As a biographer and ghostwriter, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with fascinating people, from economists and WW II veterans to musicians and entrepreneurs. Getting to know these people is one of the most rewarding parts of a biographer’s profession.
When I was asked to write the life story of Sarah Anthony’s grandfather and handed five amazingly detailed journals her grandfather wrote, I believed I’d found the mother lode of historical records. You may not know the name James R. Anthony, but Floridians, who pay no state income tax, owe him a debt of gratitude.
From humble beginnings as a Georgia farm boy, Anthony used his business acumen to help transform Florida’s wilderness settlements into thriving cities. Over 36 years, he found success in multiple fields, including men’s clothing stores, real estate, banking, and insurance, helping to shape Florida’s future during the frenetic boom and bust years of the early 1900s.
J. R. Anthony’s journals place us inside the room where he meets historical figures like Henry Flagler and when important decisions have changed the course of Florida’s future. Anthony’s meticulous record-keeping and insider knowledge form the bedrock of my newest book, James R. Anthony: The Banker Who Shaped Florida’s History. The book paints a vivid picture of the businessman’s life and the profound influence he had on the Sunshine State.
This historical/biography introduces us to pioneers, politicians, millionaire developers, and sketchy con men. You’ll meet the men selling dreams of instant riches and the speculators who helped fuel a wild real estate boom. J. R. Anthony observed it all, working and profiting through the good times and moving on before the economic balloon burst in 1926.
Early Amazon readers have praised James R. Anthony: The Banker Who Shaped Florida’s History.
“DiGenti masterfully sets the historical context for Anthony’s career in business and tells a compelling saga of Florida’s development. In the process, the reader will meet a colorful cast of characters and might conclude, looking at today’s business world, the more things change…the more they remain the same.”
~ J. H.
“Painstakingly documented, this work can serve as a reliable source of research for scholarly study, “armchair,” or otherwise. This book is a gift, an inspirational tale told well by an experienced biographer, offering a glimpse into private journals the Anthony family were generous enough to share with a wider audience.”
~ H. B.
“DiGenti’s vivid and cinematic style makes for page-turning reading, and Anthony’s own words, through his preserved notes, reveal in meticulous detail how he envisioned and created major financial institutions. The abundance of historical detail and “inside” business revelations make for worthy and fascinating reading.”
~ D. K.
James R. Anthony: The Banker Who Shaped Florida’s History is available in paperback and eBook formats. Click here to read the introduction and first chapter. Find out for yourself why readers are raving about it and order your book by clicking here. And remember, the best way to thank an author is by leaving a review.
Click on the video below for my interview on WJCT’s First Coast Connect program hosted by Anne Schindler. I had worked at the station for many years before retiring, and we had a good conversation about the James R. Anthony biography and my time as the producer of the Jacksonville Jazz Festival. Although this was a radio interview, they gave me a video recording.