A forgotten island. A storm that changed everything. A true story of ambition, loss, and the relentless power of nature.

Off Florida's Gulf Coast lies the ghost of a town once called Atsena Otie Island—a thriving 19th-century community built on cedar, sweat, and the promise of prosperity. At its heart stood the great pencil mills that fed America's growing appetite for progress. But on a single night in 1896, everything changed. A massive hurricane roared ashore, leveling the factories, homes, and dreams of everyone who lived there.

In Boom or Bust, James Fouty traces the island's rise and fall through historical records, lost photographs, and haunting remnants of the past. Blending vivid storytelling with careful research, he brings to life a forgotten chapter of Florida's history—a tale of industry, resilience, and nature's final say.

From the scent of fresh-cut cedar to the silence of the storm's aftermath, Boom or Bust reveals how quickly fortunes fade when the sea decides to take them back.

Perfect for readers who love:

Florida history and forgotten places

Historical nonfiction with atmosphere and depth

True stories of disaster, survival, and memory

Books like The Orchid Thief, Killers of the Flower Moon, and The Old Man and the Sea

Step into a vanished world and uncover the story of a town swallowed by time and tide.