Children look for books at the San Marco Library Branch on Dec. 19, 2019. | Vicki Palombo Kirby
Published on March 16, 2026 at 9:21 pm
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Love to read and want to understand what makes Jacksonville…Jacksonville? From classic Southern storytelling to gripping crime fiction and insightful nonfiction, these books illuminate local culture and history or come from the minds of local authors.
Fiction books with Jacksonville ties
Stories that take place around Jacksonville or evoke Northeast Florida’s essence.
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Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston
One of the most celebrated novels in American literature, Their Eyes Were Watching God follows Janie Crawford’s journey of self-discovery. Though primarily set in Eatonville, Jacksonville plays a role in the story, and Hurston herself spent time in the city, where she attended the Florida Baptist Academy.
Check out Their Eyes Were Watching God from the Jacksonville Public Library.
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, Deesha Philyaw
A National Book Award finalist, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is a collection of nine stories about Black women and girls navigating desire, identity, and faith as they wrestle with the tension between the church’s expectations and their own needs across four generations.
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Check out The Secret Lives of Church Ladies from the Jacksonville Public Library.
The Ice House, Laura Lee Smith
The Ice House centers on the MacKinnon family and their Bold City Ice Plant, a family business facing city fines and family fractures, amid real local historical events like the 1960 Ax Handle Saturday attacks.
Check out The Ice House from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Heart of Palm, Laura Lee Smith
Set in the fictional town of Utina, Heart of Palm captures that Northeast Florida feeling of trying to hold onto the soul of a place in the face of modern development.
Check out Heart of Palm from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Camino Island, John Grisham
A literary thriller centered on the theft of five rare F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts, Camino Island is set on a fictional barrier island just off the Northeast Florida coast, inspired by Amelia Island. Many locals recognize The Book Loft in the book’s depiction of its bookstore.
Check out Camino Island from the Jacksonville Public Library.
The Charlemagne Pursuit, Steve Berry
Part of the Cotton Malone historical thriller series, The Charlemagne Pursuit is a suspenseful tale that ties Jacksonville into an international web of crime, betrayal, and political intrigue.
Check out The Charlemagne Pursuit from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Nonfiction books about the Jacksonville area
Photos and academic examinations of specific aspects of Jacksonville history, there’s something in this group for every type of curious reader.
Jacksonville and the Roots of Southern Rock: Michael Ray FitzGerald
Hailed as the definitive text on how the River City birthed the genre of Southern Rock, Jacksonville and the Roots of Southern Rock covers the scene of the 1960s and ‘70s, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers and .38 Special.
Check out Jacksonville and the Roots of Southern Rock from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Occupancy 250: Fans, Bands and Fried Chicken: Allison Durham, Jennifer Curry Compton, Jon Glass, Dee Edenfield Marling
A photographic and oral history of Einstein A Go-Go, Occupancy 250 tells the story of the former music club in Jacksonville Beach that hosted Nirvana, The Cranberries, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Replacements and hundreds of other acts from 1985 to 1997. The Faircloth family who ran it became legendary for their hospitality, and Bill’s fried chicken ended up in band rider contracts.
Check out Occupancy 250: Fans, Bands and Fried Chicken from the Jacksonville Public Library.
To Render Invisible: Jim Crow and Public Life in New South Jacksonville: Robert Cassanello
An in-depth look at racial segregation in public life, To Render Invisible uses Jacksonville as a case study for the mid-century struggles of the Black working class. The book won the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Award from the Florida Historical Society.
Check out To Render Invisible from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Jacksonville’s Architectural Heritage: Landmarks for the Future: Wayne Wood
Wayne Wood is one of Jacksonville’s foremost historians, and in Jacksonville’s Architectural Heritage, he profiles some of the city’s most legendary landmarks and the minds who created them.
Check out Jacksonville’s Architectural Heritage from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Cora Crane: A Biography of Mrs. Stephen Crane: Lillian Gilkes
This biography follows Cora Crane, a prominent Jacksonville madam who became one of the world’s first female war correspondents and continued her writing and business ventures after the death of her partner, the author Stephen Crane.
Check out Cora Crane: A Biography of Mrs. Stephen Crane from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Florida’s First Coast: A History in Images: Jack Pate, Beaches Area Historical Society
A local history and image collection about the Jacksonville area, including Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach and Palm Valley.
Check out Florida’s First Coast: A History in Images from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Ditch of Dreams: The Cross Florida Barge Canal and the Struggle for Florida’s Future: Steven Noll & David Tegeder
While focused on the failed Cross Florida Barge Canal, Ditch of Dreams discusses Northeast Florida’s role in its history and environmental implications.
Check out Ditch of Dreams from the Jacksonville Public Library.
Bygone Jax: Our Unsung History, WJCT Public Media (Podcast)
If your reading pile is intimidating or you just want something for the drive, Bygone Jax: Our Unsung History is a limited-run local history podcast that digs into three largely forgotten moments from Jacksonville’s past with narrative moment-to-moment storytelling that takes you back to those moments in time. Research from Florida State College at Jacksonville’s Jennifer Grey keeps things accurate.
Authors with Jacksonville roots
Want to keep the Jacksonville vibe going but already know everything there is to know about Jax itself? Check out these authors who lived at least part of their lives in the area.
Historic authors
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896)
The Uncle Tom’s Cabin author spent her later winters in the Mandarin neighborhood. Her 1873 schoolhouse is still standing today as the Mandarin Community Club.
Stephen Crane (1871–1900)
After surviving a shipwreck off the Florida coast in the 1890s, the Red Badge of Courage author wrote The Open Boat. During his time in Jacksonville, he also met Cora Crane, a local madam who later became one of the world’s first female war correspondents.
Stetson Kennedy (1916–2011)
Kennedy spent his life documenting Florida’s culture and fighting for civil rights. He famously infiltrated the KKK and then stripped away their “mystery” by broadcasting their secret passwords on the Adventures of Superman radio show. He remained an important Florida writer and activist well into his 90s.
Contemporary authors
Nikesha Elise Williams
An opinion contributor to Jacksonville Today, Nikesha Elise Williams is also a novelist and essayist whose work often explores Black women’s lives, family history, and generational memory. Her debut novel Four Women won the 2018 Florida Authors and Publishers Association President’s Award for Adult Contemporary/Literary Fiction. Her latest novel, The Seven Daughters of Dupree, was released in early 2026.
Tananarive Due
Born in Tallahassee and raised in Jacksonville, Due is one of the most influential contemporary writers of Black horror and speculative fiction. A professor at UCLA, her books include The Living Blood, The Good House, and The Reformatory, which draws on Florida history.
Tim Gilmore
Jacksonville writer, historian and Florida State College at Jacksonville Professor Tim Gilmore has written more than 20 books exploring Jacksonville’s hidden history, overlooked stories and unusual characters. He also maintains the JaxPsychoGeo blog and founded the JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival.
Jennifer Swanson
Author of more than 50 nonfiction books for kids focused on science, technology and how things work, Jacksonville-based author Jennifer Swanson’s books break down complex STEM topics for young learners. Jennifer has presented at the World Science Festival, the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival and others.
Al Letson
Raised in Jacksonville, Al Letson is a television writer, playwright, and host of the investigative radio program Reveal, as well as the author of the Mr. Terrific DC Comic series. We are proud to say we knew him when.
More to read about Jacksonville
Use these online resources to dig deeper in Jacksonville’s past and present.
- The Jaxson: From Jacksonville Today partner The Jaxson, comb through years of reporting on Jacksonville’s urban history, neighborhoods, architecture, and development.
- JaxPsychoGeo: An essay and research project run by local author and Professor Tim Gilmore that explores Jacksonville through geography, memory and place.
- Florida State College at Jacksonville Libguide: This research resource includes a trove of Jacksonville history, from more literature with local ties to maps and a documentary video series about Jax
- Jacksonville Historical Society blog: Occasional entries on Jacksonville history from the CEO of the Jacksonville Historical Society, the primary archive and advocacy organization for preserving Jacksonville history
- Jacksonville History Consortium: A collaborative network of local historical organizations that provide a comprehensive listing of local archives and events that highlight history.
- Florida Memory Project: This state-run digital archive includes photographs, documents and maps related to Northeast Florida history.
