Jerome Stern Reading Series welcomes author Craig Pittman

By Ellie Johnson, Senior Writer

The English department’s Creative Writing Program has welcomed a different visiting writer each Tuesday this fall semester to The Bark to read their work as part of the Jerome Stern Reading Series. On Tuesday, Nov. 4, New York Times bestselling-author and investigative journalist Craig Pittman joins the series as its next guest.

Pittman is a Florida native, born in Pensacola, and this inspires much of his work. His books and other writing primarily focus on the state’s environmental issues, among other subjects.

After graduating from Alabama’s Troy University in 1981 with his bachelor’s degree in journalism, Pittman began his writing career at the then-St. Petersburg Times, which became the Tampa Bay Times in 2011. He spent 30 years at the newspaper, winning numerous state and national awards.

Since leaving the Times, Pittman has written seven non-fiction books. He also writes for the Florida Phoenix, a free, nonprofit news site located in Tallahassee that covers state government and politics, In addition, he is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and co-hosts a podcast called “Welcome to Florida.” In 2020, the Florida Heritage Book Festival named Pittman a Florida Literary Legend.

Pittman’s first book, Paving Paradise: Florida’s Vanishing Wetlands and the Failure of No Net Loss, was published in 2009. Pittman’s subsequent releases follow similar themes, analyzing Florida’s environmental issues and the causes.

One of Pittman’s best-known books, published in 2016, is Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country. The collection of stories showcases Pittman’s dedication to preserving Florida’s environment and its importance in a national context. Pittman covers topics including migration, tourism, natural hazards—hurricanes, alligators, etc.—and political issues occurring in the state. Oh, Florida became a New York Times bestseller and won the 2017 Florida Book Award gold medal for nonfiction.

We often fear the unknown, and the Rice’s whale is definitely unknown. Most people who live along the Florida coast have no idea they’re there.

— Craig Pittman

Pittman often writes funny stories while simultaneously showing his appreciation for Florida. The University Press of Florida published Pittman’s most recent book earlier this year. He describes Welcome to Florida: True Tales from America’s Most Interesting State as a “love letter and deep dive into the state.”

Outside of writing books, Pittman is active on the social media platform X, sharing updates on his work for the Florida Phoenix and on his podcast. Pittman’s most recent Florida Phoenix article, “Expanding offshore oil drilling will imperil rare whales who live near Florida,” brings awareness to the Rice’s whale, also known as the Gulf of Mexico whale, a species that scientists did not identify as such until 2021.

“We often fear the unknown, and the Rice’s whale is definitely unknown,” Pittman writes. “Most people who live along the Florida coast have no idea they’re there.”

At its core, this is what Pittman’s research and writing is about: raising environmental awareness to issues in Florida that even locals often overlook.

Pittman will be reading at The Bark on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m. Before the reading, English Professor Diane Roberts is hosting a craft discussion with Pittman, from 5-6 p.m., in the Williams Building Common Room (WMS 013). English majors, friends, and community members are encouraged to attend both and learn more from this bestselling author about the state where they go to school and live.

Ellie Johnson is a double major in English-Editing, Writing, and Media and in psychology.

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