Sandspurs: Notes from a Coastal Columnist

Far from the myth of surf, sand, and orange juice, Mark Lane's snapshots of life in the Sunshine State are more likely to feature gargantuan insects than bikini-clad coeds.

Lane has spent nearly thirty years as a reporter and writer for the Daytona Beach News-Journal. Often compared to Carl Hiaasen, Dave Barry, Jeff Klinkenberg, or Roy Blount Jr., over the past decade his columns have built an intensely loyal following.

Lane's writing is a model of crisp prose. But he is hard to pin down. One...