ABOUT THE 2005 BOOK:
FROM THE BOOK JACKET:
 In this best-selling novel Patrick Smith tells the
story of three generations of the MacIveys, a Florida
family who battle the hardships of the frontier to rise
from a dirt-poor Cracker life to the wealth and standing
of real estate tycoons. The story opens in 1858, when
Tobias MacIvey arrives in the Florida wilderness to
start a new life, and ends in 1968 with Solomon MacIvey,
who realizes that the land has been exploited far beyond
human need. Between is a sweeping story rich in Florida
history.
This book is also available
in a two-volume student edition.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
 Patrick
D. Smith was born in Mendenhall, Mississippi, and
educated at the University of Mississippi. He moved to
Florida in 1966 and served as director of college
relations at the Brevard Community College in Cocoa
until he retired in 1988. In 1995 he was selected by the
Southern Academy of Letters, Arts and Sciences for its
highest literary award, The Order of the South. In 1999
he was inducted in the Florida Hall of Fame, the state’s
highest cultural honor.
ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY:
This program aims to serve all Lee County citizens
-
The title selected for 2005
is an adult title, but there is a student version
available geared for ages 9-11 and an accompanying
teacher’s guide
-
The
chosen title, “A Land Remembered,” relates to
Florida history and changes to the land, economy,
and culture. Anyone living in
Lee County, or even visiting, will be compelled to
read it to get a vision of what this area used to be
and the people who were its early settlers
-
“A Land
Remembered” will appeal to both genders because of
its strong male and female characters
-
Area
book clubs are encouraged to get involved
-
Area
organizations in the fields of history, genealogy,
horticultural industry, land
development, conservation, and more, can relate to
"A Land Remembered."
The idea of a community read is to involve as broad a
spectrum of people as possible, through this project all
citizens of Lee County will be encouraged to read and
interact with one another.
HOW THE BOOK WAS
SELECTED:
A
team of people were involved in the selection of the
book. Some were library staff, some local media
personnel, staff of our local bookstores, and avid
readers from our community. They were given an
initial list of suggested titles and criteria to
consider in making their selection. They were also
asked to suggest other titles they thought would be
appropriate for the project, and those titles were
shared with the entire team.
All in all, about 22 books were under
consideration including classics and current popular
titles, fiction and non-fiction, and even children's
books. In the end, it came down to the fact that
the team wanted a book that addressed life in Florida
and "A Land Remembered" was their final vote.
Thank you to these dedicated
selection team members:
Barnes & Noble - Fort Myers Staff
Sally Bissell - South County Regional Library
Randy Briggs - Pine Island Public Library
Lynn Carpenter - State Library of Florida
Terri Crawford - Library Administration
Diana Dearing - Library Processing
John LaCoste - Riverdale Branch Library
Kelly MacDonald - City of Fort Myers Parks Department
Miriam Pierera - News-Press
Mike Shapiro - WINK TV
Debbie Steinweg - Books-A-Million
Kara Winton - Priority Marketing |
