Last Updated on March 13, 2024
One of our favorite questions to our fellow Authentic Floridians is, what’s your favorite Carl Hiaasen book?
Part of the reason we ask this question is that we have trouble picking just one. Thankfully, there is no pressure to pick a book. Just simply enjoy each one.
We were lucky to attend an online talk with Carl Hiaasen and James Patterson presented by The Vero Beach Book Club.
The Legendary Carl Hiaasen
Carl Hiaasen has spent the majority of his life in Florida. He attended the University of Florida (Go Gators!).
After graduation, he joined The Miami Herald as a general assignment reporter. Since 1985, he had been writing his own column for the Herald. He retired in March 2021.
Mr. Hiaasen has written several novels, his first being Tourist Season, set in Florida, which came out in 1986.
GQ Magazine called the book “one of the 10 best destination reads of all time”.
He has also written young adult novels, including the award-winning book Hoot.
Hoot later became a movie that starred Academy Award-winning actor Brie Larson.
His books have been published in many different languages – 34 to be exact. He says this is 33 more languages than he can read or write.
Did we mention we love his sense of humor?!?
Some of his other novels Native Tongue, Skin Tight, and nine national bestsellers – Strip Tease, Stormy Weather, Lucky You, Sick Puppy, Basket Case, Skinny Dip, Nature Girl, Star Island, and Bad Money – all of which are set in Florida.
Known by The London Observer as “America’s Finest Satirical Novelist”, Mr. Hiaasen has also received numerous honors including the Damon Runyon Award from the Denver Press Club and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
Latest Carl Hiaasen Novels
Squeeze Me
Mr. Hiaasen’s novel, Squeeze Me, was released on August 25th, 2020. The political satire novel is about the wealthy people of Palm Beach, specifically those who support the president.
Palm Beach is home to a reality TV star who is now the president, along with a country club of wealthy loyalists (known as “POTUSSIES”), one of whom is eaten by a Burmese python.
All of the Palm Beach Chaos takes place at Casa Bellicosa and the novel’s heroine Angie Armstrong dreams of being invited to Casa Bellicosa and asked to sign an N.D.A. not to reveal that she has seen the president without his hair.
Angie Armstrong is a plucky critter removal specialist who is hired to attend the “Stars-and-SARS” benefit and eventually becomes entangled in the drama of Casa Bellicosa.
Squeeze Me also brings back a favorite character from many of Hiaasen’s stories – ex-governor of Florida Clinton Tyree Skink.
“He cares about Florida in a really deep and maybe overly passionate way. You got pythons, you got the Everglades, who else are you going to bring on stage at this point?”
While his novel focuses on the Palm Beach culture and the charity balls there, he debunked any rumors that he tried to buy a house there but was blackballed.
He says he never tried to buy a house in Palm Beach, but he thinks it’s a fantastic story.
Wrecker
Since he usually alternates between kids’ novels and adult novels, it’s no surprise the book following Squeeze Me was Wrecker. It’s aimed at middle schoolers.
Wrecker takes place in Key West, Florida. It tells the tale of Justin Beckett, a young boy, and his grandfather, Frank, as they set out to find a hidden shipwreck.
The story offers a detailed portrayal of Key West’s stunning natural beauty, along with its intriguing history and distinct culture.
In doing research for his book, Hiaasen learned of the KKK’s leadership role in Key West for several years in the 1920s.
We were surprised to learn from Hiaasen’s research that, per capita, there were more racial hangings in Florida than in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Florida was not as populated then, hence the per capita reference.
Summary of Carl Hiaasen in Conversation with James Patterson from 2020
Characters & Setting
Mr. Hiaasen speaks fondly of Squeeze Me’s main character – Angie Armstrong, a wildlife wrangler who used to be a vet.
He loved the idea of a strong female character who had a job as a wildlife wrangler.
Originally written with 50-60 pages with Angie as a man, Hiaasen said her character didn’t seem quite right.
“It just wasn’t working as a man. I just knew she’d be great in the book as a woman. It’d be a lot more interesting.”
Journalism vs. Novels
James Patterson asked Mr. Hiaasen, “You care deeply about dolphins, manatees, pythons, etc. but what do you have against humans?”
He responded that since his background is in journalism, he believes it is a business that makes you cynical. He graduated around the time of Watergate, a massive turning point of people changing what they believe about journalism.
While he loves both novel writing and column writing, he does think that column writing offers instant gratification when compared to the long time it takes for a novel to go to print.
On novel writing, Mr. Hiaasen still gets a kick when he walks into a bookstore and sees his book sitting there.
“When you open the box and first see it … I get a high from that”.
In His Words
While he likes writing adult and children’s novels, he enjoys dealing with children’s characters who don’t have the background and baggage of other characters—“It’s energizing,” he says.
Which of his novels is his absolute favorite? He can’t choose – it’s like asking which of your kids you love the most.
“There are things you love about them, and there’s stuff you can’t stand about them.”
He does have a sentimental attachment to Hoot, written for the kids in his own family, and inspired by his childhood.
Lastly, what does Carl Hiaasen think about tourists flooding to move to Florida prior to the pandemic?
“It doesn’t matter how you got here – it’s great that you’re here.”
NOTE: We need to contact Mr. Hiaasen and see if he still feels that way after the wave of people who headed to Florida during and after the pandemic.
The Next Chapter
Rumor has it the Proud Boys started in Florida and Hiaasen may focus on that in his next novel.
Also, Apple TV should soon release a 10-episode series called Bad Monkey, based on Hiaasen’s book.
Bill Lawrence, the producer of “Ted Lasso,” and “Shrinking” with Harrison Ford, is behind it.
Carl Hiaasen Books in Order of Publication Date
| TITLE | SERIES | YEAR |
| Powder Burn | Black Lizard | 1981 |
| Trap Line | Black Lizard | 1982 |
| A Death in China | Black Lizard | 1984 |
| Tourist Season | Novels | 1986 |
| Double Whammy | Novels | 1987 |
| Skin Tight | Novels | 1989 |
| Native Tongue | Novels | 1991 |
| Strip Tease | Novels | 1993 |
| Stormy Weather | Novels | 1995 |
| Lucky You | Novels | 1997 |
| Team Rodent | Nonfiction | 1998 |
| Kick Ass | Columns | 1999 |
| Sick Puppy | Novels | 2000 |
| Paradise Screwed | Columns | 2001 |
| Hoot | Middle Grade | 2002 |
| Basket Case | Novels | 2002 |
| Skinny Dip | Novels | 2004 |
| Flush | Middle Grade | 2005 |
| Nature Girl | Novels | 2006 |
| Scat | Middle Grade | 2008 |
| The Downhill Lie | Nonfiction | 2008 |
| Star Island | Novels | 2010 |
| Chomp | Middle Grade | 2012 |
| Bad Monkey | Novels | 2013 |
| The Edible Exile | Audio Only | 2014 |
| Dance of the Reptiles | Columns | 2014 |
| Skink-No Surrender | Middle Grade | 2014 |
| Razor Girl | Novels | 2016 |
| Squirm | Middle Grade | 2018 |
| Assume the Worst | Nonfiction | 2018 |
| Squeeze Me | Novels | 2020 |
| Wrecker | Middle Grade | 2023 |
Remember, when you are finished with a good book, donate it or share it with a friend.