Author Talk
The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House. Kate Anderson Brower. Harper, 2015. 320 pages.
If you enjoyed the murder mystery comedy "The Residence" on Netflix, as I did, you may have been surprised, as I was, to learn that it was inspired by a nonfiction book, a history of the White House through the eyes and recollections of the men and women who work there daily as maids, butlers, ushers, cooks, plumbers, electricians, engineers, florists, nannies, and even calligraphers and have devoted their lives to serving the nation by saving its First Families, often for decades. The author interviewed dozens of employees and wrote a truly fascinating account of what goes on behind the scenes and out of sight of the public. The main focus is on the administrations from Kennedy to Obama, but there are historical tidbits that cover the entire history of the White House, going back to its first occupants, John and Abigail Adams. Getting the employees to share their experiences was quite a feat. Only a handful of White House employees have ever published their memoirs, and there is a universal sense of pride and professionalism among the employees of "The House," as they call it, that exists almost nowhere else. Employees are fiercely protective of the families that employ them and often reveal very little about their work even to friends and family members, sometimes not even revealing to acquaintances where they work. For many, telling stories in public was unthinkable. Their work is demanding and draining, but they often form deep and lasting relationships with each other and with the Presidents and their families. This was a great read, a very informative and entertaining look at how things work, the people that make it work every day, and the First Families of the past 50 years. (Readers may be surprised to learn which families, and family members, are the most and least fondly remembered.)
Hurricane Punch. Tim Dorsey. William Morrow, 2007. 384 pages. #9 of 26 Serge Storms novels.
In the 9th Serge Storms novel about the ultimate Florida history savant with the unfortunate (?) habit of murdering bad people in fiendishly diabolical ways as he zooms around Florida on his hilariously madcap history-seeking adventures, Serge and his buddy Coleman are chasing not one but two massive hurricanes around the state. Not only might the two storms' paths collide (Who knows what would happen then?), but Serge and Coleman are also being chased themselves, by Agent Mahoney who has been on Serge's tail for years and by another possible serial killer. The result is the usual cornucopia of historical facts, unbelievable characters, and incredible events ---- made all the more unusual by the fact that author Tim Dorsey always bases much of his plots on real "Florida Man" truths.
And yet another quote that links me, perhaps disturbingly, to my fictional alter ego, Serge Storms: "I naturally absorb history at an advanced rate." Just ask anybody who has been to a museum with me.
Cadillac Beach. Tim Dorsey. William Morrow, 2004. 352 pages. #6 of 26 in Serge Storms series.
With stops at Disney World and in Tampa, this installment of the Serge Storms series by Tim Dorsey, finally settles down in Miami Beach. The action goes back and forth between the present day and the 1960s, when Miami was coming into its own as an entertainment capital in America. Jackie Gleason used his enormous clout to force his network to film broadcast his show from there. The Rat Pack entertained in Miami Beach clubs, and black entertainers like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr, and Ella Fitzgerald entertained segregated white audiences (Miami was still "South" then.) nightly and then went home to their accommodations in Miami's once flourishing black neighborhood called Overtown, after first performing late night shows for black audiences. Cassius Clay upset the champ, Sonny Liston, in a huge fight in Miami Beach in 1964. Serge was just a precocious little boy then, often in the company of his grandfather and namesake and his gang of con artists and crooks.
Back in the present, Serge returns to Miami Beach to solve two mysteries: 1) Was his grandfather's death a murder or a suicide? 2 ) Where are the missing diamonds stolen in the infamous "Murph the Surf" jewel heist forty years earlier? Of course, Serge's grandfather and his boys were involved in the heist somehow, as was the powerful Palermo crime family. That much peril isn't enough for Serge, naturally, so he pulls in the FBI, the CIA, and Cuban radicals in Miami, ultimately initiating an invasion of Cuba. Another fine read for fans of Serge Storms and Tim Dorsey's crazy, fast-paced, history-packed, romps around Florida.
Welcome to Florida: True Tales From America's Most Interesting State. Craig Pittman. University Press of Florida, 2025. 296 pages.
Freelance journalist Craig Pittman is definitely one of a kind. He's a true investigative journalist, the bane of every Florida politician's existence, revealing their hypocrisy, duplicity, greed, and downright evil shenanigans, especially as they affect Florida's greatest, and most vulnerable, asset, nature. He also spotlights really interesting, unique, and noteworthy Florida men and women who truly deserve the spotlight. And he is the master of reporting the "Florida Man (and Woman)" stories for which the state is world famous - the weird criminals and idiots who do incredibly stupid things. No matter which kind of story he's telling, he tells it with intelligence, a great sense of humor, and a reverence for his native state that shines through.
This book is a collection of his best stories from roughly the past four years. Whether you're a native, a resident, a visitor, contemplating the move to Florida, or recently moved to Florida, these stories will entertain and educate you. (And if you happen to have the slightest respect for any politician, these stories will eliminate that nonsense.)
Shark Skin Suite. Tim Dorsey. William Morrow, 2015. 336 pages. #18 of 26 in Serge Storms series.
Homicidal psychopathic serial killer Serge Storms is, as usual, on a mission or two or three in this 18th entry in the series. He decides he wants to be a lawyer. The problem is that he never went to college, so, in Serge Storms style, he begins a marathon of movies set in and inspired by legal cases in Florida, and he and his buddy Coleman begin a trek around the state to visit various legally-themed sites. Along the way, he gets involved in a major class-action court case against a crooked mortgage company accused of perpetrating huge fraud against its customers. Lawyers involved pull out all the dirtiest tricks, including murder, and Serge, of course, goes into vigilante mode. Along the way, he is reunited with former love Brook Campanella, paraprofessional turned superstar crusading lawyer, and he meets crusading journalist Rivas who shows up in a couple of future books. In the midst of all of the legal tensions, Serge devises a couple of really unique punishments for wrongdoers, and he and Coleman narrowly escape the jaws of a Burmese python in the Everglades. This one is a standout in the series for me.
Author talk
Harriet Tubman Live in Concert. Bob the Drag Queen. Gallery Books, 2025. 239 pages. (Audio version 4hrs, 17 minutes)
Wow! I had no idea what to expect when I first learned about this book, but I immediately pre-ordered it. We've been fans of Bob the Drag Queen since his first appearance on "RuPaul's Drag Race" and have seen him on a couple of stand-up comedy tours, but a book about Harriet Tubman? It blew me away. Pure creative genius and one of the most original things that I've read in a very long time.
Picture it: NYC, present day. People from the past, including many major historical figures have suddenly returned to life. There's no explanation, almost no attention paid to it in the story. It's just the mechanism which makes the story possible. Don't worry about it. "The Returned" live their lives and integrate into the present. Cleopatra, for example, becomes a hugely successful makeup and fashion Instagram influencer. Harriet Tubman, and several of the people she led to freedom on the Underground Railroad, have returned, and she's on a mission, again - a mission from God. She contacts Darnell Williams, a once-hot hip-hop writer and producer whose music career is struggling, and tells him that God has chosen him to assist in her mission. While one might deny God, nobody dares to say No to Harriet Tubman! Her mission: create an epic hip-hop album and stage show, a la "Hamilton." In her first life, Tubman freed about 700 people from physical chains, and many more indirectly. Now, she's back to free millions from metaphorical chains of all sorts. Darnell has his own metaphorical chains to break, and he goes to work, with Harriet's guidance, to break free into his own authentic self. This is a fantastic work, and I so hope that Bob is actively working to create a real album and show; it could be bigger than "Hamilton." I highly recommend the audio version. Not only is Bob the reader, but it also includes two of the show's songs at the end. (NOTE: The photo above was generated using AI. There is no known photo of Harriet Tubman spittin' fire.)
Author talk
The Greatest Nobodies of History: Minor Characters From Major Moments. Adrian Bliss. Ballantine Books, 2024. 304 pages.
Adrian Bliss is apparently an YouTuber and podcaster who does comedy bits about history, science, and philosophy among other things, and he has millions of followers across social platforms. Here, he's written a dozen or so stories told from very unique points of view. For example, the reader or listener will hear from the ferret in Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady With Ermine," Henry VIII's Groom of the Stool, Buffalo Bill's favorite show horse Charlie, the commander of the emu army in Australia's Great Emu War, the oak tree that hid Prince Charles as he evaded capture during the English Civil War, and even an interview with the Bubonic Plague bacteria herself. The stories are incredibly creative and funny, with a few sad touches here and there. At the end of each story, Bliss tells the true story behind the event. This book is great for people who love history podcasts; each chapter is like a podcast episode. It's also great for fans of British comedy and for people who might not be in the mood for deep dives into history. The humor is very much like Bob Newhart meets David Mitchell (British comedian and actor and author of Unruly, a great history of the British monarchy - it reads very much like Unruly), Monty Python, and Horrible Histories. I strongly recommend the audio version.
