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FREE Quarantine Reads from University Press of Florida

Last Updated on June 5, 2023

As the COVID-19 pandemic brings about significant changes in our daily lives, the University Press of Florida (UPF) is pleased to offer a selection of FREE eBooks for those in need of a good quarantine read during this time. You can enjoy these ten “Quarantine Reads” for free on eReaders such as Kindle, Nook, and Kobo through April 30, 2020. To access any of these free eBooks, visit your favorite ebook retailer and navigate to the book of your choice.

NOTE: Most of the UPF staff members are now also working remotely, and are thinking of their readers from their kitchens, porches, and home offices as they continue the work of book publishing. They hope you enjoy these free quarantine reads … we certainly do!!! Thanks, Team UPF!
Photo of In Season book
Stuck at home? Learn to experience magic in unexpected places. In Season: Stories of Discovery, Loss, Home, and Places In Between Edited by Jim Ross
Many people imagine Florida as just a vacationland or a swamp—a place to visit and to leave behind. But the writers in this collection discover that when you venture into Florida you won’t find what you expect . . . and what you do find will stay with you forever. These essays illustrate that the places we inhabit put a stamp on us, even if we only call them home for a season. Photo of Fruits of Eden book
Is shopping a nightmare? Learn the art of foraging from the master food explorer. Fruits of Eden: David Fairchild and America’s Plant Hunters Amanda Harris
In Fruits of Eden, Amanda Harris vividly recounts the exploits of David Fairchild and his small band of adventurers and botanists as they traversed Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe in the late nineteenth century. Their findings led to a renaissance not only at the American dinner table but also in horticulture, providing diversity of crops and economic growth for farmers across the country. Photo of The Peace of Blue book
Find calm in the transcendence of the natural world with this quarantine read. The Peace of Blue: Water Journeys Bill Belleville
In The Peace of Blue, documentarian and nature writer Bill Belleville guides you on a lyrical journey to the natural places in Florida and the Caribbean that have been forged and shaped by water. He poetically affirms the vitality of this most essential substance in our lives by showing the many ways in which water-driven landscapes nurture plants, wildlife, and also the human spirit. Photo of Ringling book
Escape to the greatest show on earth. Ringling: The Florida Years, 1911–1936 David C. Weeks
John Nicholas Ringling’s years in Sarasota spanned the final quarter-century of his life. On Florida’s west coast, as the Ringling’s Circus became “the greatest show on earth,” he collected art, built an ostentatious mansion, and also became the focus of acclaim, misconception, and suspicion. This is the chronicle of a man “who was not afraid to think or live on a grand scale, who knew what he wanted from life, and from art.” Photo of The Allure of Immortality book
If you think life is crazy right now, check out this bizarre true story from Florida’s past. The Allure of Immortality: An American Cult, a Florida Swamp, and a Renegade Prophet Lyn Millner
At the turn of the twentieth century, surrounded by the marvels of the Second Industrial Revolution, Cyrus Teed proclaimed himself a prophet and led 200 people out of Chicago and into a new age. Or so he promised. The Koreshans settled in a mosquito-infested Florida scrubland and set to building a communal utopia inside what they believed was hollow earth—with humans living on the inside crust and the entire universe contained within. Photo of The Rise and Fall of Dodgertown book
While spring training is suspended, delve into the history of one of its hallowed sites. The Rise and Fall of Dodgertown: 60 Years of Baseball in Vero Beach Rody Johnson
This book traces the fascinating and remarkable history of the sometimes rocky relationship between Vero Beach and the Dodgers.  Beginning with the signing of Jackie Robinson in 1946 and ending with the close of spring training in 2007, The Rise and Fall of Dodgertown traces the changes in baseball and society for more than a half-century. It is a story of community, passion, and the beauty of an American sport. Photo of Waiting at Joe's book
Go behind the scenes in an industry that is now in crisis mode. Waiting at Joe’s Deeny Kaplan Lorber
The waiters of Joe’s Stone Crab, a one-of-a-kind South Florida landmark, have served the rich, the famous, and the infamous. Patrons range from Madonna and Al Capone to Amelia Earhart and also Bill Clinton. By giving voice to these unsung individuals, Deeny Kaplan Lorber reveals the inner workings of Joe’s in this collection of fascinating, intimate vignettes. Photo of Backroads of Paradise book
Learn how the U.S. government-sponsored jobs for writers and artists amid the nation’s worst economic disaster. Backroads of Paradise: A Journey to Rediscover Old Florida Cathy Salustri
In the 1930s, the Federal Writers’ Project sent writers including Zora Neale Hurston and Stetson Kennedy into the depths of Florida to reveal its splendor to the world. The FWP and the State of Florida jointly published the results as Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State. Retracing the original routes in the Guide, Cathy Salustri rekindles our notions of paradise by bringing a modern eye to the historic travelogues. Photo of Made in Florida book
Feeling isolated? Join a virtual dinner party with 90 famous Floridians. Made in Florida: Artists, Celebrities, Activists, Educators, and Other Icons in the Sunshine State Art Levy
Made in Florida showcases a colorful lineup of notable people who got their start in the state and who have helped make it the unique, diverse place it is today. Art Levy has thoughtfully selected their words from ten years of conversations. This results in an entertaining kaleidoscope of interviews with Florida’s most fascinating personalities. Photo of Trailblazing Mars book
Leave contagion behind and blast off to a new planet. Trailblazing Mars: NASA’s Next Giant Leap Pat Duggins
Travel to and from Mars has long been a staple of science fiction. And yet the hurdles—both technological and also financial—have kept human exploration of the red planet from becoming a reality. Trailblazing Mars offers an inside look at the current efforts to fulfill this dream. It examines the extreme new challenges that will be faced by astronauts on the journey there and back.

These ten “Quarantine Reads” can also be accessed for free from your favorite eBook retailer through April 30, 2020. (We used Audible)

About UPF: 

As the official publisher for the State University System, the University Press of Florida (UPF) has been engaging educators, students, and discerning readers since 1945. UPF has published over 2,500 volumes since its inception and currently releases nearly 100 new titles each year. We serve as active members of the American Association of University Presses, the Association of American Publishers, the American Booksellers Association, the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, and many diverse scholarly organizations. Located in a state built from exploration and enterprise, we approach our mission with that same spirit of discovery.

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