Holiday Gift Guide 2018

It’s that time of year again—you travel to dozens of stores, fight through endless crowds, and search every nook and cranny, only to realize, you still don’t know what to buy for your loved ones! Look no further; we’ve crafted a list of our newest and bestselling titles perfect for the holiday season. With a variety of topics including cooking, archaeology, nature, anthropology, music history, and more, UPF has a book for everyone on your shopping list.

All UPF books are 20-40% off with $1 per book shipping through December 17. To order, visit upress.ufl.edu and use code XM18 at checkout.

 

Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home
By Jack Clemons

Your dad dreamed of being an astronaut as a kid, so as a result, he’s still totally into space. He pairs his NASA shirt with his matching NASA hat and often sips coffee from his dark blue NASA mug. It’s a safe bet to say he’d love reading Jack Clemons’s Safely to Earth. In this memoir from a former NASA lead engineer, your dad will be launched into the inner workings of the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs during their most exciting years..

Gamble Rogers: A Troubadour’s Life
By Bruce Horovitz

Your niece may be a self-proclaimed “music buff,” but does she know about the rich history of Florida’s greatest troubadour? Gift Bruce Horovitz’s Gamble Rogers and watch as she discovers just how Gamble Rogers revolutionized the folk music genre and how his songs impacted Florida natives. Don’t be surprised to find his catchy tunes on her playlist!

Phil Gernhard, Record Man
By Bill DeYoung

Your mom loves dragging the family to her favorite old time diner. And every time she sidles up to the jukebox you know that “Stay” song (Stay—aah—just a little bit longer) will be stuck in your head all night. Keep her stuck to the vinyl seat with a copy of Bill DeYoung’s Phil Gernhard, Record Man, the story of the producer behind her—and, it turns out, millions of people’s—favorite tune. Next time she drops a quarter in, maybe she’ll choose one of the other songs Gernhard produced in his decades-long career of chart-topping hits.

Center of Dreams: Building a World-Class Performing Arts Complex in Miami
By Les Standiford

Maybe Broadway is a little too far to take your wife for the holidays, but good thing Miami’s Arsht Center is hosting a national tour stop of her favorite musical. Pair that ticket with Center of Dreams, a book outlining the extraordinary story of how the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts changed the Miami fine arts scene forever.

William Morgan: Evolution of an Architect
By Richard Shieldhouse

Your husband spends the duration of every family vacation pointing out the unique characteristics of every building. Since those structures couldn’t fit inside your suitcase (much to his dismay), gift William Morgan by Richard Shieldhouse instead. Watch as he unravels the life of brilliant Florida architect, William Morgan, and learns about his designs, buildings, pre-historic influences, and dedication to earth architecture.

Coconuts and Collards: Recipes and Stories from Puerto Rico to the Deep South
By Von Diaz

The Mojito
By Heather McPherson

Every time your family gathers together for a potluck your aunt brings the same dry banana bread for dessert. Spice up her kitchen with Von Diaz’s Coconuts and Collards, a memoir and cookbook that features Puerto Rican recipes with a distinct southern flair. Top it off with The Mojito by Heather McPherson, and your aunt’s cooking will go from zero to ten in no time!

St. Augustine’s Ghosts: The History behind the Hauntings
By Karen Harvey

It may be the holiday season, but that won’t stop your best friend from counting down the days until October rolls around again. Satisfy their spooky craving with St. Augustine’s Ghosts. These spine-chilling stories from the nation’s oldest city will have your friend itching to explore the haunted streets of St. Augustine.

 

Drawn to the Deep: The Remarkable Underwater Explorations of Wes Skiles
By Julie Hauserman      

With a sister who spends her time exploring and advocating for the environment, it’s hard to find a book she’ll take the time to read. But Drawn to the Deep by Julie Hauserman tells the story of Wes Skiles—an underwater photographer who went head-to-head with government officials to protest the depletion of groundwater. Skiles’s cave diving escapades will take your sister somewhere she can’t venture herself, and introduce her to an activist whose cause she supports.

Voices from Mariel: Oral Histories of the 1980 Cuban Boatlift
By José Manuel García

Your uncle always skips the big game to tune into his favorite documentaries.  So why not get him a book based on one? Voices from Mariel by José Manuel García is based on the award-winning documentary of the same name and gives voices to former refugees who escaped Cuba in 1980. He’ll follow their stories as they describe the experiences and hardships they endured during the largest overseas Latin American migration.

Son of Real Florida: Stories from My Life
By Jeff Klinkenberg

In Season: Stories of Discovery, Loss, Home, and Places In Between
Edited by Jim Ross                           

At every holiday party, there’s nothing your grandfather enjoys more than telling stories about his childhood in Florida. Why not let him hear some for a change? In Son of Real Florida, he’ll hear Jeff Klinkenberg’s stories of growing up in the Sunshine State and travel with him to small towns and landmarks that give Florida its unique flair. And in In Season edited by Jim Ross, he’ll be in the company of authors of all backgrounds sharing their experiences living in Florida.

A Step-by-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard 
By Ginny Stibolt and Marjorie Shropshire

Your sister has a new house and an amazing backyard. The only problem? She has no idea what to do with the space. Good thing A Step-by-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard will equip her with all the knowledge she needs to create a sustainable nature wonderland. Without the use of pesticides or fertilizers, Ginny Stibolt and Marjorie Shropshire will guide your sister in creating a stunning garden with Florida’s natural environment.

Everglades Patrol
By Tom Shirley  

After your neighbor’s spontaneous trip to the Everglades, he’s been wanting to learn more about how it’s protected. Let Tom Shirley fill him in through Everglades Patrol—his firsthand account of working as a law enforcement officer in the Everglades.  From dangerous airboat chases, to tracking down illegal poachers, Shirley tells all in his vivid narrative, leaving no question unanswered.

Dancing in Blackness: A Memoir
By Halifu Osumare

Your daughter is actively preparing for her upcoming dance audition and could use a little confidence boost. Offer Halifu Osumare’s Dancing in Blackness to read during breaks. The perfect inspiration for the burgeoning dancer, this memoir follows Osumare’s professional dance career and illustrates how her black identity shaped her life and experiences.

Fringe Florida: Travels among Mud Boggers, Furries, Ufologists, Nudists, and Other Lovers of Unconventional Lifestyles
By Lynn Waddell

Your cousin takes pride in being an experienced Florida traveler, but in reality, he’s only visited Miami’s luxurious beaches and the world-class attractions at Disney. Broaden his horizons with Fringe Florida. This book takes readers to the most unbelievable places in the state and follows people with seemingly exotic lifestyles. He’ll attend Fetish Con, meet furries, befriend spiritualists, and so much more in this captivating look at Florida.

The Remarkable Kinship of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Ellen Glasgow
By Ashley Andrews Lear

Your grandmother stays on top of the latest award-winning books throughout the year, so her library’s quite full. But perhaps she’ll make room for The Remarkable Kinship of Majorie Kinnan Rawlings and Ellen Glasgow. This book will giver her a peek at the powerful and unique friendship shared between two Pulitzer Prize—winning authors throughout a changing and modernizing environment.

Florida’s Lost Galleon: The Emanuel Point Shipwreck
Edited by Roger C. Smith

Adventures in Archaeology: The Wreck of the Orca II and Other Explorations
By P.J. Capelotti

Museum obsessed, your friend reads every single plaque when you go to the museum with her, so you can bet she’ll love learning the stories behind the archaeological finds in these books. Florida’s Lost Galleon by Roger C. Smith follows the groundbreaking discovery of Tristán de Luna’s shipwreck—the earliest found shipwreck in Florida. In Adventures in Archaeology, P.J. Capelotti shows how our past holds secrets about human culture, in objects not ordinarily thought of as “archaeological,” like wrecked aircraft, old highway billboards, movie props, and deserted mining operations.

TO ORDER ANY OF THESE BOOKS AT DISCOUNT PRICES AND TO RECEIVE $1 PER BOOK SHIPPING, VISIT UPRESS.UFL.EDU AND USE CODE XM18 AT CHECKOUT. SALE ENDS DEC. 17.

ORDERS OVER $50 WILL RECEIVE A FREE UPF TOTE BAG WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.

 We wish all our readers a wonderful holiday season!