A lyrical rendering of the real Miami beneath the myths, crafted through stories of the city’s artists and creators

Miami is often seen as a leisure destination with bright sunshine, turquoise beaches, and palm trees; a glamorous metropolis with a flashy nightlife; and a cosmopolitan crossroads. In Everything Is the Sea, P. Scott Cunningham explores the city’s cultural richness. Through lyrical essays, Cunningham weaves his own life as a Miami resident with the stories of others to portray Miami’s dynamic cultural scene through the words of those who have created it.

Cunningham introduces readers to an activist who cleans up trash off the ocean floor, artists who hand out umbrellas to their neighbors, and a famous poet who bags groceries at a supermarket. He also shares a fuller picture of people readers have already heard of: pop singer George Michael, designer Gianni Versace, and playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney, co-creator of the Oscar-winning film Moonlight. Through intimate interviews, historical research, and firsthand stories, this book reveals that Miami’s cultural life is much deeper and richer than commonly presented.

Combining profile, criticism, and memoir, including details of Cunningham’s fifteen years producing literary events and public art projects in the city, Everything Is the Sea argues for Miami’s consideration as one of the country’s most vibrant cities, a place where world-class artists are trained and important work is made. Cunningham intertwines the stories of the people of Miami to create a nuanced portrait of the city he loves.