Dr. Gerald Grow
A Florida Renaissance Man
Gerald Grow, Ph.D, is a retired professor of journalism who most recently taught at Florida A & M University. He was born in 1942 and is alive and well and living in Tallahassee, Florida. He has a distinguished academic career including education at Yale and Harvard, and teaching and research at Florida State University.
One of the most prolific and versatile Florida authors, Dr. Grow has published many scholarly papers, essays, and studies during his long academic career. He has a long list of articles on teaching. He has also written extensively on meditation, philosophy, food, Shakespeare, Milton, Buddhism, writing and computers.He has written on more subjects than can be fairly covered in this brief article. He is also a poet and an accomplished cartoonist. His cartoons are of the subtle kind typically seen in the old New Yorker magazine. He must have a great sense of humor, describing himself as "an internationally unrecognized cartoonist". He is no doubt too modest. Dr. Grow also has profiles on Facebook and Linkedin. The photograph on this page came from his Linkedin profile. In short, Gerald Grow is a Renaissance Man. Like Leonardo da Vinci, his knowledge covers many subject areas. I find this to be unusual for most Ph.D's. Most of them become specialists in one area, especially college professors. Very few of them become successful Florida authors. We've all heard the saying that a generalist is someone who knows less and less about more and more until he finally knows nothing about everything. And we've also heard that a specialist is someone who knows more and more about less and less until he finally knows everything about nothing. Dr. Grow transcends these definitions, as do all Renaissance persons, and is extremely knowledgeable in many areas. For an example of his work, read "The Soft Ice Cream Sculpture" on his website, and his essay "Buddhism--A Brief Introduction for Westerners". Dr. Grow is clearly a spiritual man who understands the connectedness of everything in the universe, and these two articles demonstrate this. Another interesting essay he wrote, "We are Literally Made from Stars", explains how we are connected to the universe. On a more down to earth subject, you might also enjoy my favorite, "How to Make a Fly Trap from a Quart Jar". I made one of these for a nearby Starbucks, but somebody quickly stole it. All of this academic, spiritual and practical knowledge made Dr. Grow the ideal person to write what I consider to be one of the best books about Florida that I've ever read: "Florida Parks: A Guide To Camping In Nature". I first bought this book in 1984 (2nd edition) and used it as a guide for my Florida state parks camping adventures with my kids during my years as a weekend father.
I soon discovered that although the book is a great camping guide, it is also much more than that. You will love the book even if you are not a camper. It is a collection of the most beautiful descriptions of natural Florida that I have ever read. It established Gerald Grow, in my mind, as one of the foremost Florida authors.Beautiful natural Florida has been disappearing under the pressures of development. It was so when Dr. Grow first wrote the book in 1981. It is even more sadly true today. Florida parks, especially Florida State Parks, still preserve much of Florida's natural beauty. Even if one does not camp, Dr. Grow's book is an instructive manual and pleasant reading companion to take along for day trips in Florida parks. He even has a section in the 5th edition of his book on "Meditating With Nature". Listen to this passage: "Build your day around the rhythms of the day. Forget clock-time, and make time to respond to what the day presents you. The greatest symphony in the world happens as the pre-dawn light rises into day and the sun comes up to the songs of birds. Make time for it, often. Nature's rhythms, because they are our own deepest rhythms, can be the greatest healer." I enjoy this kind of writing in my camping guide, not the dry factual presentations of some of the more commercial RV and Campground guides. My annual pass for Florida State Parks allows me unlimited access to all of Florida State Parks. I also have a lifetime pass to National Parks. Camping costs extra, but just to drive into these parks, find a place to sit and listen and meditate is worth a thousand times more. Dr. Grow continually updates his book, and his writing adds to my pleasure. This book would even be welcome in the library of someone who doesn't like camping. ABOUT GERALD GROW FLORIDA BOOKS I am only going to list one of Gerald Grow's Florida themed books. He may have written others, but this is the only one I am familiar with (and with which I am familiar): - (1981) Florida Parks: A Guide To Camping In Nature
As mentioned earlier, this book has been periodically updated and is now available in the 7th edition. It is a substantial 288 page book that has detailed information on almost 350 parks and camping areas on public lands in Florida. The book is well documented with 138 photographs and a thoughtful selection of location maps. The 10-page index that helps you find parks with special features like archaeological exhibits, bike trails, canoeing and hiking areas and historic sites. Museums and historic re-enactment sites are also listed. Most of Gerald Grow's books are available at this direct link: Gerald Grow at Amazon.com Make sure you buy the latest version, which at this time (June 2009) is the 7th edition. Subscribe to our free monthly E-Zine, Florida Heritage Travel for news of Florida authors, Florida art shows, festivals and other activities.
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