Many children of military families, like Dandelions, are scattered far and wide and learn to survive where the winds of fate carry them. The Authors, both “Dandelions”, have penned a whimsical collection of unique coming-of-age stories set in the late 1950’s and 60’s in Key West, the island paradise where they landed and thrived. Soak up some tropical magic through the adventures and misadventures of these two “Navy Brats”. This light-hearted book is spiced up by the flavor of a few Conch Recipes and a dash of Island Music.
Charlie Owens is a twenty-six year old artist with a firm belief in the lessons of Greco-Roman mythology, a wayward thumb, and an eccentric perception of the world around him. In Key West he finds love amidst the choking abundance of today's world. But blocking his path is the conformist ex-boyfriend of Charlie's girlfriend, a personality-eviscerating job, and the calamity of the advanced technology of America.
Can you run far enough away to escape your past? Reid Brantley should be at this time in his life, settled. He's proprietor and co-owner of Linner, a lunch-early dinner establishment in the center of Key West on Duval Street, has a nice house in Key West just off the Atlantic Ocean, and a wonderful wife, Gretchen Malloy. She's the owner of Tiki Lounge, co-owner of the adjacent Linner, and an excellent mother to their child Meghan and his daughter from his first marriage, Gerty. As he creates a Key Lime pie from scratch for Gerty's birthday, he's grilled by two FBI agents about his St. Louis past; his ex-wife and her family hell-bent on revenge; and a charred severed right hand found in a fire's debris at Gretchen's Tiki Lounge after Tropical Storm Ernesto.
In Jennifer L. Holm's New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor winning middle grade historical fiction novel, life isn't like the movies. But then again, 11-year-old Turtle is no Shirley Temple. She's smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935 and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida to live with relatives she's never met. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before though. It's hot and strange, full of rag tag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure! Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she's spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, humor and heart, Turtle in Paradise is an instant classic both boys and girls with love. Includes an Author's Note with photographs and further background on the Great Depression, as well as additional resources and websites. Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews: "Sweet, funny and superb." Starred Review, Booklist: "Just the right mixture of knowingness and hope . . . a hilarious blend of family drama seasoned with a dollop of adventure."
Much more than a cookbook, "Best Dressed Southern Salads" presents a gastronomic journey from Key West to Washington, D.C., that showcases 101 fabulous recipes for every type of salad imaginable.
