True stories of life in Florida, from persevering through natural disasters and crime to encounters with celebrities and alligators. Includes photos.

More than twenty million people live in Florida, that unique land that juts off into the Atlantic. They are ranchers and golfers, sunbathers and retirees. And their lives often fall within the realm of the perfectly normal. But sometimes these Floridians, many of whom have flocked from elsewhere, find themselves in Sunshine State situations . . .

Meet the acting student who had a close encounter with superstar Burt Reynolds, the New Yorker who put down roots here after attending a school of fish, the woman who barely found her house after a hurricane, and a girl who survived—and thrived—after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas massacre. Professional storyteller Caren Schnur Neile traverses the state to share thirty-three true-life tales from everyday Floridians in extraordinary situations.