Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jack Davis to speak for Preserve the ‘Burg

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jack E. Davis will be Preserve the ‘Burg’s guest speaker April 23, in a presentation at freeFall Theatre. He calls his talk “The Gulf: More Than an Oil Sump and Hurricane Alley.”

Davis, a professor of History and Sustainability Studies at the University of Florida in Gainesville, was awarded the 2018 literary prize for history April 16 for his sprawling work The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea, a vibrant and detailed history of the Gulf of Mexico.

Bestselling Florida writer Jeff Klinkenberg recently praised Davis’ book for the Catalyst. “He’s one of the most ambitious people I’ve ever known. He wrote a book THIS THICK on Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, and then he wrote this book about the Gulf…

“… Just imagine taking on a project like this: You’ve got the Gulf, and all these states around it, and every state has a different outlook and perspective. And yet the book is completely accessible.”

Kirkus called The Gulf “an elegant narrative braced by a fierce, sobering environmental conviction,” while the Wall Street Journal said it was “by turns informative, lyrical, inspiring and chilling for anyone who cares about the future of ‘America’s Sea.’”

Said Publisher’s Weekly: “Davis unflinchingly addresses the decades of oil spills, overfishing, and poor environmental practices that reduced resources. He also describes the decline of coastal marshes, which protect against hurricanes … the density of the fact-packed chapters calls for a deliberate reading pace so as not to overlook any of Davis’ thought-provoking commentary and keen descriptions.”

The Preserve the ‘Burg Speaker Series event begins with a 6 p.m. reception. Tickets and info available here.