The Wide Brim

A collection of early commentary and poems from one of Florida's most legendary environmental activists

Often described as the savior of the Everglades, Marjory Stoneman Douglas is best known for having been Florida's most passionate environmentalist, but she was first, foremost, and always a writer. As the author of fiction and nonfiction books, most notably The Everglades: River of Grass, and scores of short stories, Douglas devoted over ninety years to her career as a writer. Her fascinating and little-known work as a journalist began as a columnist for the Miami Herald.

The Wide Brim presents a collection of her best articles—many of which were preceded by a poem of her own composition—from her daily column "The Galley," which ran from 1920 until 1923. The selections reflect Douglas's many voices, which made her a distinctive commentator of the time: nature lover, South Florida booster, political analyst, woman, social progressive, intellectual, and philosopher and observer of human nature. With the same passion and eloquence that she became famous for in later years, Douglas maneuvered gracefully from one topic to the next. From straightforward commentary to witty prose, from harsh criticism to infectious humor, from biting sarcasm to whimsical verse, from glimpses into nature to those into human nature, the rich and vibrant voice of Marjory Stoneman Douglas in her 30s is now readily accessible.

Because Douglas's columns engage matters of the day, the pieces collected in this volume provide insight not only into her maturation as a writer and civic-minded citizen of South Florida but also into the intellectual, cultural, and political world of Miami in the early stages of its development. For today's reader, her columns combine literature and history at their most informative and entertaining.