Fool's Paradise: Players, Poseurs, and the Culture of Excess in South Beach

by Steven Gaines

Book Overview

From the acclaimed bestselling author of Philistines at the Hedgerow comes a remarkably revealing profile of the Miami Beach no one knows, a tale of fabulous excess, thwarted power, and rekindled lives that will take its place among the decade's best works of social portraiture. Created from a mix of swampland and dredged-up barrier reef, Miami Beach has always been one part drifter-mecca and one part fantasyland, simultaneously a catch basin for...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307346277
• ISBN13: 9780307346278
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 274 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

SO. FLA. RESIDENT

Good "read"! Very informative re: HISTORY OF MIA. BEACH, most of which I knew re: the past. It was interesting to read the "behind" the scenes stories re: MAJOR DEVELOPERS.

FOOL'S PARADISE IS A SHOCKER

Fool's Paradise is a well written book about the hidden history of Miami Beach. I especially enjoyed Chapter Eleven, " The Mayor of South Beach." After finishing Steven Gaine's manuscript, where he mentions Mayor Alex Daoud and his unexpurgated book "Sins of South Beach", The True Story of Violence, Corruption, Murder and the Making of Miami Beach. I purchased the Mayor's story. All I can say is "WOW". The author a three time Miami Beach City Commissioner and former three time Mayor uses real names, real crimes, and real people. I'm surprised that he was able to do that. It is a very revealing, interesting and shocking read. I highly recommend both books, they enhance each other.

Great read on a rainy day

Great book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the history of Miami Beach and about the current club scene. It's a sexy book filled with scandal and interesting info. I highly recommend it.

Really Juicy!

Great book. It's a fast read with lots of juicy details about the Miami Beach scene - and you don't have to be from Miami to enjoy it! It's a perfect book for a rainy day.

FOOL'S PARADISE IS FANTASTIC

Steven Gaines has captured the esoteric secrets of South Beach in his compulsively readable Fool's Paradise. His story telling ability is sensational and the revelations are shocking. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has ever visited, lived or heard of South Beach. Alex Daoud Three-time Mayor of Miami Beach Author Sins of South Beach