have been able to wield regionally and internationally with and without the help of various U.S. administrations. In that sense, it is the story of two cities - Miami and Washington - and two peoples - Americans and Cubans.

I have an objection, though, with the stone-hard style in which this volume is so meticulously, even gorgeously at times, written. Didion strives to be so achingly academic that there is little real heart to this book and, worse, the result is a cold, humorless, colorless story that is at times an unappealing example of ideological abstractions and alphabet soup.

The author, in her conspicuously clean and parenthetical prose, apparently is so charged by the subject of her research that she has forgotten there are people on the other end - readers. It is, in that sense, a boring little disaster of a book.

Miami Babylon: Crime, Wealth, and Power--A Dispatch from the Beach
$27.00
While everyone is entitled to their opinions I couldn't help but noticing that early reviewers seemed to include a number of people related to the book. For example I assume the poster "Alex Daoud" is the Alex Daoud who was Mayor of Miami Beach.

That being said I think this is a well written and comprehensive overview of Miami Beach and my (independent) appraisal would be four stars. The author, Gerald Posner has written numerous books and the writing, chronological organization of the material and footnoting are all quite professional.

The book begins with early development of the Miami era, the land boom during the 1920s, the decline through the 1930s and 1940s, the growth of Miami Beach after World War Two, the influx of elderly retirees, the devastating impact of the Mariel Boatlift from Cuba,the physical decline of the city, its rediscovery by early gentrification pioneers, the evolution of South Beach culture, "Miami Vice" and the cocaine cowboys, the South Beach nightlife, the zoning battles between the older residents and developers, the condo boom etc.

The author, who apparently started interviews for the book in 2005, was somewhat beaten to the punch by another established author, Steven Gaines, who published Fools Paradise less than a year before this book. Both cover the same topic and time line; consequently there is a lot of overlap. Fools Paradise tends to go into more detail on the nightlife aspect of South Beach (i.e. modeling, the clubs, the promoters). I don't know if Gerald Posner re-focused Miami Babylon after publication of the earlier book. However Miami Babylon has a greater emphasis on the real estate redevelopment and zoning aspects. I note that one reviewer gave only one star on the basis that it covered "boring" real estate deals of no interest to that reader. I think that is unfair relative to the total scope of the book but it is undeniable that real estate aspects have a heavy weighting.

I can recommend both books to readers interested in the subject of Miami Beach/South Beach. If choosing only one to read I would be guided by your interest in nightlife versus re-development.

Miami Dolphins Team Logo Gift Bag (Medium)
$30.00
Team logo medium gift bag of your favorite NFL team. Repeating team logo across team color gift bag.

Fodor's Miami & Miami Beach, 6th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)
$16.95
Fodor's Miami & Maimi Beach help me plan my short stay at South Beach and made it a wonderful vacation !!!!