The memes. Because Florida jokes. Florida Man stories. Tyler Gillespie was once embarrassed to call Florida home, concocting fantasies he'd been born somewhere else. In The Thing about Florida, Gillespie faces his Florida denial and takes readers on an exuberant search for the state behind the caricatures, cutting through the media storm with curiosity and humor.

Gillespie's journey leads him into unexpected places such as halfway houses, gator pits, venom rooms, and clothing-optional campgrounds, where he meets eclectic and unconventional Floridians who have been misrepresented in news stories. He interviews storm chasers, Civil War reenactors, cattle ranchers, drag queens, python hunters, and pet smugglers. His conversations delve into serious issues such as addiction, Florida's racist past, and care options for the state's LGBTQ senior citizens.

With perspective and empathy derived from his background as a gay man raised Southern Baptist, Gillespie shows how important it is to understand the diversity and complexity of Florida today. It's dangerous to meet our fears with fear, he says as he confronts his own as well as the state's monsters--invasive species, hurricanes, environmental destruction. He reminds us that Florida's people and problems are vital parts of the nation's future.

A fresh and engaging voice, Gillespie captivates with a snappy pace, sly wit, and crisp observations. As he weaves his childhood memories and personal experiences alongside the stories of the individuals he encounters, Gillespie reconciles with his home state. He finds Florida's humanity, a beautiful mix of hopes, dreams, and second chances.

 I’m Tyler Gillespie, and I've taught college writing courses since 2015. I'm currently an instructor in the Department of Writing & Rhetoric at the University of Mississippi. I teach the first-year writing sequence in FASTrack, a cohort-based program geared toward first generation and out-of-state students.

My scholarship focuses on first-year composition, queer rhetorics, and rhetorical practices. I'm also a poet, humor writer, and award-winning journalist published in the New Yorker, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, GQ, VICE, and Salon. My books include The Thing about Florida: Exploring a Misunderstood State (UPF, 2021) and Florida Man:Poems (Red Flag Poetry, 2018). My full writing portfolio can be found at TylerMTG.com.

I hold an MFA in Creative Writing and an MA in Journalism & Media Studies. I'm currently a PhD student in the English: Writing, Rhetoric, & Technical Communication program at the University of Memphis.

This site serves as my teaching/research portfolio and as part of my Facutly Annual Review for the University of Mississippi. The Service page documents my work in the university community, and the Teaching pages contain my teaching philosophy, description of courses taught, memo documenting my teaching observations, and excerpts from student evaluations.

Source: tylergillespie.com