Author Jason Vuic "A Town Without Pity"

Schedule

Thu Nov 13 2025 at 06:00 pm to 07:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Copperfish Books | Punta Gorda, FL

Advertisement
Join us for an evening with author Jason Vuic as he discusses his latest book "A Town Without Pity" (Arcadia, Florida).
About this Event

Join us on Thursday, November 13 at 6 pm to hear author Jason Vuic talk about his new book, A Town Without Pity: Aids, Race, and Resistance in Florida's Deep South. After his talk, Jason will be happy to sign copies of his book.

This book is an examination of the history and culture of Arcadia, Florida, in the 1980s. It recounts two stories of small-town injustice that rose to national prominence at the end of the Reagan era and forced a reckoning with the staying power of social division and prejudice.


"A Florida backwater--twice thrust onto the national stage over controversies decades apart--is again centered in this fishbowl of a book, a page-turning examination of the machinations of a municipal mob under the nation's microscope. The haunting questions that gurgle throughout: Can a place be bad, and what makes it so?"--Ben Montgomery, author of Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail

About the Author

Originally from Punta Gorda, FL, Jason Vuic is an award-winning author and historian based in Fort Worth, Texas, who specializes in creative nonfiction.

His books include The Yugo: the Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History and The Yucks! Two Years in Tampa with the Losingest Team in NFL History. His 2021 book The Swamp Peddlers: How Lot Sellers, Land Scammers, and Retirees Built Modern Florida and Transformed the American Dream won the Phillip and Dana Zimmerman Gold Medal Prize for Florida Nonfiction at the 2021 Florida Book Awards, as well as the 2021 Charlton Tebeau Award for outstanding general interest book from the Florida Historical Society. And, in 2025,

A skilled lecturer and speaker, Jason has appeared on NPR’s "Weekend Edition," APM’s "Marketplace," "Fox and Friends," CBC’s "The Current," and C-SPAN’S "Book TV."

Jason is a graduate of Wake Forest University, and holds an M.A. in history from the University of Richmond and a Ph.D. in history from Indiana University Bloomington. He was named both a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and a Fulbright Scholar, and has given invited talks at such prestigious institutions as Harvard University, the Ohio State University, and the University of Florida.

Advertisement

Where is it happening?

Copperfish Books, 212 West Virginia Avenue, Punta Gorda, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

USD 0.00 to USD 32.52

Icon
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Copperfish Books

Host or Publisher Copperfish Books

Ask AI if this event suits you:

Discover More Events in Punta Gorda

Orchid Ovation
Thu, 13 Nov at 10:30 am Orchid Ovation

5827 Riverside Drive, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33982

ART NONPROFIT
Pretty As A Pearl Boutique Ribbon Cutting
Thu, 13 Nov at 05:00 pm Pretty As A Pearl Boutique Ribbon Cutting

150 Laishley Ct. unit 112 Punta Gorda

Leadership Charlotte Hall of Fame Lunch
Fri, 14 Nov at 11:30 am Leadership Charlotte Hall of Fame Lunch

1780 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda, FL 33950-5139, United States

Watson's ICE CREAM in DEEP CREEK
Fri, 14 Nov at 04:00 pm Watson's ICE CREAM in DEEP CREEK

Watson’s Ice Cream

Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan
Fri, 14 Nov at 07:00 pm Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan

900 West Marion Ave., Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33950

MUSIC LIVE-MUSIC
Ellipsis @ TT's Tiki Bar
Fri, 14 Nov at 07:30 pm Ellipsis @ TT's Tiki Bar

TT's Tiki Bar

Bratty Paws PAWZ-A-PALOOSA and UpDog Challenge
Sat, 15 Nov at 12:00 am Bratty Paws PAWZ-A-PALOOSA and UpDog Challenge

2551 Taylor Road, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33950

CONTESTS
UpDog Challenge - Bratty Paws
Sat, 15 Nov at 08:30 am UpDog Challenge - Bratty Paws

Bratty Paws Retail

CONTESTS MEETUPS
An Epic Scavenger Hunt! - Punta Gorda\u2018s Puzzling Pursuit
Wed, 18 Dec at 08:00 am An Epic Scavenger Hunt! - Punta Gorda‘s Puzzling Pursuit

Punta Gorda Farmer's Market

ART TRIPS-ADVENTURES
OPEN MIC AT DOWNTOWN KAVA-ALL ARTISTS
Fri, 17 Oct at 07:00 pm OPEN MIC AT DOWNTOWN KAVA-ALL ARTISTS

1009 Taylor Street, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33950

OPEN-MIC ART
Mastering your Smartphone Photography with Jim Austin!
Sat, 18 Oct at 10:00 am Mastering your Smartphone Photography with Jim Austin!

5827 Riverside Drive, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33982

PHOTOGRAPHY ART
Saturday on the Lawn
Sat, 18 Oct at 10:00 am Saturday on the Lawn

3519 Drance St, Port Charlotte, FL, United States, Florida 33980

NONPROFIT ART
KEEP IT WILD NATURE MAKERS ART AND LEARNING EVENT AT DOWNTOWN KAVA
Sun, 19 Oct at 12:00 pm KEEP IT WILD NATURE MAKERS ART AND LEARNING EVENT AT DOWNTOWN KAVA

1009 Taylor Street, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33950

ART CONTESTS
Intermediate Origami Workshop
Tue, 21 Oct at 10:00 am Intermediate Origami Workshop

5827 Riverside Drive, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33982

WORKSHOPS ART
Dwight Icenhower and The Blue Suede Review
Tue, 21 Oct at 07:30 pm Dwight Icenhower and The Blue Suede Review

2400 Kings Hwy, Port Charlotte, FL, United States, Florida 33980

ART PERFORMANCES
Quilling in the Gardens-Origami Butterfly!
Wed, 22 Oct at 10:00 am Quilling in the Gardens-Origami Butterfly!

5827 Riverside Drive, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33982

ART WORKSHOPS
Alcohol Ink Art Workshop
Thu, 23 Oct at 10:00 am Alcohol Ink Art Workshop

5827 Riverside Drive, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33982

WORKSHOPS ART
Paper Quilling Workshop - Turtle
Fri, 24 Oct at 10:00 am Paper Quilling Workshop - Turtle

2001 Shreve St, Punta Gorda, FL, United States, Florida 33950

WORKSHOPS ART
Sandpainting with Frit
Fri, 24 Oct at 12:00 pm Sandpainting with Frit

4155 Whidden Blvd Unit 9

WORKSHOPS ART
Ghouls Night Out Shopping Event at Persnickety
Fri, 24 Oct at 04:00 pm Ghouls Night Out Shopping Event at Persnickety

Persnickety Punta Gorda

ART SHOPPING

What's Happening Next in Punta Gorda?

Discover Punta Gorda Events