Over the past 30 years, Craig Pittman has written thousands of stories and columns about “The Most Interesting State”. In this presentation, based on 51 of these stories published in The State You’re In, he shows off the glorious weirdness of his native state. Stories of mermaids, con men, fugitives, gator wrasslers, death row inmates, iguanas, tattooed ladies, python hunters, and more are covered in this illustrated and lively presentation about Florida men, Florida women, and other wildlife.

Craig Pittman is a native Floridian. Born in Pensacola, he graduated from Troy State University in Alabama, where his muckraking work for the student paper prompted an agitated dean to label him “the most destructive force on campus.” After 31 years at the Tampa Bay Times, he now writes a weekly column on environmental issues for the Florida Phoenix and co-hosts the podcast “Welcome to Florida.” He has written six non-fiction books about Florida and lives in St. Petersburg.

Funding for this Florida Talks program is provided in part by Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with the Sulphur Springs Museum and Heritage Center. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.