Son of Real Florida: Stories from My Life, by Jeff Klinkenberg. University Press of Florida. 248 pages. Hardcover $24.95.
You’re not likely to find a book that can top this one for love of its topic, wisdom, curious information, and a quiet, self-deprecating humor. If Florida has a soul, then Mr. Klinkenberg is its singer. If you enjoy unforgettable characters, nature, history, or intriguing places, this author has plenty of well-turned vignettes to hold your attention and bring a smile to your face. 
However, it’s not all smiles. There’s a sadness here too: Much of what he calls “real Florida” is gone, and much more is fading. Jeff Klinkenberg respectfully memorializes what’s gone. He makes his peace with what has replaced it. He is somewhat comforted by what’s left.
Mr. Klinkenberg has divided the book into ten chapters, each of which has several smaller sections – on average five or six to a chapter. This design makes for easy reading. While the book has various kinds of flow and continuity, there are plenty of resting places to enjoy before moving on.
Klinkenberg
After looking back to his relationship with his father, Mr. Klinkenberg (hereafter “Klink”) ruminates on what kind of lifestyles define Florida: beach bums, a taxi-driving woman from a small town making endless round trips to and from its tiny airport, a swampland wedding, or living among rattlesnakes.
Representative special Florida people include Miss Martha the oyster shucker, Sheepshead George the fisherman, and that rare phenomenon: an Afro-American Florida cowboy. The profiles are vivid, affection, and likely to stay with you. They deserve rereading.
What is real key lime pie? This author has the answer. What happened to the citrus shops that used to dot the highways? Klink knows what and why. Then there is the problem of designing and growing the perfect, yet affordable and transportable, tomato. . . .
To see the entire review, as it appears in the April 25, 2018 Fort Myers Florida Weekly and the April 26 Naples, Bonita Springs, Charlotte County, and Palm Beach editions, click here: Florida Weekly – Son of Real Florida
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