Jeff Klinkenberg

Jeff Klinkenberg is an award-winning writer, educator, and conservationist whose works of Florida non-fiction have given readers a deeper understanding of the state since his first book, Seasons of Real Florida, debuted in 1978.

Born in 1949 in the rural-but-alive town of Jay, Florida, Klinkenberg grew up with a distinctly southern view of the world and a talent for writing. He attended the University of Florida, where he earned a degree in journalism and creative writing. After completing his studies, Klinkenberg took a job as a reporter for the St. Petersburg Times.

Klinkenberg's career in journalism took off in the late 1970s when his boss, editor and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eugene Patterson, nurtured his interest in Florida and gave him the opportunity to travel around the state to write feature stories. This precursor to Klinkenberg's later books would be the catalyst for his career as a writer of Florida non-fiction.

In 1978, the University of Florida Press published Seasons of Real Florida, Klinkenberg's first full-length work, which was a collection of stories and essays about the people and places of Florida. The book was an immediate success, and it launched Klinkenberg's career as a writer of Florida non-fiction.

Since then, Klinkenberg has published numerous books including Alligators in B-Flat (1980), Ripple Effect (1987), The Gentleman's Guide to Life in the Sunshine State (1997), and The Silent Summer of Larry Reason (2013).

Through these works and many others, Klinkenberg has sought to explore the unique cultural and ecological richness of his home state. He is particularly drawn to its people, the little-known and the often overlooked, like the retirees of Podunk and the nudists of Cedar Key.

But Klinkenberg's works are much more than just stories of Florida's inhabitants. In each of his books, he paints a vivid picture of Florida's environment and its effect on the people who call it home. Genetics, history, and mortality are some of the many themes he takes on in his publications.

Klinkenberg's writing has earned him many awards, including a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Prize, a Florida Magazine Association Writer of the Year Award, and a Florida Governor's Award for Distinguished Community Service.

In addition to his writing and conservation efforts, Klinkenberg also has played an active role in Florida journalism, serving as an editor for the St. Petersburg Times, creating the newspaper's Florida magazine and establishing the Gulliver-Leimert Visiting Writers series.

Jeff Klinkenberg is a celebrated writer and educator whose works of Florida non-fiction have won both critical and popular acclaim. From his first book Seasons of Real Florida to his latest title The Silent Summer of Larry Reason, Klinkenberg has explored the unique culture and landscape of his home state, bringing it to life for readers everywhere.