Eliot Kleinberg, creator of the original "Weird Florida" books, is that rarest of Floridians: a native. Born in South Florida, he spent nearly four decades as a reporter, including more than 33 years at The Palm Beach Post in West Palm Beach. In addition to covering local news, he also wrote extensively about Florida and Florida history.
"Post Time" is his weekly local history column that ran in the Post for two decades. And in early 2019, he launched "Florida Time," a Florida history column that appeared in more than two dozen Gatehouse-Gannett newspapers statewide.
He has written nine books -- and contributed to several more -- all focusing on Florida. They include "Black Cloud," on the great 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane, and two "Weird Florida" books. He currently is completing a four-book set of novels fearing the adventures of Prohibition-era Miami police detective Nate Moran.
He separately runs a blog on better writing called "Something Went Horribly Wrong.” He is a frequent lecturer and is a member of the Florida, South Florida Palm Beach County and Boca Raton historical societies. The son of longtime prominent South Florida journalist Howard Kleinberg, he graduated from Miami-area public schools and the University of Florida.
He and his wife are the parents of two adult sons and live in suburban Boca Raton, Florida.
Books by Eliot Kleinberg:
Hypocrite’s Row: The Adventures of Nate Moran (Unpublished)
The Treasure of Indian Key: The Adventures of Nate Moran (Unpublished)
The Wreck of the Peter Carey: The Adventures of Nate Moran (Unpublished)
Midnight Pass: The Adventures of Nate Moran (Unpublished)
Peace River (Unpublished)
The Anecdotal Lead: A Memoir ((Unpublished)
Palm Beach County at 100: Our History, Our Home (with Palm Beach Post staff and Historical Society of Palm Beach County) (2009)
Wicked Palm Beach: Lifestyles of the Rich and Heinous (2009). The History Press.
Palm Beach Past: The Best of Post Time (2006). The History Press.
Weird Florida II: In a State of Shock (1998, 2006). Florida Historical Society Press.
Black Cloud, 2003 (paperback 2004). Carroll & Graf. Reissued 2016 by Florida Historical Society Press.
Our Century, the Post's history of Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast in the 20th Century (2000) (Primary writer)
War in Paradise, true stories about Florida in World War II (1999; reissued 2005). Florida Historical Society Press.
Weird Florida (1998; reissued 2007). Longstreet Press/Florida Historical Society Press.
Historical Traveler's Guide to Florida (1997; reissued 2006). Pineapple Press.
Florida Fun Facts: 1,001 fun questions and answers about Florida (1995; reissued 2005). Pineapple Press.
Pioneers in Paradise: West Palm Beach, The First Hundred Years, with Jan Tuckwood (1994; reissued 2004). Longstreet Press.